Do YOU think Pernambuco is beautiful?

[Howard Klepper]

Pernambuco often shows an array of subtle colors, including cream, green, and brown. There also sometimes is a bit of fine curl or beeswing. It darkens with age, but slowly.

[Bruce Sexauer]

There is some serious variation here in these seven guitars from my past. The red stuff (3-4-6-7) is the infamous "crackwood", and I have no more. The varigated coloration slab is my second score (5). The Schoenberg (truly GREAT guitar, not pictured here) is made form this, and I have several more sets. The actually quarter sawn (1-2, and like the one on the bench) is my most recent acquisition, and the the most perfect/stable/expensive. I have a dozen more unspoken for set of this as well.





(unfinished)

[Kevin A]

Attractive wood grain in some of the samples—but I'm put off by the orange hue.
It'd REALLY have to sound great to offset the lack of visual appeal. I could live with the wood choice if the guitar sounded nice. Play it in dark rooms and no one would know what hue it was.....

[Brackett Instruments]

I like the way Pernambuco looks. If everyone liked the same thing the world would be a boring place..............but I'm currently working on an Osage Orange 12 fret D, and I like the way it looks too.

[lclyman]

My Sexauer Pernambuco guitar is pic #5 above...and as Bruce mentioned it's from the same wood as the not pictured Schoenberg labelled guitar.

The journey that culminated with the acquisition of my P-WRX was based on playing that guitar at Eric Schoenberg's store shortly after it had made it's way there from Bruce's shop...a story that I told at the beginning of this thread:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=183326

That was certainly the first time I had ever seen Pernambuco and I was mesmerized by how it looked. And after playing/hearing it...well the rest is history..

Pictures don't quite do this wood justice..and as Bruce reiterated above, describing it's sound is equally frustrating...when I've attempted to do so I find myself saying that a Pernambuco guitar creates it's own sonic universe, where I'm completely absorbed by it's startlingly clarity and presence...

And, when I occasionally come up for air, I'll twirl the guitar around and admire the swirling orange/reddish/brownish colors and marvel at it all...!!

See one if you can....play one if you're lucky...

LC

[arie]

imo i don't always care for the color but the sound of the guitar is what's most important. but I do like this one though. looks very much "ancient parlor" it might even look good in a simplicio style classical.



questions:
how responsive is this wood in a guitar if the builder designs the back to be active?

in the sides, is this wood a coupler or a isolator?

how would it sound/respond in a flat pick'n dread/jumbo or a classical?

what are it's working traits? bending, planing, finishing, etc..

thanks

[Bruce Sexauer]

I build light with an active back. Pernambuco is my favorite. Conclusions?

I think of the sides as a coupler. I have never seen this concept phrased in this way, and I thank you.

Question #3 is what I call a dumb question, but I will not throw you out of the shop because questions 1 and 2 and 4 are quite good.

Every piece of wood is different, so working properties are variable. Still, I have not had much luck planing P, it sands and scrapes very well though. It tend to have terrific structural integrity and can go quite thin. It bends very nicely with little spring back but will scorch easily if overheated.

[arie]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

I build light with an active back. Pernambuco is my favorite. Conclusions?

I think of the sides as a coupler. I have never seen this concept phrased in this way, and I thank you.

Question #3 is what I call a dumb question, but I will not throw you out of the shop because questions 1 and 2 and 4 are quite good.

Every piece of wood is different, so working properties are variable. Still, I have not had much luck planing P, it sands and scrapes very well though. It tend to have terrific structural integrity and can go quite thin. It bends very nicely with little spring back but will scorch easily if overheated.

thanks for the reply.

let me re-phrase #3, what (if anything) needs to be taken into account when dealing with the larger bodied guitars vs smaller ones when using pernambuco?

[Earthworm]

I saw a completed Olson guitar at Jim's shop with this wood. I thought it was gorgeous. Absolutely stunning. I did not get to play it, however.

[Tone Gopher]

Bruce - a few observations...

1) Do you want a guitar that is such eye candy as to be purchased by a "collector" as yet another wall hanger?

2) If the guitar truly sounds great, won't that win over whomever plays it - if they are actually looking to buy a guitar as a tool for their craft?

3) If the wood is in such short supply, what does it matter if it does not develop a mass following?

FWIW, the most plain guitar that I own is getting most play time - a koa Franklin jumbo. You won't see it in the "Show Me your Koa" thread because it's appearance just doesn't matter. Fit and finish are great, trim is minimalist, and the Sound is there.

I guess it comes down to "Who buys Sexauer guitars?" and "Why do you make guitars?"

Be well.

[ChuckS]

I like the look of the Pernambuco. I'm also in the camp of liking plain looking woods, but that is because as you look closer there is often more subtle beauty. I'm not turned off by coloration moving towards orange, but my guitars are a bit in that direction.

[guitarsanyone]

Some I like and some I don't. Who else has this rare wood to build with?

[Bruce Sexauer]

George
1, I try not to make judgments about my customers intentions or abilities. To me it looks like all of the folks who've acquired my P guitars are players, but a couple of them do have more guitars than they need, which might qualify them in the collector category for you. I am wondering if you think P is eye candy? I would have thought the opposite. Looks like about 10% of us would be unwilling to be seen with it!

2, I do count on the quality of my guitar's performance for sales. Not everyone has developed the ear to hear it, of course, and those folks can save a pile of dough by getting something more run of the mill. P-wood is not for everyone, but for those who can hear it, it is literally in a category of its own.

3, Mass following? Pernambuco will never have it, and I will never have it. There's not enough Pernambuco to support it, and I only have a few guitars (perhaps 75) unsold in the rest of my projected career. About 15 of those could be Pernambuco, and I want to make sure people know it exists. This forum is a terrific tool for that purpose.

For who, go here. As for why, that is a good question! The answer likely lies in the realm of emotion. But then this is an open thread intended to be more about Pernambuco than Sexauer; I am not the only one who uses it.


Arie,
I don't see how to answer the rephrased #3 question as I don't look at things that way.

[Herb Hunter]

From the photographs posted to this thread, some of the wood is attractive and some of it looks cheap. Since I like the color of unstained mahogany, it follows that I like the general color of Pernambuco, however, it is the tonal quality that matters to me. I have never played a Pernambuco guitar and have no idea what it sounds like. I'd have to play several comparable ones to get a feel for the typical tonal quality the wood offers. Ultimately, the species of wood used on a guitar is of little concern to me as what matters is the tone. I'll take a very good sounding guitar made of oak over a mediocre one made of Brazilian rosewood.

[Tone Gopher]

Thanks, Bruce.

I'd check the box for Answer #4 - The look is not a deal breaker if the sound is there. If I don't like the sound, the looks won't compel me to buy it.

I think it is exciting to see a top builder keep looking for new horizons - and finding them.

Be well.