Guitar top question

[ToastyMagician]

Has anyone made a guitar with a cross sawn top?

i know that you couldn't make a neck or the majority of the body with it because it would split and/or warp but just a top or a veneer would look cool to me.

Or maybe even just a bark binding?

 

[AlexR]

Re: Guitar top question

If by cross sawn you mean that you see endgrain, the reason why you don't see any of it is due to size. Plus the fact the cut would mean endglue attachment.....which is completely unsound.

 

[ToastyMagician]

Re: Guitar top question

i think i might have to try it, even if it has to be separate pieces built in a chequered pattern? purely as a top or veneer i think it could work?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Guitar top question

i dont see why you couldnt if you could get a piece large enough to cover the top or piece it together. as far as bark binding... again im sure it could be done but that might prove difficult

 

[AlexR]

Re: Guitar top question

i think i might have to try it, even if it has to be separate pieces built in a chequered pattern? purely as a top or veneer i think it could work?

Try gluing an endgrain bit onto flatsawn wood for starters. In every case I've tried I can just break the bit off almost as easily as pulling apart 2 bits of lego. Thats not the recipe for any good guitar IMO.

 

[ToastyMagician]

Re: Guitar top question

Try gluing an endgrain bit onto flatsawn wood for starters. In every case I've tried I can just break the bit off almost as easily as pulling apart 2 bits of lego. Thats not the recipe for any good guitar IMO.

Where theres a will theres a way haha, no harm in trying and all else fails ill have some spare hardware

 

[Taz Rules]

Re: Guitar top question

you could mechanically attach the top... how are you at cutting dovetail grooves? :eek13:

 

[Taz Rules]

Re: Guitar top question

Actually, the OP brings up an interesting possibility...

Has anyone ever built a "butcherblock" style body? I wonder what it would sound like? Lots of joins to absorb vibrations...probably dark and heavy. Because of the open end-grain on the largest surfaces (front and back) it would probably absorb all kinds of sweat/beer/smoke into the wood itself, and probably swell and shrink a bit. Would certainly suck up a lot of clearcoat. Still...be interesting to see someone try. Someone who has a lot more skill than me.