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So, naturally I thought of the OLF.

Once a month here in Houston we have an event called Heavy Trash Day, which is the day that folks get to throw out anything and everything that won't fit in the trash cans. Well, I've always got my eyes peeled when HTD is getting near because in the past I've snagged some nice pieces of wood that I've been able to use in my builds. Old mahogany moulding for example. Sometimes it's good enough for bracing, sometimes only good enough for tentallones, but whatever, I put it to good use.

This past HTD, a neighbor cleaned out the remainder of his late father's wood stash and piled it up at the curve for heavy trash pickup. Most of it was pine or plywood scraps, but I came across about 10 bf of this stuff, and I don't really have any idea what it is. Too good to throw away, though, that's for sure.





It weighs about the same as mahogany. As you can see from the one smooth piece, there isn't much figure to the grain, although one small piece I have has a bit of flame to it. Most all of it looks to be slabsawn, so its uses for guitar building are limited. Still, I have enough to make a nice bookcase or small table or some such.

So, whatdya think, folks?

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

I'd have to smell it, but it looks like cherry.

Geoff,

Now that you mention it -- I have run a small piece of the stuff through my drum sander. The piece that had a bit of flame to it. It has sort of a sweet smell -- almost like a combination of the sweetness of padauk and the kind of dusty smell of Honduran mahogany.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

That there is Primo Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood.






Psyche. Ok, it's not...and it doesn't really look like cherry to me. Cherry has more distinct grain lines usually.
Looks like it will be good for something though.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I have to throw my vote to cheery also.

cherry that is.....

I've been wondering all along if it might be cherry. But my impressions were similar to Don's -- most of the cherry I've seen has more pronounced grain than this.

The guy bought it at some hardwood outlet, though. Each piece is marked in chalk with its size in board feet and price. This stuff was selling for $1.50/bf back then, which I'll wager was at least 10 years ago. Probably more.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

My guess would be cherry as well. The gum lines give me tah impression.

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Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,

Yup looks just like the cherry in my stash.

Al

Brazilian Cherry?

My understanding is that cherry really darkens a bit under sunlight. Sand a fresh area, cover a section with something that blocks light (IE cardboard) Let it sit in direct sunlight for a few days and check for a tan line. Maybe this isn't a conclusive test, but it's worth experimenting

If the results are dramatic, might it be cherry? Terry Stowell38821.9315277778

The one on the right looks a little like some mesquite
I have. Mesquite also darkens with exposure to light.
If it is mesquite it is a really long board. Are there
wormholes in the sapwood?

Davemesquite838821.9551157407

I've got to throw in with Gasawdust... Looks like cheery cherry to me too....

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Whatever it is, it sure looks nice enough for guitar building IMHO, Nice color.

Terry makes a good point about cherry darkening with light and age. That could account for the lack of grain lines. If the wood is 30 years old, that's not too far from what the price of cherry was then.

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Well, if it's cherry, it looks like you could get some nice laminated necks out of that clean board.

Thanks all the responses, guys. Dave, the one rough board you see above has a bit of sapwood on the edges. I didn't notice any wormholes.

I really have no idea how long ago old Mr. Bailey bought that wood. It might have been 30 years. And the stuff was stored outdoors in a shed. No direct sun, but it's been air dryed for however long he had it.

The laminated neck idea is a good one. I've only used mahogany and cedro for necks, so this is something that wouldn't have occurred to me.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live