Soundboard, B&S woods

pressmanh · Post by **pressmanh** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 2:06 pm

Hello everyone! Looking for some help and advice...

I posted a topic in the side bending section and unfortunately, after attempting to bend the Doug. Fir into a cutaway at 0.077 thickness, it split. So back to square one with choosing woods! So here are the questions I would like to ask:
We will be using Doug. Fir for the soundboard and in the shop we happen to have a TON of cherry and one nice big plank suitable for back and sides. Would cherry be a good wood choice for B&S paired with a Doug. Fir top?
(the cutaway is a 90 degree bend so would the cherry work?)

I am also a finger style guitarist and I'm looking for a bright tone. Would these woods fit my desire?

Thank you all!

John Parchem · Post by **John Parchem** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 3:00 pm

Cherry makes good back and side wood. What is the radius of the curve for your 90 degree angle?

pressmanh · Post by **pressmanh** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 3:08 pm

I'd have to check on that but it is a pretty standard curve for a cutaway

TonyinNYC · Post by **TonyinNYC** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 3:46 pm

Cherry will work fine. Just make sure you thin it in the cut away section more than the rest of the side.
Do you have a pic of the fir for the soundboard?

pressmanh · Post by **pressmanh** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 3:57 pm

I can upload one when I am in the shop again. Would the cherry work for the type of playing I do? And if I kept the thickness the same on the sides all around I would be able to do it without the cutaway, correct?

Ken Hundley · Post by **Ken Hundley** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:21 pm

Douglas Fir is also used in boat building, good for frames and such, but not used for battens or chines, those parts of the boat bent (steamed or just pulled tight) around the frame members....for exactly the reason you are stating. It splits. It splits when fairing (carving or sanding to shape) and when bending. I would use a more traditional hardwood, like cherry as suggested, or some of the other more common woods we use.

pressmanh · Post by **pressmanh** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 7:47 pm

okay, so we sawed the board of cherry we had into the sides and back panels to the needed thickness and are sanding them down. instead of laminating the cherry (where i read on numerous websites) we are just going to go with 0.070 thick sides and bend those to the cut away.

here are the photos of the doug. fir soundboard

Acoustic Guitar Construction

Soundboard, B&S woods

Soundboard, B&S woods

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