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Any recommendations on where to get spalted maple or curly koa binding from? Preferably in Europe if possible.

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

I would cut it myself, except that I don't know that you would save much on the koa, being ridiculously expensive. Somebody here has some links to get that.

Spalted maple on the other hand... Why? I would suspect bending rotten wood to be fairly difficult as well as cutting a strip that produces the kind of effect you want. I could be wrong though. I've never seen it used for binding.

I would get flamed maple and dye it tan rather than pay for koa. I never feel good about using wood from threatened species. Plenty of beautiful woods that are not so rare. How bout claro walnut?

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

Good idea on cutting it myself. I could get some B+S sets.

As for spalted maple, here's why:

Pederson guitar, btw

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

that spalted is sweet!!! If you find some that good, buy it!!!

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

I'm looking closer and I'm not sure that is really spalted. Maybe I've just never seen any from the UK.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

I was wondering the same thing.

Here's the build thread for that guitar over on AGF. Kevin's work is absolutely exquisite. I just think he's taking the stained glass rosette concept and taking it to another level entirely.

Indeed, I've never seen spalting like that before. Definitely a rare pattern, but it looks great. I also love "regular" spalted maple. Here's an awesome harp guitar by Don Sharp with it: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212142&page=15
I think he said he was never working with it again due to the difficulty, though.

I did this one with spalted maple back/sides

The sides did fracture a bit in bending, but I can probably do better next time. I eventually figured out that what it wanted is high heat, and a fully saturated paper towel on the hot pipe. But then it's flatsawn so the water made it want to cup, so I had to press it onto the pipe with a wood block to prevent that

I found that board at a local wood store. Already sanded to 1/4" thick, so it wasn't too terribly time consuming or wasteful to thin it down by hand, plus that meant I could saw bindings from the edge of it. The best spalting was in the middle, and I used that on the sides, but the bindings still have some color.

If you want, I could keep an eye out for more good boards out there, and mail over a couple 3 foot by 5 inch or so pieces for you to cut strips off of. Probably wouldn't be worth the price sending just a few strips... plus who knows how many you'll need, if they're really hard to bend.

No, surely that's impossible !! But I was wondering what he meant by segmented binding. Wouldn't it just fall apart when heated to bend?

Dennis, I love that harp guitar. I've actually found a source for spalted wood over here, but thanks for the offer. http://tonewood.rs/?cat=6

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

Peter, whatever it is, it looks great!!! The rosette is outstanding.
Dennis, love your guitar.

I didn't make it - it's a Pederson guitar. Wish I could, though...

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

Ok, it's official (from the AGF):

Now my mind is blown!

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

Dennis did you get the spalted syc from metro ? nice pattern

Good spalted wood is not 'rotten'. In order to be suitable for acoustic guitars, it should be such that the strength is not compromised significantly.

Spalted hackberry:

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John

Only certain spalting fungi do not damage the wood... much. All of them are a form of decay which happens on dead, dying or extremely stressed trees.

I knew the binding in that picture couldn't be spalted wood. First of all spalt mostly runs in the direction of the grain, not crossways like shown, second it's way too consistent, and third the lines don't look right. On real spalt the lines are solid black and look a bit like lightning.

Beautiful guitar, and so is that one with spalted back and sides. Not knocking the great work.

But for binding? I'd love to see someone find a way to make it work. Crosscutting may be possible, probably have to use a ton of little broken pieces like you would with shell.

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

I've thought of doing spalled bindings myself. Finding wood that is spalted but stable enough to cooperate would be a very daunting task. I feel you would break quite a few in the search. But if you like the look, as I do, spalted purflings are fantastic and if try break a little along the way it won't hurt anything. You can just fill the cracks, much like with radial purfs.

Dennis, your guitar is really handsome!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Hey John have you built a guitar with spalted Hackberry?
I have a bunch but wasn't sure what to use it for.

Guys I am no luthier but I have done tons of furniture touch up including working on the finish on a $70,000 Bösendorfer piano, and that price was back in 1987! Scared the .... well it was scary scraping on that finish.

Anyway, the binding shown on this guitar looks to me like is either airbrushed by a true airbrush artist or, all the little lines are brushed in with a very fine touch up brush using a transparent colorant that will give a 3 dimensional appearance. If you go to the linked site and look closely at all the photos you will find where some of those lines weave over and under other lines. I have never seen weaving of spalt. You will also notice that some of the little brown lines do not extend all the way to the edge of the binding, indicating it was applied after the guitar was bound. As Filippo mentioned, it could also be wood burning, but again, if so, it was done by a very experienced artist.

Mike

ps for your spalted viewing pleasure.......and you can make your own

http://www.northernspalting.com/