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Padouk for Back & Sides
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Author:  Andy C [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Padouk for Back & Sides
Hi all,

I am thinking of buying a set of Padouk for back and sides and I was wondering whether anybody of you has used it already and can give me some advices on bending properties and tonal characteristics.

I find it beautiful aesthetically and I know that it has been widely used in Africa for instruments but my knowledge ends there.

I am sure you know much more than me.

Thanks
Author:  Chansen [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
I've heard it's great but have never personally built or played one of Padouk.
Author:  JimWomack [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
Andy, Padauk is a pretty common guitar tonewood. I think it's a good beginners wood too. It's inexpensive, easy to work and finish. As for tone, think IRW. Go for it.
Author:  Zach Ehley [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
I’ve heard it can be a bit brittle and can have a tendency to crack when bending. I have a set but haven’t used it yet.
Author:  Mark L. [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
Andy,

I have built one guitar using Padauk and I found it to be somewhat difficult to bend. Very stiff along the grain. It is bright orange in color when freshly cut, I toned the color down with color tone stains in an air brush. The guitar had a good deep tone similar to IRW.

MarkL.
Author:  TonyKarol [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
Wonderful wood .. tough to bend though, some pieces just dont !!! Thin to 80-85, it will be easier, cutaways are brutal [headinwall] .... Big pores or should I say canyons, but sands nicely. Looks great under a finish. You can hear a small parlour padauk/cedar top I made on my website - not the longest samples, but that guitar was NICE ....
Author:  jsimpson [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 4:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
My second guitar was Padauk...it's a nice, inexpensive wood. I had no trouble bending, but it requires some substantial pore filling. Long, deep grain in that stuff!

Orange in the raw, it deepens to a nice brick red under Zpoxy and nitro. See the "OM Twins" in my gallery pages for a sample...there's a good shot of the padauk back.
Author:  Dave Fifield [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
The color change can be drastic over time. In my marquetry work, I no longer use padauk for this reason (I now use bloodwood instead). A picture I made of the Golden Gate Bridge a couple of years ago is now a picture of the Brown Gate Bridge :x :roll: Some marquetarians call padauk "firewood"! I guess if you're happy that your beautiful orangy-red guitar will eventually end up brown, then go for it.

Dave F.
Author:  bluescreek [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
Padouk is a fair tonewood but the wood can vary so much in its bending characteristcs. Use plenty of heat 400 degrees or so and don't even think of bending till you see 380 degrees. This wood tends to be brackish and often breaks across the grain , sometimes during cooling
good luck. I would tell you to use blood wood if you can
john hall
Author:  Andy C [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 6:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
What about tonal properties? Is it similar to IRW?

I would like to combine it with an italian spruce top. Do you think it can be a good combination or I should use something else.
Author:  BobK [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 6:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
Only used it once, but I would agree with most of what has been said. One last thing, don't wear anything light - that you want to keep anyway - when sanding.
Author:  jmanter [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 7:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
I attempted to use it for bindings once, but I tried bending about a dozen pieces and couldn't get 4 that didn't break. I also found that it likes to straighten back out after you take it out of the bender. It is phenomenal for endgrafts though ;)
Author:  Zach Ehley [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 9:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
bluescreek wrote:
Padouk is a fair tonewood but the wood can vary so much in its bending characteristcs. Use plenty of heat 400 degrees or so and don't even think of bending till you see 380 degrees. This wood tends to be brackish and often breaks across the grain , sometimes during cooling
good luck. I would tell you to use blood wood if you can
john hall

380-400??? Do you mean 280-300?
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
I'm betting he means 380 -400. I know I found out Zebrawood likes it up there. It didn't even start bending until around 350, and did best at around 400. Didn't even scorch at that temp.
Author:  Greg [ Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
I purchased a padauk board at a woodworkers fair. lovely piece. I re-sawed into 3/16" bookmatch. What a wondeful aroma. Vanilla, and cinamon. Orange dust in places I never knew I even had. I still find caches of dust 3 years later. Any way back to the guitar. I had major problems with bending. It developed fracture lines accross the grain. I ended up "laminating" some parts but Epoxy left very visible marks in the grain. I eventually managed a pair of ribs which I glued to heel and tail blocks. I still have the 'frame" of the guitar hanging frm the rafters of my shop and a 15' radiused back. I was not happy with the result so it sits waiting for a time when I am desperate for some difficult project.

I have not used padauk when purchased from a tonewood suppliler. The result may be different but I am not keen to recommend this wood, beautiful as it looks, when there are other woods such as EIRW, Mahogony. and sappele! i love sappele!!

Is see many of you have had successful outcomes withpadauk.
Author:  Zach Ehley [ Sat Feb 23, 2008 12:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
WaddyT wrote:
I'm betting he means 380 -400. I know I found out Zebrawood likes it up there. It didn't even start bending until around 350, and did best at around 400. Didn't even scorch at that temp.

Wow, everything Ive read has been between 280-320. What else likes it way up there?
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
I've built three guitars using Padouk (Padauk--whichever) and have loved the instruments. It has a glassy tap, and a heavenly aroma when worked. However, I found it a bear to bend, and ruinous to clothing, as Bob mentions. That said, I would use it again, and gladly. It's a wonderful wood!

Steve
Author:  JJ Donohue [ Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
Padauk is my go-to bridge plate material. Hard, stiff and glassy tone. I have been warned that it is prone to splitting but have seen none of it in 4 years and 7 guitars.

I would love to try it in a guitar...it's on the list.
Author:  Ken Franklin [ Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
Andy, if you're new to guitar making I think there are better choices for back and sides because of the bending issues, though the padauk would probably sound great with the italian spruce. You might look in the archives about double sides. That should make bending easier.
Author:  Andy C [ Sun Feb 24, 2008 1:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
I just thought padouk was a cheaper alternative to IRW that is quite expensive. What other alternatives with similar tone do you suggest for back and sides without going broke?

What about sapele, khaya, ovangkol or bubinga?
Author:  Guest [ Sun Feb 24, 2008 6:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Padouk for Back & Sides
Sapele is a good choice, certainly more forgiving than most padauk. It often has more punch than mahogany but still has warmth. Avoid sets with a lot of ribbon figure that are harder to bend.
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