Red versus White Oak as a tonewood?

[lizzard]

Hello:

I'm contemplating the details of a build for next year with SKT. I'm almost certain that it will be an SJ with a red top and an arm bevel. 12 or 13 fret.

Steve sent some nice pics of some White sets and 1 Cal Black Oak which is in the red family. All look nice for different reasons but I'm curious if anyone has an opinion regarding tone differences between white and red (black).

I'll be posting a build thread which will take almost 18 months to complete and all pics and details will follow.

For props, my confidence in Oak came from first hearing a clip at Dream of an EJ Henderson in Oak and then word of Steve and Ryan's success with Oak Parlors capped off with Steve's words on the phone.

Thanks in advance!

Chris

[Tim McKnight]

I've built several guitars with both domestic and German White Oak. All were outstandingly great guitars. I've never used red oak but I think I read some chatter years ago of reasons not to use it but I don't recall it clearly enough to site any reasoning. You might reach out to Haans Brentrup as I know he is another proponent of white oak but he may have some input on red oak?

[maurerfan]

I'm glad Tim referenced Haans Brentrup. Good advice, since Haans, arguably, has more experience building with oak than anyone out there today.

[John Arnold]

Red oak has open pores, which makes the pore filling even more of a chore (white oak is bad enough). Quartered white oak generally has more pronounced tiger stripes than red, and it smells better (MHO). I doubt that there is a consistent tonal difference between red and white oak.

White oak Norman Blake Special, 1994.

[Steve Kinnaird]

I have had several discussions with Hans about White Oak, but not about Red.
Not sure if he has tried the oaks from the red group, though I am quite sure I have not. So, no empirical data to rely upon. But, my feeling is that John is correct, there being little discernible tonal difference between the two varieties.
Consulting the Janka hardness scale, White Oak is harder than Red, but not by much. I would expect the differences--if any--to be so subtle as to be difficult to detect.

[lizzard]

Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird

I have had several discussions with Hans about White Oak, but not about Red.
Not sure if he has tried the oaks from the red group, though I am quite sure I have not. So, no empirical data to rely upon. But, my feeling is that John is correct, there being little discernible tonal difference between the two varieties.
Consulting the Janka hardness scale, White Oak is harder than Red, but not by much. I would expect the differences--if any--to be so subtle as to be difficult to detect.

Okay Steve,

Then put me down for that California Black Oak (er I mean Red). I think it will pair nicely with the Red Spruce. If you disagree, I'm all ears.

Chris

[Steve Kinnaird]

Originally Posted by lizzard

Okay Steve,

Then put me down for that California Black Oak (er I mean Red). I think it will pair nicely with the Red Spruce. If you disagree, I'm all ears.

Chris

Sure Chris, it's all yours. And... it just might look a better match for the Ironwood fretboard.

[Nort]

"John Arnold"

that's a beautiful back on the Norman Blake special, any other pics that show the sides?

[maurerfan]

If you go on Youtube, you can find several videos of John Arnold playing his oak guitar ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNkfVcEZ4FU