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I got this from the man last summer in Maryland at ASIA and have been saving it for that special guitar. Well I just bought and posted pics a few days ago, of a little ladder braced Stella from the 1920's and this is working into my version of that guitar. This is a set of English brown Oak. I have never seen another guitar made from it but it is soooo cool looking and I think it'll not fall far from the mahogany tree except maybe a little harder, maybe like walnut or something. Anyway Bob, you came thru again and I'm very glad I got a set. If you ever get anymore be sure to let me know. It'll be topped with a set of RC Carpathian Spruce as well. Thanks for looking and stay tuned for more pics as ot developes.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Looking good, John. How thin is that baby? Can't wait to see the back once you have it glued up. Keep us posted.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

John, I remember you showing that set of oak! Lookin forward to seeing more pictures.

Hi JJ, it's a wee little guy. Only 13.5" across and 4" deep at the butt.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Hi Anthony, I'm really excited about this guitar. I think it'll be my coolest guitar to date.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

John for a laid back, low key, modest fellow such as yourself -- it's great to see you express excitement!

Should be a beaut!

I can hardly wait to see how you pore fill as I'd think oak would be the grand canyon of pore filling

Yes John, this wood looks great and i'd love to learn more about it also!

I actually have a largish board of english brown oak, but the stuff I have is
not that hard. It has a spaltish sort of feel which I can't use. I LOVE the
look of it though, and I'd love to get my hands on some hard stuff, which
sounds like what you got! I'm envious!

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Yeah I was a little unsure when Bob said he had some oak but once I saw it, I had to have it. I figured I'd never be able to sell a guitar made of oak and as it turns out, I'm not gonna. I doubt I'll ever see another piece like this so I'm keeping it for myself, just like the nice piece of that curly mahogany I stashed away. Selfish huh!!!

Anthony, This wood has pores but I don't think they are exceptionally large. I may do some sort of matt finish on it anyway in which case I won't worry too much about the pores. I want it to have a vintage sort of vibe.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

We have a couple of English Oaks, Quercus robur, and Quercus petraea, plus the Holm Oak, Quercus ilex. English Brown Oak is not a name used here but sounds more like a woodmerchants name. So, do you know the species?

ColinColin S38799.2631481482

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

[QUOTE=Colin S] We have a couple of English Oaks, Quercus robur, and Quercus petraea, plus the Holm Oak, Quercus ilex. English Brown Oak is not a name used here but sounds more like a woodmerchants name. So, do you know the species?

Colin[/QUOTE]

Colin,

This website would suggest that it is Quercus petrea that has been got at by Fungus The Bogeyman, turning white oak brown.

Brown Oak

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Hi John
I had forgot about that set. If I remember right the back was gorgeous. Lots of medulary rays. I think Steve Spadorak bought a set too. Can't wait to see more of it.

Dave I believe your description is accurate.

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(716) 874-1498

[QUOTE=Dave White] [QUOTE=Colin S] We have a couple of English Oaks, Quercus robur, and Quercus petraea, plus the Holm Oak, Quercus ilex. English Brown Oak is not a name used here but sounds more like a woodmerchants name. So, do you know the species?

Colin[/QUOTE]

Colin,

This website would suggest that it is Quercus petrea that has been got at by Fungus The Bogeyman, turning white oak brown.

Brown Oak[/QUOTE]


Quercus petraea, the Sessile Oak, makes sense as it tends to have longer straighter trunks before branching, than the English Oak (Quercus robur). So really it's Brown Sessile Oak, not Brown English oak.

Colin

_________________
I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Here is another shot of the rims and the back.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Her's a link with a bit more info
http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/Inventory/englishbrownoak.htm l

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

That back is beautiful John. Can't wait to see it all done up!

Heh, I've got 600 year old oak beams in my house, I wonder if they are seasoned enough yet, they sure are hard now, you can't hammer a nail into them.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Well, just a bit from this one and just a bit from that one and you have a guitar Colin. No big deal!!

Colin, the funny figure in this wood (Cross grain stuff) do you think that is just medulliary rays or is it caused by the fungus?John How38799.5285185185

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

The oak I've come across is a joy to work when young, but by 600 years old is rock hard, some years ago we had to replace some joists on a listed building the new wood was easy to work, but cleaning out the old tennon pockets, sure took its toll on the chisel.RussellR38799.5366666667

John, they are definitely medullary rays, it is diagnostic of the English oaks. The beams in my house (built in the 15th century) probably mainly came from Quercus robur as they wanted beams that had natural bends to form the cruck joints, much like they did when building ships. Quercus robar for the ribs and Quercus petraea for the keel and planking.

Yours would be Q. petraea properly known as Sessile Oak rather than English Oak. See what a problem common names and wood cutters names can cause. It's the same in my work (geology) where quarrymen have completely different names for rocks to those that the scientific geologist uses.

Still looks to be a great guitar in the making, I've got to get me a plan for the Stella, you know how much I love them.

ColinColin S38799.5576273148

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

I can make you a copy of the shape and braces on mine if you'd like as the back is off for repairs. It's a 1920's concert model 13.5" across. I think the scale is right at 25". I believe you can still get the purfing trim from Gurian.John How38799.5625231481

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

[QUOTE=Colin S] Heh, I've got 600 year old oak beams in my house, I wonder if they are seasoned enough yet, they sure are hard now, you can't hammer a nail into them.

Colin[/QUOTE]

Colin, it's redemption time! Since the Cuban mahog. bench wood fell through, perhaps you could recompense by tearing down your home and resawing it into guitar sets.
Well, perhaps it would be wise to run that by your wife first?

Let us know,

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Steve, I asked Penny and she thought for about 2 seconds and said no. I must say I'm not too unhappy as I don't think that my 5hp bandsaw would cut it. When we bought the house some years ago and had a survey done I was worried that the main roof beam (half a tree trunk) felt a little soft. The surveyor, obviously used to this, took a six inch nail and hammer from his bag and invited me to drive it into the beam. After 1/4" the nail just bent! This main beam would be Sessile Oak, same as John's using.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

[QUOTE=Colin S] Steve, I asked Penny and she thought for about 2 seconds and said no. [/QUOTE]

Women just don't get it, do they?

[QUOTE=Colin S] This main beam would be Sessile Oak, same as John's using. [/QUOTE]

I wonder if John's has a cool history behind it like yours does?
Hey John, any exploratory nail holes in your oak?

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com