luthier?

[cameron bailey]

I picked up some reclaimed curly redwood that was 3/4" paneling from a house that was built around 1890 and I was thinking of milling it into soundboards. Can wood be to dry for this? I would think you can not get any more stable then this. This would be the first soundboards I have made and just wanted to check before I cut them up.

[Eiji Fuller]

I picked up some reclaimed curly redwood that was 3/4" paneling from a house that was built around 1890 and I was thinking of milling it into soundboards. Can wood be to dry for this? I would think you can not get any more stable then this. This would be the first soundboards I have made and just wanted to check before I cut them up.

Im pretty sure that wood doesnt continue to dry below 8-12% unless forced to. I think you should be Okay but Im no expert.

[John Keeton]

Cameron, wood is most stable when it has reached equilibrium, and that is a function of temperature and relative humidity. Of course, each of those continually change if permitted to do so without conditioned air.

So, the redwood will have reached equilibrium for the situation it is in. Regardless of how long it has been dry, it may change again if the environment is significantly different.

I have never built a musical instrument, so others may need to chime in here. But, it would seem that most of them are maintained in a stable environment - much like a piece of furniture. If you built an instrument in a hot, humid shop (or vice versa) and then placed the finished instrument in a conditioned area, it could experience wood movement.

[Bill White]

Curley redwood may not be the best soundboard wood. Most soundboards are made from close/straight grained woods such as spruce, and are book matched to evenly distribute vibrations. Have I misinterpreted your intention?
Bill

[george wilson]

They build guitars out of nearly everything these days. I think Ramirez started this craze years ago,when he bought a bunch of old redwood or cedar mine timbers.

Ramirez himself was pretty inept,running on his father's reputation,and hiring others to actually build instruments under his label in his shop.

I would not make a redwood top guitar,but many will,and if it's curly,even better. The halves do need to be bookmatched,though.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

The thing I would consider, is if the wood is quartersawn or not. As mentioned, just about any wood can be used. There are only a few that sound good. Redwood makes a nice mellow tone. If it's QS it should be a very nice set. You can use it if it's not QS, but that would depend on the purpose of the instrument. If it's for sale I would not. If it's for yourself, using non-QS wood is a choice.

[John Coloccia]

Are you thinking of milling to sell or milling to use? If to use for yourself, I'd say go for it. If you're selling, why not just sell them? Anyhow, curly redwood can be very pretty and generally redwood doesn't make bad soundboards, though I've never used it myself. It really will have to be wide enough to be book matched, though, or no one will ever buy it other than practice wood, and that wouldn't be worth your time to sell.

Unless you're really sure you know what you're doing in terms of milling the plank, it's best to leave it alone and let a luthier mill it himself or have it milled. Just sell as a billet. Depending on the grain and density (and other things) a luthier may decide to simply use it as a top on an electric instead of a soundboard, especially if it's a fantastic figure.

Quarter Sawn vs not QS. You know, I'm just not sure it matters all that much in the hands of a skilled luthier. It really doesn't matter if it's just being used as an electric top. Great instruments have been made from absolutely atrocious woods. I just think most flat sawn wood is ugly unless it's got a really great figure. You may need to tweak the thickness and bracing slightly on a top but you do that anyway, so it's no biggie.

I hope that helps. I'd love to see a picture.

[Peter Quinn]

Too dry? I don't think so. It will reach equilibrium, you could dry it too far in a kiln, say 5%, and wreck it, but its not going to get too dry hanging on a wall unless that wall is behind a wood stove!

I've played a few guitars made of figured wood, most notably a guys Taylor made with some figured KOA, and a few curly maple semi hollow bodies. The taylor was sweet beyond words with a punchy but balanced tone verging on etherial. The curly maple, well, a bit too bright and harsh for my taste, but opinions do vary on the subject.

I'd say build it, in fact build two, and send one to me for testing. Yes, i will volunteer to be a product tester FREE OF CHARGE. That's just the kind of guy I am.:D If the wood is for sale to others, do not saw it, sell it thick as possible. I am not a luthier, but the few I know on't like to have their wood skinnied down for them, and for the things I do, neither do I.

[James Phillips]

Tops really should be QS, but you could mill it into back and side sets and have no problems. Not sure how well it would bend.

[cameron bailey]

Thanks for the replies. I was going to mill to sell. The panels are 12"x36"x3/4". I was going to book match them and drum sand. I was thinking of a solid body but I saw some acoustics made with redwood and was very nice looking.
John, here is link to some pics. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=144475