PacerX Posted November 30, 2013 Posted November 30, 2013 So, for my graduation from pharmacy school in May, I was going to celebrate with a built-to-my-spec H-157. The specs should go pretty much like this: 1) 1.75" wide at the nut... or as wide as they can go. 2) As flat a fretboard radius as I can get. 3) Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge (covered). 4) Seymour Duncan Jazz in the neck (covered). 5) The heavier, the better. No weight relief. 6) Medium frets. 7) Non-roller bridge. 8) Gold hardware. 9) Abalone trapezoid inlays. 10) Natural finish. 11) Triple binding w/ headstock binding. And... a spalted maple top... As long as it still sounds like maple (which I think it would, but don't know for sure...). Very similar to this guitar: Has anyone ever seen a spalted top on a Heritage, or does anyone have a Les Paul type guitar with a spalted top and can talk about if there's any tonal difference?
skydog52 Posted November 30, 2013 Posted November 30, 2013 I have asked and got a No on spalted maple. Those are great specs on your build and congratulations on your graduation!
davesultra Posted November 30, 2013 Posted November 30, 2013 I as well have heard that "H" will not do spalted maple tops.
PacerX Posted November 30, 2013 Author Posted November 30, 2013 I as well have heard that "H" will not do spalted maple tops. Hmmmm.... Well, maybe I'll just have to struggle through with a banging flamed top. I've done a little bit of research, and it seems that spalted tops need LOTS of ancillary work.... That being said, I wonder if there's something different that can be done. Birdseye? Burled? Flamed + quilted?
holyroller Posted November 30, 2013 Posted November 30, 2013 Sqeaking wheel gets greased? Its america anything is possible.
Thundersteel Posted November 30, 2013 Posted November 30, 2013 I have tried for spalted, koa, bubinga, and almost anything other than maple, and got a "no" each time. What a shame.
Guest HRB853370 Posted November 30, 2013 Posted November 30, 2013 Hmmmm.... Well, maybe I'll just have to struggle through with a banging flamed top. I've done a little bit of research, and it seems that spalted tops need LOTS of ancillary work.... That being said, I wonder if there's something different that can be done. Birdseye? Burled? Flamed + quilted? Perhaps you could slip Marv and Jim a few good drugs and they may say YES!
PacerX Posted November 30, 2013 Author Posted November 30, 2013 Perhaps you could slip Marv and Jim a few good drugs and they may say YES! I've got a few I could slip 'em that'd make them start building BC Rich Warlocks... in pink... with unicorn inlays...
Yooper Posted November 30, 2013 Posted November 30, 2013 Spalted pieces are fun to look at for a first impression. Not sure how long the allure would last. Nothing endures like the classics.
H Posted November 30, 2013 Posted November 30, 2013 I as well have heard that "H" will not do spalted maple tops. Damn right I won't!
Guest HRB853370 Posted November 30, 2013 Posted November 30, 2013 I've got a few I could slip 'em that'd make them start building BC Rich Warlocks... in pink... with unicorn inlays... LMAO, so what is spalted if I may ask?
Thundersteel Posted November 30, 2013 Posted November 30, 2013 LMAO, so what is spalted if I may ask?
PacerX Posted November 30, 2013 Author Posted November 30, 2013 Here's a combined spalted + flamed top... on a Chibson... but it's a pretty shop top...
HANGAR18 Posted November 30, 2013 Posted November 30, 2013 LMAO, so what is spalted if I may ask? Diseased, dead, fungus infested rotten wood that makes interesting wood patterns when you slice it thin.
Blunote Posted December 1, 2013 Posted December 1, 2013 Diseased, dead, fungus infested rotten wood that makes interesting wood patterns when you slice it thin. When you put it that way, I guess I'd shy away from them. Perhaps a quilt top in vomit-burst instead?
H Posted December 1, 2013 Posted December 1, 2013 Perhaps a quilt top in vomit-burst instead? Heritage refuse to do PRS finishes.
JackBaruth Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 This is what I know from talking to a variety of luthiers about spalted maple. It's soft and "buttery" when it's harvested. So unlike other woods, it has to be "fixed" or hardened into workable material. There are a variety of ways that it can be done but most of the time the solution is, apparently, to soak it in glue, which crystallizes and "sets" the wood. At that point you can treat it like other woods. If you're one of the people who believes that tone in electric instruments is related to the wood choice, then you have to consider the fact that you are assembling your guitar with a pretty heavily crystalline material. In other words, the "wood" isn't going to give you the tone. It's the glue that will do it. I'd think long and hard about getting any carved-top guitar with spalted maple.
rockabilly69 Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 I think blister silver maple would be a beautiful choice for your guitar. Here's LP Forum members oiginal 50's Les Paul with some blister on the control side of the top slightly into the center...
koula901 Posted December 2, 2013 Posted December 2, 2013 I've got a few I could slip 'em that'd make them start building BC Rich Warlocks... in pink... with unicorn inlays... OMG!!
SofaPlayer Posted December 3, 2013 Posted December 3, 2013 I've got a few I could slip 'em that'd make them start building BC Rich Warlocks... in pink... with unicorn inlays... That must be the weirdest nightmare I've come across in years! This is what I know from talking to a variety of luthiers about spalted maple. It's soft and "buttery" when it's harvested. So unlike other woods, it has to be "fixed" or hardened into workable material. There are a variety of ways that it can be done but most of the time the solution is, apparently, to soak it in glue, which crystallizes and "sets" the wood. At that point you can treat it like other woods. If you're one of the people who believes that tone in electric instruments is related to the wood choice, then you have to consider the fact that you are assembling your guitar with a pretty heavily crystalline material. In other words, the "wood" isn't going to give you the tone. It's the glue that will do it. I'd think long and hard about getting any carved-top guitar with spalted maple. Great information, thanks! Good to know.
smaj Posted December 3, 2013 Posted December 3, 2013 This is what I know from talking to a variety of luthiers about spalted maple. It's soft and "buttery" when it's harvested. So unlike other woods, it has to be "fixed" or hardened into workable material. There are a variety of ways that it can be done but most of the time the solution is, apparently, to soak it in glue, which crystallizes and "sets" the wood. At that point you can treat it like other woods. If you're one of the people who believes that tone in electric instruments is related to the wood choice, then you have to consider the fact that you are assembling your guitar with a pretty heavily crystalline material. In other words, the "wood" isn't going to give you the tone. It's the glue that will do it. I'd think long and hard about getting any carved-top guitar with spalted maple. +1
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