Where does headplate wood come from?

[bho]

Hello,

I always see pictures of wood to be used for the back and sides of guitars, but it doesn't seem that there is any "extra." So when matching the wood on the head plate to the back and sides, where does the head plate wood come from?

Thanks.

[fazool]

Originally Posted by bho

Hello,
...where does the head plate wood come from?
..

Ummmm,..... trees?




(sorry couldn't resist)

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by fazool

Ummmm,..... trees?




(sorry couldn't resist)

DUHHHH, head-plate trees ... to be exact

Seriously, it usually comes from the waist area of the back and many times those two off cuts are then book matched to be used on the peg head. Unfortunately, there is usually only enough wood to salvage for one peg head though.

[Bruce Sexauer]

It is rare for the "waist" wood to be wide enough for one piece headplates, which I prefer. My head plates are more likely to come from otherwise unusable backs and sides, from wood bought specifically for the purpose, and especially from LMI's annual parking lot sale which is coming right up and in which they sell everything they put out for $5 a pound. This next sale will be held in conjunction with the semi monthly meeting of the Norhtern California Association of Luthiers (NCAL).

[Mark Hatcher]

I often am doing my own resawing for backs and sides. I usually end up with an odd piece or board remnants that get used for faceplates etc.

Mark

[CaffeinatedOne]

Originally Posted by Raine M

Or in Martin's case for many of their guitars, Black Acrylic chemicals.

To be fair, Martin uses dihydrogen monoxide - free Black Acrylic chemicals.


No GMOs were harmed in the making of this message.

[mikealpine]

Maybe having some very nice, but otherwise unusable scraps is a good reason to do mosaic headstock designs?

[printer2]

Originally Posted by mikealpine

Maybe having some very nice, but otherwise unusable scraps is a good reason to do mosaic headstock designs?

But I have to buy a bunch of headstock plates in order to get different colors to do a mosaic.

Vicious circle, is it not?

[John Arnold]

I often am doing my own resawing for backs and sides.

Same here. Headplates are a bonus from cutting your own wood. Very often, they are generated from orphan sides (single sides that have no bookmatch).
When I was cutting Brazilian RW from logs, I would save all the scraps, and mark them as to which log they came from. Not only does it facilitate using headplates that match the back and sides, but it has allowed me to document some of my pre-CITES BR that came with receipts.
Another bonus is that you can match the bridge and fingerboard....if you use rosewood for those items.

[mikealpine]

Originally Posted by printer2

But I have to buy a bunch of headstock plates in order to get different colors to do a mosaic.

Vicious circle, is it not?

Yes, I guess it is! I was thinking more about what might get cut off from making the backs. Those boards come in rectangles, so I am thinking those off-cuts could be used for mosaic style headstocks.

[CaE]

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher

I often am doing my own resawing for backs and sides. I usually end up with an odd piece or board remnants that get used for faceplates etc.

Mark

This is my favorite part of resawing- matching parts!