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After I thickness sanded the top a small grey streak appeared.Almost as if there was a small weathered streak down in the wood a ways.It`s about 1mm wide and 5 mm`s long.Here`s a pic.Has anyone incountered this and what can be done if anything?
              James W B

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

To clarify it`s the second small streak below the rosette to the right.About 1 1/4 inch down.It doesn`t show up much in the picture, but it`s real obvious.
                            James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Pitch pocket? It's hard to tell what is going on from the photo.

Yeah it`s hard to see in the photo.Not a good photographer.I guess it could be pitch.It just looks weathered.
                      James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Maybe it will show up better in this pic.
                           James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Ah, now I see it. Don't have a clue, James, sorry. BTW, don't forget to extract your undies from the sound hole. .

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I believe those belong to the little woman.
                James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

James,

I have ran into this with Lutz as well (and all other top woods for that matter). I'm not exactly sure what it is but like Paul I believe that it is some kind of pitch pocket. As far as what can be done about it, I don't know of anything. I try to give the tops a good going over before I use them. If I notice anything like this than I will do my best to work around it. I have had the same problem as you were they appear on a top in progress. In this case if it is not to noticeable I will let it go. But if it is big and dark (I have had some really dark spots) then once or twice I have started on another top.

The bad thing is that as you sand more the spot may become more visible. It depends on how deep it is. Sometime you can sand them out, but I wouldn't try that on a top that is in progress.

This spot won't be covered up by the bridge will it?

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Here's the player's perspective... This instrument is going to sound wonderful with that Lutz top, grey spot or not. I see absolutely *ZERO* flaws in that top. There's no reason, in my opinion, to use a sonically inferior top without a cosmetic flaw when a sonically superior top with or without a cosmetic flaw exists. I'd be honored to play it, grey spot or not.

John

The spot won`t be covered by the bridge,and it is a beautiful top.Almost perfect,except one little grey spot.
              James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Martin used to candle all their tops. Maybe they still do. This kind of thing would possible show if candled. I remember as a kid watching someone in a chicken house candling eggs. I don't have a clue still why they were looking at them like that?

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Bruce, they were looking to see if the egg was for breakfast or on its way to becoming another chicken.

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Aoibeann

Yes,It does look to be under the strings so I wouldn't worry too much about it James.Unless you want to start a new top or maybe inlay something in that area to hide it.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

You could take a grey marker and put little marks all over the top and market it as "Snakewood Lutz" for a 10% increase in the price....

James, How about a pickguard to reach under the strings and cover it?

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Although I prefer a colorless finish, the yellow-orange finishes that many luthiers use help mask irregularities in color. If the spot continues to bother you, you might want to use a colored finish on this guitar.

Hey thanks for all the feedback.It`s really not that big of a deal.If the wood grew that way , than so be it.Please don`t let this reflect on Shane.He`s a class guy selling first rate Luthier supply`s.There is no way on earth he could have ever seen below the surface of the wood to know about the PITCH SPOT!!!!!.A small exaggeration there on my part.It must be beer thirty.Or Quiting time for some folks.I definately will do business with Shane again.His tops are Tops.I`m suprised I didn`t get a little more feed back on the old ladies lace.
                      James W B

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

I know my opinion as a non-luthier (or merely an aspiring luthier) isn't worth too much on this issue, but I'm sticking to my guns on this one. There's nothing wrong with that top. Look at one of my guitars:



Here's another spot on the same top:


And yet another on the same top:


Say what you will about the three spots on the same top, but it's one of the three greatest sounding instruments I've ever heard and it was good enough for this label to go on it back in 1950, when it still meant unsurpassed quality...



The wood for our instruments was at one time alive, and like all living beings, it has flaws. What one man finds to be a "flaw", another finds "character."

I would say that's just my $0.02, but I probably chimed in for about a dime there... hahaha!

James,

Have you cut out the top to rough shape? If not, you can probably find a matching graft on the trim excess. Line up a matching spot off the tops outline to match the grain lines width and use a small gouge to cut a graft/plug. Use the same gouge to cut the gray spot making a trench slightly smaller than the graft/plug. Glue with HHG and clamp, when dry overnite, sand execess graft/plug down ever with top. If done carefully these grafts can be nearly undetectable. Practice on scrap 1st.
I always carfully save execss trimmings and cutoffs in a labeled box until I've finished building. Good idea for b&s's too in case of binding ledge screwups, etc.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

[QUOTE=old man] Ah, now I see it. Don't have a clue, James, sorry. BTW, don't forget to extract your undies from the sound hole. .

Ron[/QUOTE]

Some famous baseballers wear women's undies for luck....looks like James is applying the same theory to luthiery

Heres one way to hide the spot

Yep, that might be a patent possibility. Designer outfits for your geetar that can hide any flaw.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I love that remedy.
        James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Martin,

All you need is a Big S soundhole design and that guitar will really fly. Just keep it clear of the Kryptonite

A G-string thong would give better tone though I think, but would need to be carefully placed

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

It's always intrigued me...you can rock into a department store and buy a G string but when you ask for an E, D or a B string they just give you a blank look.