Is this a crazy idea?

[Aviacs]

Not always easy to tell from photos -
that end grain shot looks like they extended the core to mould the front beaded strip, then added 2-ply faces to top and bottom. The bead edge was then toned as the piece was finished, to blend all into the same mahogany look.
Once a standard veneer method with solid cores for high end work ("5 ply construction")

Use an actual handplane to shoot end, and see if there are not glue lines at the edge of both faces. Looks like it at the top.

The underside veneer strongly appears to be maple.
Must have been a good piece when built, but it is a repro, and mostly veneer.
Who said (polish it up,) sell it and re-purpose the money ?

There are single-board style tables out there with solid mahogany tops, but even by the 1920's it was not commonly cuban for those. Might (or in some cases might not) be denser than today's Honduran.

[RichinGA]

Originally Posted by Aviacs

Not always easy to tell from photos -
that end grain shot looks like they extended the core to mould the front beaded strip, then added 2-ply faces to top and bottom. The bead edge was then toned as the piece was finished, to blend all into the same mahogany look.
Once a standard veneer method with solid cores for high end work ("5 ply construction")

Use an actual handplane to shoot end, and see if there are not glue lines at the edge of both faces. Looks like it at the top.

The underside veneer strongly appears to be maple.
Must have been a good piece when built, but it is a repro, and mostly veneer.
Who said (polish it up,) sell it and re-purpose the money ?

There are single-board style tables out there with solid mahogany tops, but even by the 1920's it was not commonly cuban for those. Might (or in some cases might not) be denser than today's Honduran.

The table is in pretty rough shape to be re-conditioned. And I’m not sure that the veneers can withstand sanding and re-staining. I did find out that it was built by a Company called “Limberts”, which went out of business in 1944. The table is likely around 100 years old. Other than sentimental value, I’m not sure it’s worth much more.

[Aviacs]

And I’m not sure that the veneers can withstand sanding and re-staining.

Not suggesting that in the least.
Clean it well, see if alcohol cuts the finish, lightly sand the worst chips, and start polishing with fresh shellac. Add toner (carefully) where the color needs it. In an hour or 2 spread over a couple/3 days, it can be made to look freshly re-finished, and that is not dishonest, either. What polishers used to do before people thought that finishes should be chemically concocted to last forever. & then the piece is ruined if it gets a chip.

If it is lacquer, then it probably should be left alone since that is much more complex to get the same results and it sounds like you might not be conversant. If it is lacquer, it is probably later than 19-teens or 20's.

& sadly, even "antique" OBF (old brown furniture) is at a nadir as far as selling, these days. So agree, don't work on it too hard, except to convincingly verify for yourself whether solid or veneer parts.

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by RichinGA

The lighter colored wood looks like Birch to me. The wood on the left and bottom are likely Birch as well with a stain applied to it.

[srick]

Rich -

Dale Fairbanks did exactly this for me. The wood was left to me by a good friend who had passed away.

Several years before he died, Larry had found a solid mahogany table leaf leaning up against a garbage can during his morning walk. He was quick to let me know, “This wood must be a hundred years old. It would make a great guitar!”

After he passed, his wife asked if there was anything from his shop that I would like? I asked if the mahogany board was still sitting by the furnace, which it was.

The board is now a handsome Fairbanks F35 guitar. It is named the “Fox” in honor of my friend, Larry Fox.

There is a thread on AGF that you can read here, or this more polished version : The Fox Bublup Roll.

Unfortunately, your piece looks like veneer. Wide pieces of solid wood are rare, because they tend to warp over time. This is sometimes prevented by cutting them lengthwise and inserting splines, but then you don’t have a piece of wood that can be used for a guitar. Clues that this is veneer are: the molding around the edge, the staining underneath and the repeating grain pattern. But don’t feel bad if it doesn’t pan out. Dale and I had no idea of what would be in Foxy’s mahogany. It could have been joined and splined, or it could have had some metal in in it.

Consider this: even though it was a lovely piece of furniture in its day, sideboards are not in style, nor are the dining rooms that they once adorned. My guess is that no other member of your family is interested in it either, despite the connection with your grandparents. If it is maple, as Tom suspects, or even birch, it could make a very nice wood set for a guitar. IMO, The build and the top is what makes a guitar sound like a guitar, and the side and back, color the tone a bit. If it is a nicely grained piece, it can be stained, or left natural. And what a wonderful way to pay homage to your grandparents by creating a unique instrument. I know that Larry’s spirit is in my guitar (fbofw!!!) So maybe, you should go for it.

Best,

Rick

[Nama Ensou]

Originally Posted by RichinGA

I have a 70-80 year old mahogany buffet table that belonged to my Grandparents.
I might be able to find someone to cut it down and use the larger pieces to build a custom guitar with mahogany back/sides. (Doubtful there’s wood large enough for a neck).

Check with a luthier, but you may be able to laminate the pieces together to get a neck out of it too, or instead. There's a lot of lamination going in a great many instruments, but again. talk to a luthier first, ideally with the table in the back of your truck so that he can see it in person. Maybe even bring the parts along that look so bad, because there may be some decent wood hiding inside the rough exterior.

[RichinGA]

Originally Posted by srick

Rich -

Dale Fairbanks did exactly this for me. The wood was left to me by a good friend who had passed away.

Several years before he died, Larry had found a solid mahogany table leaf leaning up against a garbage can during his morning walk. He was quick to let me know, “This wood must be a hundred years old. It would make a great guitar!”

After he passed, his wife asked if there was anything from his shop that I would like? I asked if the mahogany board was still sitting by the furnace, which it was.

The board is now a handsome Fairbanks F35 guitar. It is named the “Fox” in honor of my friend, Larry Fox.

There is a thread on AGF that you can read here, or this more polished version : The Fox Bublup Roll.

Unfortunately, your piece looks like veneer. Wide pieces of solid wood are rare, because they tend to warp over time. This is sometimes prevented by cutting them lengthwise and inserting splines, but then you don’t have a piece of wood that can be used for a guitar. Clues that this is veneer are: the molding around the edge, the staining underneath and the repeating grain pattern. But don’t feel bad if it doesn’t pan out. Dale and I had no idea of what would be in Foxy’s mahogany. It could have been joined and splined, or it could have had some metal in in it.

Consider this: even though it was a lovely piece of furniture in its day, sideboards are not in style, nor are the dining rooms that they once adorned. My guess is that no other member of your family is interested in it either, despite the connection with your grandparents. If it is maple, as Tom suspects, or even birch, it could make a very nice wood set for a guitar. IMO, The build and the top is what makes a guitar sound like a guitar, and the side and back, color the tone a bit. If it is a nicely grained piece, it can be stained, or left natural. And what a wonderful way to pay homage to your grandparents by creating a unique instrument. I know that Larry’s spirit is in my guitar (fbofw!!!) So maybe, you should go for it.

Best,

Rick

What an incredible and inspirational story. The Fox looks awesome!…..and has a wonderful story behind it. Thanks for sharing.