Opinions on Tamarind wood...? - Page 2

theEdwinson · #16 11-26-2013, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukejon

Mark Hatcher uses it ornamentally to great effect.

EVERYTHING Mark uses ornamentally is to great effect! He's really good at combining woods harmoniously.

theEdwinson · #17 11-26-2013, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Done

Just a somewhat OT question for you builders. Is it OK to use spalted wood - ie that has had a fungal infection - for non-laminated acoustic bodies? I think the looks of some of it is stunning, but I'm wondering about its structural integrity.

If the spalt (mold) is arrested soon enough, it should be perfectly fine and stable. The wood has to be carefully dried and seasoned, and then it should be about as stable as the same wood without spalt. I should add, it may be very useful to use a thin epoxy like System Three as a pore-fill/ sealer, to further stabilize the wood.

If the wood is lightweight, porous, and punky, no way should you use it for backs and sides.

But I have used punky, spalted woods for rosettes and other inlay. It holds up okay if you drench it in thin Cyano (superglue). Watch out for the fumes, though, because the glue kicks almost instantly, and the puff of smoke is pretty noxious.

Jim.S · #18 11-26-2013, 05:10 PM

Well this has been a good thread as I had always thought Tamarind was from South East Asia (I guess cause that is where it mostly grows) a bit like thinking potatoes come from Ireland

. I eat it too and use it to cook "Gado Gado". Will be keeping a eye out for fallen trees in the wet season from now on.

Jim

Joel Stehr · #19 11-26-2013, 05:59 PM

Good thread, Steve. I too have a set of tamarind, but I've never used it before and I've been wondering the same thing.

Joel

kjaffrey · #20 11-26-2013, 06:25 PM

I just got a couple sets because they looked so cool but I had the same questions about its thud like tap tone. I decided the only real way to know is to try buiding with it, so tomorrow I hope to get started. I figure I will use a cedar or redwood top and hope for the best. Since I'm just a hobby builder I can afford the time for a fun experiment.

We'll see how it goes.

Kent

Mark Hatcher · #21 11-26-2013, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theEdwinson

EVERYTHING Mark uses ornamentally is to great effect! He's really good at combining woods harmoniously.

Thanks Guys!

I use spalted Tamarind quite a bit as Jon said for ornamentation.
I like how it holds it's light color so well under finish where I have had spalted maple go darker yellow. Plus you get some cool colors in it like that set you have with the blue in it.
I have the same concerns as you do with a spalted Mango set. I haven't gotten up the nerve to try to build a guitar with it yet.
I think you're right to laminate it and hope for the best

Mark

Cornerstone Guitars · #22 11-26-2013, 07:50 PM

Great looking stuff. I have seen a few sets but being a traditionalist (when it comes to wood) it didn't really appeal to me. I bought quite a few sets of less known woods and they ended up sitting for years so I gave up on the idea. But, I'm pretty sure you can come up with a pretty nice guitar out of it!

theEdwinson · #23 11-26-2013, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joel Stehr

Good thread, Steve. I too have a set of tamarind, but I've never used it before and I've been wondering the same thing.

Joel

Yeah, isn't it great the way everybody here is so generous with their knowledge and opinions?

I figure I may try one set of Tamarind on a spec guitar, using a super-responsive top with it, and see what happens. I can always put a pickup in it if it turns out less than stellar.
-steve

theEdwinson · #24 11-26-2013, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjaffrey

I just got a couple sets because they looked so cool but I had the same questions about its thud like tap tone. I decided the only real way to know is to try buiding with it, so tomorrow I hope to get started. I figure I will use a cedar or redwood top and hope for the best. Since I'm just a hobby builder I can afford the time for a fun experiment.

We'll see how it goes.

Kent

Good on ya, Kent. My instincts tell me that using rosewood or Padouk for the back braces might liven up the Tamarind a bit. I've had good success using hardwood instead of spruce for back braces. Just a thought.
Good luck with your build. Keep us posted! Maybe start a build thread...?
-steve

mudley · #25 03-21-2014, 10:43 AM

Apologies for bumping an old thread.
This thread is actually how I found the site.

Im hiring a luthier to build me a custom guitar and I chose spalted tamarind as the back. The luthier I've been talking to hadn't ever worked with it, but felt comfortable in my decision.

I wanted to use flame maple for the top, but he said that it would be too heavy.
I ended up going with curly redwood for the top.

mikealpine · #26 03-21-2014, 08:17 PM

Hi Mudley, and welcome! Please post pictures as your build goes on. This is the first I've heard of this wood and it looks really beautiful. I think the figuring will make for a very visually interesting guitar and I'm sure it will look fantastic under finish.

For the builder who responded on the older posts, has anyone built with it yet? Would love to see it in full guitar form!

BenjaminPaldacci · #27 03-21-2014, 09:06 PM

Maybe Jeffrey Yong used it, he love this kind of beautifull wood!

IMHO, I think that every tropical wood is good for back and sides, it is the luthier who will definite if it will sound or not. As a young luthier, I am pretty interested by kind of wood we use rarely, it is a good alternative for CITES Wood (but I really dig endangered species like Madagascar or Cocobolo for example...).

I have a consciousness which said to me "no, don't use this wood, it is too bad for the environment"... but I think that we are not he part of the problem as guitarmakers and that we need to focus on Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Fender... but by the way, it is a really delicate problem

Aubade Acoustics · #28 03-22-2014, 04:22 AM

Here is a Small Jumbo in Spalted Tamarind that I completed about 2 years ago. Very nice to work with and similar to EIR in hardness. Has a Presentation Alaskan Yellow Cedar top and sounds Great! Sound clip below photos.

https://soundcloud.com/michael-l-armand/04-track-04

LouieAtienza · #29 03-22-2014, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benbenbenben

Maybe Jeffrey Yong used it, he love this kind of beautifull wood!

He has, check Dream Guitars, they have a guitar Jeffrey made using mango for the top, back, and sides...

mudley · #30 03-25-2014, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armadillo

Here is a Small Jumbo in Spalted Tamarind that I completed about 2 years ago. Very nice to work with and similar to EIR in hardness. Has a Presentation Alaskan Yellow Cedar top and sounds Great! Sound clip below photos.

The back of that guitar is potentially the coolest I have ever seen.
Seriously. It's so freaking interesting!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikealpine

Hi Mudley, and welcome! Please post pictures as your build goes on. This is the first I've heard of this wood and it looks really beautiful. I think the figuring will make for a very visually interesting guitar and I'm sure it will look fantastic under finish.

For the builder who responded on the older posts, has anyone built with it yet? Would love to see it in full guitar form!

Thanks!
Here's the back and sides.