00 Sitka / Hawaiian Koa falcate steel string.

Show us how your current project is progressing
Greg Holmberg
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2023 8:55 pm
Location: California, USA

Re: 00 Sitka / Hawaiian Koa falcate steel string.

Post by Greg Holmberg » Fri Mar 28, 2025 2:35 pm

John--

I followed your build log on your website. When you thicknessed the top, you showed the density ρ and Young's modulus E for the Sitka panel. From that I calculated a sound radiation coefficient R = SQRT(E/ρ³) = 13.9 So that's an exceptional piece of Sitka, considering the average for the species is 11.0.

I'm curious where you bought it?

Did you measure the deflection and frequency of the finished top to calculate the monopole mobility? I think with the piece of Sitka you used and the bracing, this guitar has the potential to push the limits of what's possible on a steel-string flat-top guitar. Above 14, for sure.

Greg

John Parchem
Posts: 2783
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 8:33 pm
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Re: 00 Sitka / Hawaiian Koa falcate steel string.

Post by John Parchem » Fri Mar 28, 2025 3:19 pm

Pacific Rim Tonewoods worked with Trevor and is offering Sonic graded tops. They measure density, Elong and Q. They are pretty local to me, but in this case they had a stack of sets at the Guild of American Luthiers and I selected a few sets that were very stiff for their density. I plan to do check the monopole mobility before I ship it off in a couple of weeks.

Post Reply