Is My Wood Good? (Sycamore Lumps)

Nomad

Found a place not too far away from me that does locally sourced hardwoods. They seem to specialise in big lumps of wood for artisan builders of book-matched waney edge tables and aren't cheap. I noticed they have Liberon 0000 steel wool, so I went for a mooch on the pretext of getting some of that. I found they were doing offcuts at half price, and got some bits, including a couple of lumps of sycamore (presumably European maple-type sycamore).

Details...

Ripple Sycamore: 542 x 375 x 46, 5kg
Plain Sycamore: 948 x 280 x 46, 6.6kg

Photos of the ripple stuff (ignore the apparent skewed shape - it's the camera angle - the piece is cut square)...

http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y521/Nomad_Zamani/Wood/Sycamore%20A%201_zpskigbsj4d.jpg

A fair amount of flame/ripple on the right hand side, and a bit on the left. Here's the other side...

http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y521/Nomad_Zamani/Wood/Sycamore%20A%202_zpsixqkmusv.jpg

The flame looks to pass through on the now left-hand side (and is clearly visible on the edge). The dark bit near the bottom, right of centre, is a flaw that's recessed into the surface.

End grain...

 http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y521/Nomad_Zamani/Wood/Sycamore%20A%203_zpsfavbk649.jpg

When I first saw this, I thought it could make a good blank for making my first body. I'm thinking some sort of double cut (LP Junior or Yam SG sort of shape), no cap, maybe some carving on the top. However, looking at the pattern of the available flame, I'm wondering if this (or some of it) would be better resawn and used as a cap on a lump of something else (like a mahogany species).

Thoughts? Does this have the potential to contribute to a half decent flamed top to the extent that it would be wasted on a one-piece body? (I don't mind finding another lump of something for a body, even if this isn't used for now.)

The other bit was initially bought with a view to making another lap steel, but the end grain makes me think otherwise...

http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y521/Nomad_Zamani/Wood/Sycamore%20B%201_zps07qlswlo.jpg

I'm a noob at this, but that looks like it's plain sawn through the heart, meaning there are bits that are quarter sawn. Perhaps I could cut a strip off this to make a laminated neck? If I wanted to do that (3-piece - sycamore centre, mahogany outsides), which way should I orient the grain for strength? The lines running vertically from fretboard to the back of the neck? If I do that, I'm limited in depth to 46mm less removed material, which would make an angled headstock awkward, which leads me to wonder - could the strips be steamed into an angled shape?

Any other ideas on what I could do with these bits of wood?

   

paulnb57

I really sorry that I can't advise on the suitability of the timber pictured, however 10/10 for an amusing thread title, it brought out schoolboy fnar, fnars in me!

melvynhiscock

Don't worry too much about using slab sawn maple or sycamore on necks. Fender usually use slab. The difference in strength between a quarter sawn and slab sawn board is determined by the relative density of the rings. Since maple is fairly uniform the difference in strength between a slab sawn piece and a quarter is not as great as it would be on other woods with more defined grain. The main thing I would want to know is how dry it is, has it been kilned, and which woodyard this is.

I would also think twice about making a solid maple guitar, they are horribly heavy and you get no benefit from it.

Marktigere1

I have built a complete prototype guitar out of Sycamore with a 27mm oak strip between the two sides of the Sycamore body caps.

The neck and finger board are also Sycamore with the neck made of three pieces.

It weighs less than my Strat with great sustain (3D Schaller bridge with no string through).

Pickups are Oil City Scrapyard dogs.

The whole guitar is very stable and keeps tune very well.  It is also increadibly resonant.

It sounds fantastic and is my go to guitar.

I would say go for it but as said, make sure the wood is dry before use.

Nomad

Thanks chaps.

I'm thinking of a symmetrical double cut body that's fairly small. I don't mind a bit of weight in a guitar - my Lemon Drop is about 8.5lbs and feels fine. My old Gibson Marauder is 9lbs and I'd say that's around the upper limit. Both guitars balance really well.

It's kiln dried. Is there a way to measure the moisture?

Marktigere1

Not sure about the measuring of wood moisture but my Sycamore is kiln dried and in the main used for high quality kitchens so is very stable.

The neck responds well to the truss rod adjustments so all is good.