Wood aging question

Started by darkbar, January 03, 2012, 06:55:22 AM

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I have a non-Larrivee (argh) custom guitar with an Englemann spruce top which seems to be aging in a funny way. It's darkening in inch or so wide stripes down the length of the grain, rather than a uniform darkening of the entire top. It's not necessarily unattractive, but it IS odd. Anyone ever seen this type of behavior in a top?
www.youtube.com/acoustisongs
Larrivee LV-09ce
Everett Celona
Heyser Custom
G&L ASAT

Actually yes.  I have a parlor with a variegated Engelmann top that looks like what you describe. I like the way it is maturing.



Steve ....aka the SMan

YES! That's it exactly (except mine's older and more pronounced). Mine is also maple back and sides, beautiful sounding. Thanks.
www.youtube.com/acoustisongs
Larrivee LV-09ce
Everett Celona
Heyser Custom
G&L ASAT

Spruce is kind of overlapping in species differentials. I assumed mine is Sitka but who knows it may be Englemann. Anyway my DV09 is aging consistently across the top where as the 12er shown here has more of a brownish-red hue. Its only a 2008 too.



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08 Larrivee L05-12
02 Larrivee DV-09
73 Granada Custom
Kids got the others  :)

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I believe that Englemann is more expensive than Sitka, so I don't think they would specify Sitka and then use Englemann as an equal alternative, but I may be completely wrong.

I guess it's not too weird to have the stripping, I just never had it in any of MY guitars before....
www.youtube.com/acoustisongs
Larrivee LV-09ce
Everett Celona
Heyser Custom
G&L ASAT

After reading this thread, I remembered an older 1981 Yamaha solid spruce top FG-770S I saw on Kijiji Edmonton the other day.  The first thing I noticed was the very stripey looking top (which I think is attractive).  I borrowed a picture from the ad and posted a link to it here:
http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-musical-instruments-guitars-Yamaha-acoustic-guitar-FG-770S-1981-solid-top-back-and-sides-W0QQAdIdZ331152695

It seems like a very good buy in any case, and I would go have a look if I could only justify yet another guitar.

Kurt

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:guitar

I just love that streaking organic look - some builders like Del Langejans specifically select those tops for tone and looks.
Other builders hide the streaks with sunburst :doh

My two customs have Italian Spruce tops and they display darker streaks too, I hope they age with some more pronounced coloured streaking...  :whistling:
"To me...music exists to elevate us as far as possible above everyday life." ~ Gabriel Faure

Quote from: darkbar on January 03, 2012, 11:30:44 AM
I believe that Englemann is more expensive than Sitka, so I don't think they would specify Sitka and then use Englemann as an equal alternative, but I may be completely wrong.

I guess it's not too weird to have the stripping, I just never had it in any of MY guitars before....

In 98 and 99 Larrivee used Engelmann interchangably with Sitka.  For some reason for a couple of years there was a shortage of good Sitka but they had plenty of Engelmann.  (My 98 OM-03R with Engelmann top still looks very white - it doesn't seem to color over time like Sitka does)

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