Official Luthiers Forum!

I see a couple of sets of spalted maple on ebay and wondering
if anyone has ever attempted acoustic guitar with this. I bought
some in the past and the sides literally came apart during the
bending. Rotten wood syndrom. Wondering if I just got a set
that was unsuitable or if this is at all feasible?

I have built a few electrics with spalted maple tops... from that experience I can tell you that I would not use it for an acoustic...

but maybe some others have had ok success with it.

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I once saw a photo of an acoustic built of spalted maple,and it looked really good. In my shop I have several pieces of spalted maple, and if they are cut and dried at the right degree of spalting, the strength does not seem to be degraded. My guess is that the key to sucess would be careful wood selection.

Al

Good selection of wood is again the absolute key to wood success. "Spalting" has come to be applied to woods that are far beyond spalt stage. Spalt is the insipient stage of natural decay where fungus is invading the wood fiber creating color bands or zonal bands. Once decay reaches the point of softing fiber it is no longer in the spalt stage, but is in the early or advanced decay stage of rot!! Good spalted wood with strong wood fiber integrity is possible to find. Harvesting maple from dead standing trees has been my best source.