[jt1]

I just don't think that it's possible to answer this question in the abstract. There's torrefaction and then there's torrefaction.

Folks who torrify wood dramatically vary the duration and temperature of the process. I've been studying and researching the process, including interviewing those who torrify and those who use torrified woods in lutherie (FJ article on the horizon). These are early days in my research, but I can give a short summary: too much of a good thing is, indeed, too much of a good thing.

Stay tuned. I'll be running a bunch of torrified tops through a CT-scanner.

On edit 1: a post script. I've been stunned to learn the number of luthiers who purchase and use torrified wood without even inquiring about the process used to treat the tops (and sometimes backs and sides) that they purchase.

On edit 2: oh, the CT-scans will give me good data and cool pics. But, I've also arranged for MRI sessions, which will give a great deal of additional data about density, mass, brittleness, etc.