Question re: Yew

Red Cliff · Jul 30, 2013

So i have a question - but I may be overthinking this...

I have some sets of English Yew and am about to start making an all-yew baritone for a friend.

For the sound board, should I bookmatch with the heartwood in the middle, or the sapwood in the middle? I am wondering (all else being equal) whether a predominantly yew heartwood or sapwood soundboard will produce the 'best' tone.

I realise 'best' is subjective but would appreciate any thoughts, particularly from those who have built with yew.

Pics below of sets in question

Thanks,

Giles.

BR Ukuleles · Jul 30, 2013

There's no doubt about it. You're over thinking it.

Pick the pattern you like the look of and go with it.

Red Cliff · Jul 30, 2013

Allen said:
There's no doubt about it. You're over thinking it.

Pick the pattern you like the look of and go with it.

Thanks, I thought I might be.

RPA_Ukuleles · Jul 30, 2013

That Yew is beautiful, I don't think you can go wrong. Try making a cardboard or paper cut-out traced from your mould and look at the options thru that. That will give you a much better idea of what it will look like when cut to the final shape.

Michael N. · Jul 30, 2013

Really nice stuff. Don't think twice about yewsing it.
Get me some guitar sized pieces please!

ksquine · Jul 30, 2013

I'd say it depends on your binding plan. Light color binding....darker wood out. Dark binding....sap wood out. You might consider how the rosette will look too

ProfChris · Jul 30, 2013

I've built three with English yew soundboards, and I'd say the sapwood is a little softer and less stiff than the heartwood. But your wood might be the opposite, wood being so variable.

If the heartwood seems stiffer I'd put that down the centreline of the top. I guess you'd do the back the same, but there's no structural reason to do so.

One thing to watch is that the sawdust can be very irritating. My face always breaks out in blotches, itchy too, because I forget not to touch my face.

But the tone of yew is lovely. My best yew uke has a thin soundboard, like I'd use for mahogany. On another I went a little thicker, on the theory that yew is a softwood so treat it like spruce. This one is very sweet in tone, but a little too quiet and lacking at the lower end.

Liam Ryan · Jul 31, 2013

At least it's something different than the yewsual suspects.

Red Cliff · Jul 31, 2013

Thanks for all the comments. Yew guys are the best.

I think I will go heartwood down the middle of the top. Yes, the sawdust is terrible - I've used yew on bows before and you have to be careful, and try and minimise the amount of sanding.

I wish I had guitar sized pieces, or just more sets of the stuff - only managed to get 3 sets.

boydellinii · Jul 31, 2013

................

ProfChris · Jul 31, 2013

Or contact Stuart Longridge (Google for his website). He sold me some super yew last year, I think, and (then) had quite a bit of it.

bbycrts · Aug 1, 2013

Liam Ryan said:
At least it's something different than the yewsual suspects.

Yew should be ashamed of yewself.

mds725 · Aug 1, 2013

It Had To Be Yew?

My personal aesthetic preference (as a non-luthier, mind you) is the darker wood in the middle. I hope you post photos of the final build!

Question re: Yew

Red Cliff

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