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| Black Limba suitability for acoustics http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=56673 |
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| Author: | bobgramann [ Tue Jul 09, 2024 4:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
I started a Black Limba acoustic just because it had a pretty grain pattern. After I had the blocks glued to the rim, I bumped it against the table while moving it. I split and splintered such that I won’t be repairing it. On closer inspection, it was apparent that this wood doesn’t have much strength in the thicknesses we build with. I started to worry about the longevity of the completed guitar. Does anyone have any experience building acoustics with this wood? Is it strong enough in a completed guitar? I can get more sides and continue, but I wonder if I should. I don’t want to set a guitar loose that will crumble if it’s handled roughly. This one was going to be one of my named series. (“Korina, Korina”) |
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| Author: | J De Rocher [ Tue Jul 09, 2024 4:30 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Taylor and Larivee, among others, have used black limba for acoustic guitars. Taylor has used it on multiple models. So maybe it was that particular piece of wood that was problematic. |
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| Author: | meddlingfool [ Tue Jul 09, 2024 5:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
I’ve made a dozen or so with it without issue. It is very soft and light, and easy to dent. You can even crush the faceplate by tightening the tuner grommets too much. Very much in the warn spectrum tonally… |
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| Author: | bobgramann [ Tue Jul 09, 2024 6:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Thank you. I will continue, then. First, I will get some more sides. |
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| Author: | Treenewt [ Thu Jul 11, 2024 8:29 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
I've built two with Black Limba, an OM and a OO. The OM was my first build, now 2 years old, and has had zero issues. It's not perfect, but that's definitely not the wood's fault! I actually really like the way it sounds. My 8th, just finished last month, is a OO I built to give my daughter for graduating high school. I had it on my bench while I attached the neck, and a shall-not-be-named member of my family bumped it. It fell, and the bass side split from the neck to the tail. The split was easy to cleat and seal (I was actually pretty happy with the repair job...my first of that nature), and I feel certain my failure to add side reinforcing strips of cloth (as I normally do) contributed to the length of the crack, so again, probably not the wood's fault? That was a long way of saying I, a newb, like it and would definitely use it again. |
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| Author: | Colin North [ Thu Jul 11, 2024 10:09 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
I've heard said it's a drop in replacement for Mahogany and can make a really nice good sounding guitar. |
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| Author: | Treenewt [ Thu Jul 11, 2024 11:44 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Colin North wrote: I've heard said it's a drop in replacement for Mahogany and can make a really nice good sounding guitar. That is a BEAUTIFUL back! |
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| Author: | Colin North [ Fri Jul 12, 2024 3:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Treenewt wrote: Colin North wrote: I've heard said it's a drop in replacement for Mahogany and can make a really nice good sounding guitar. That is a BEAUTIFUL back! Neck was quite nice too. |
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| Author: | Zac Stout [ Mon Jul 15, 2024 12:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Black limba is an excellent tonewood! I’ve used it in two instruments so far with great results and I plan on building many more with it. As Colin already noted, I’ve found it to be a drop in substitute for mahogany in both tonal qualities and workability. Pricewise, it’s on the lower end of the spectrum as well. I’m finding the price of a back and side set to be in the $100-150 range, but if you have resaw capability the lumber is available much cheaper - I bought a beautiful board for $100 last year that should yield 5 or 6 guitar sets. The D-18 I built is about 4 years old now and has developed into a powerful flatpicking guitar with the same quick attack and decay you’ll get from a good mahogany dreadnought. The weissenborn is a little over 2 years old and has a warm, woody tone that just sounds so sweet when played with the steel slide. When building my weissenborn, I didn’t have a side mold for my bending machine and attempted to bend by hand on the hot pipe. Under the advice of a friend, I soaked the sides for a few minutes before bending and developed deep rippling across the grain that rendered the sides unusable. I made a mold and bent my second set on the bender with a light spritz of water on the wood and the paper envelope and the results were perfect. Sample size of one, but it would seem that bending on the dryer side yields better results. Attachment: IMG_1667.jpg Attachment: IMG_1668.jpg Attachment: IMG_1662.jpg Attachment: IMG_1664.jpg Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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| Author: | Zac Stout [ Mon Jul 15, 2024 12:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Sorry for the repeat pics in the last post, not sure how that occurred! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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| Author: | bcombs510 [ Mon Jul 15, 2024 2:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
I got to hear / play the weissenborn a couple years ago. It sounded great! |
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| Author: | Treenewt [ Mon Jul 15, 2024 4:21 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Zac, both of those are beautiful instruments! Well done! I had a nightmare of a time bending my first set of Black Limba on my very first build, but had no trouble at all with the most recent. I went with a spritz of water on the side, (slat-aluminium foil-side-aluminium foil-blanket-slat) and they bent like a dream. My first guitar has a black limba neck and it's held up nicely. |
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| Author: | bobgramann [ Mon Jul 15, 2024 4:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
I am glad to hear all of these positive statements about Black Limba. I’ve obtained another set—the new one looks even better than the side I broke. I think I have a plank coming from which I can cut new sides, so I’ll end up with two Black Limba guitars. StewMac had some neck planks for sale, so I’ll have matching neck wood as well. I look forward to continuing on this guitar. Thank you to all. |
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| Author: | Michaeldc [ Mon Jul 15, 2024 10:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
This is a Black Limba 28” Baritone Multi-scale |
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| Author: | Colin North [ Tue Jul 16, 2024 3:41 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Nice one Michael, what scale length did you use? |
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| Author: | Michaeldc [ Tue Jul 16, 2024 6:20 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Colin North wrote: Nice one Michael, what scale length did you use? 28” over 26-1/2” |
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| Author: | Treenewt [ Tue Jul 16, 2024 1:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Michaeldc wrote: This is a Black Limba 28” Baritone Multi-scale That is beautiful! Did you use Wenge for the neck? |
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| Author: | Michaeldc [ Tue Jul 16, 2024 7:23 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Treenewt wrote: Michaeldc wrote: This is a Black Limba 28” Baritone Multi-scale That is beautiful! Did you use Wenge for the neck? Thanks! No, it’s ebonized sapele. |
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| Author: | bftobin [ Tue Jul 16, 2024 10:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
I've got a few 8/4 boards of Limba, but I haven't resawed any back and side sets yet. I bought these a few years ago on the recommendation of Tim McKnight. He's used it many times and says it's ideal replacement for Mahogany. Black Limba and White Limba come from the same tree, it's just cosmetic. |
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| Author: | Colin North [ Wed Jul 17, 2024 2:29 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Black Limba suitability for acoustics |
Yes, cosmetic, but seem to be spalting. In some places mine was very soft requiring CA to firm it up for finishing as it just kept soaking up the finish like a sponge. |
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