Official Luthiers Forum!

Has anyone tried using redwood for an archtop? Or any other different wood
than spruce?

I don't recall hearing of anyone using redwood as a top... However, I do think resident archtop builder Anthony Z did express interest in redwood as a top plate...

I tried Hesh's gorgeous Peace guitar and redwood does have a very nice tone. Less 'sparkly' than spruce but still brighter than Cedar... It should sound great. Plus, if you can find curly redwood thick enough, it sure would look killer!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Sorry I double posted the same thing. Oddly this was the first time I posted
it, AND IT SAID IT DIDNT POST BECAUSE I WAS SPAMMING! HA : )

I Just finished carving a Western red cedar top. It's for a 17" acoustic, non-cutaway with an oval hole. I'll report back on the sound. I like the look and it carves very easily.

[QUOTE=Darrel Friesen] I Just finished carving a Western red cedar top. It's
for a 17" acoustic, non-cutaway with an oval hole. I'll report back on the
sound. I like the look and it carves very easily.[/QUOTE]
Darrel, I'd really like to know how that sounds when you are done. Keep us
posted and it sounds cool enough to warrant a few pics.

Thanks for helpin out. I am glad to see experimenting with non traditional
woods.

I'll definitely post pics when done Danny. I'm still trying to get my shop together after a move in November. Work keeps getting in the way.

I built my first archtop using alaska yellow cedar. Other than the funky funky smell that permeates your hands, it was easy to work with. The guitar is 10 years old now, and just seems to get better every day - I am very happy with the sound.

Kevin Thomas
Quail Rock Guitars

So far on acoustic archtops I've used sitka and european spruce and on three
I used birdseye pine just to experiment. (they sounded fine, actually jazz
players prefered them because they were mellower). On the ones I put
pickups in instead of on the neck I've used maple, bubinga and and flamed
poplar. The pickups and more dominate than the wood. The one I'm carving
next will be paduak top, back and neck.