In the beginning process of resawing highly figured koa t/b/s/ for ukuleles, and making huge piles of very expensive saw dust.I see now why no one does this. I am a furniture builder and for me personally the crazier the curl the better.But I notice acoustic guitar builders dont use the crazy figuring like say they do on an electric guitar top. So my question is, do you ukulele builders use/like wildly figured pieces for your tops and backs?Or do you prefer mainly the tight fiddleback curl? Really appreciate any and all input. Thanks, from a guitarist new to the world of ukuleles.
Another question for luthiers
- Thread starter tonewood
- Start date
Kekani
Well-known member
Welcome to the world of `ukulele (there is no s). We build with whatever we have. If you want to see nice Koa on guitars, check out Taylor's Factory Friday.
BR Ukuleles
Well-known member
As you're no doubtably aware curl figure is caused by the grain changing direction from top to back of the board. Thus leaving a lot of short grain rather than long continuos grain from one end of the board to the other. This is really undesirable on a steel string guitar as the tension of the strings will quickly distort a top without the appropriate structural integrity. That's why you just don't see it on them unless it's been laminated onto something else like a very stiff piece of spruce. On electric guitars it's laminated onto another solid block to stabilise it.
On nylon strung instruments with lower tension you have some more latitude in this area, so you will see instruments built with more figured wood than otherwise be the case in a steel string acoustic.
To compound that, not all figured wood is created equal, and there is some that is very figured, but still nice and stiff (stiff is good) while others may be as limp as over cooked pasta. (Not good)
The long and short of it is, that extremely curly figured wood while very pretty to look at, and can make lovely instruments is rarely the very best choice for an instrument without a great deal of knowledge and experience in building.
Personally I wouldn't use extreme curl on a top, but would on back and sides. Others will have their own preferences and opinions.
On nylon strung instruments with lower tension you have some more latitude in this area, so you will see instruments built with more figured wood than otherwise be the case in a steel string acoustic.
To compound that, not all figured wood is created equal, and there is some that is very figured, but still nice and stiff (stiff is good) while others may be as limp as over cooked pasta. (Not good)
The long and short of it is, that extremely curly figured wood while very pretty to look at, and can make lovely instruments is rarely the very best choice for an instrument without a great deal of knowledge and experience in building.
Personally I wouldn't use extreme curl on a top, but would on back and sides. Others will have their own preferences and opinions.
Moore Bettah Ukuleles
Well-known member
Well said Allen. Too bad it's so difficult to talk customers out of extreme figure. As you know, every set of wood has to be considered individually. The stiffest curly koa I have found tends to be very tight fiddleback where the rows of curls are even, consistent and spaced tightly together. It makes a very nice sounding instrument. I can never seem to get my hands of much of it though.......
