Official Luthiers Forum!

I got hold of this today which I thought might interest a few people.

Black-Heart Sassafras is another Tasmanian timber, similar in weight to Blackwood and a little softer.

The black heart is a fungus which affects some trees.

What's it sound like? Dunno yet.

Cheers

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Oh yeah great name for a rock band The Black Heart Sassafras, Tim has a set which I cavort Nice set Bob, will it be next on the Geelong production line??

Cheers

Kim

I reckon it'll sit there for a while Kim.

Got 4 OMs(maple,ovangkol,mahog,myrle) and 2 SJ's
(padauk & blackwood) on the go at the moment.

So there's enough to keep both of us out of trouble for a few months.

Cheers

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Bob, that is a really nice looking set. I've never seen that before. Looking forward to seeing it on a finished instrument.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

You don't see much of it over here for guitars Ron.

It's used extensively for wood turning but it's not a big tree so anything usable for luthiery is reasonably rare.

Cheers

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

LOVE IT! man that is nice!
Anymore around?

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Folks,

From memory, I think Tim mentioned that the issue with sassafras is in the drying. To retain maximum contrast between the cream, tan and black, the wood needs to be kilned just so to lock the colours, or else the cream will grey out as the black leaches causing the board to loose definition.

The grain is very fine and it finishes well. Done correctly, black heart sassafras remains stunning and can be an incredibly attractive timber.

And no, sorry folks, there is not much about at all. Really good sets are very rare indeed as Bob already confirmed. But as always, a fist full of cash has a habit of turning up some surprising things.

Cheers

Kim

That's what it comes like Hesh.

Here's what one looks like under finish.



Cheers

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

What Hesh said.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

If you are interested in some I guess Mr Spittle would be your man.

I got that set off Ebay but Tim would be the best source if any is available.

Cheers

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

I believe he is working on it, and if anyone can come through with the goods it will be Tim Spittle.

Cheers

Kim

Bob,

About a year and a half ago I built a parlor sized guitar from Sassafras that I got from the same luthier that you did. It is a very nice wood, expecially when finished. It was easy to work with and the colors make an otherwise plain wood really stand out.

For bindings I used beefheart with a fingerboard and bridge of figured gidgee.

I have never seen a set that was larger than parlor or 0/00 size but it is a wood that I think stands on its own.

Because it is a smaller set it would be very cool to build a 0/00 size guitar with ladder bracing similar to the model that John How does. What I used as the shape for the one I did was a Panormo that I have as it was a short scale (610mm) with a lower bout of about 13 inches so it was generally in the 0 size range.

[QUOTE=Shawn]

For bindings I used beefheart with a fingerboard and bridge of figured gidgee.

[/QUOTE]

Shawn, what did you think of the gidgee as a bridge material?

I'm interested in the gidgee too Paul.

I'd like to have a go at Mulga as well.

Cheers

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

My gosh....STUNNING WOOD!!!!

Very beautiful wood!!

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Man - what everyone else said x 2.

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Waddy

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