Official Luthiers Forum!
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/

Sweet Almond
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=14689
Page 1 of 1

Author:  Colin S [ Sun Nov 25, 2007 11:22 pm ]
Post subject: 

I've just received some sets of Sweet Almond wood from one of my suppliers and wonder if any of you out in there ahve build a guitar with Almond wood?

The sets are beautifully quater sawn, just the way I like it, and tap great.



Close up of grain:


Colin

Author:  Colin S [ Sun Nov 25, 2007 11:23 pm ]
Post subject: 

OH, for an edit button!

Author:  Sam Price [ Mon Nov 26, 2007 12:17 am ]
Post subject: 

Wow Colin, what beautiful wood! You are very fortunate to get hold of this stuff.

I can just imagine how the Sweet almond would look under a few sessions of French Polishing....

Author:  Pwoolson [ Mon Nov 26, 2007 12:29 am ]
Post subject: 

I've worked with Pecan (not guitars) before. I liked the stuff a lot and am guessing Almond has pretty similar properties. Does it smell nice? Wouldn't that be nice to have ode de amaretto lingering in the shop?

Author:  douglas ingram [ Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:32 am ]
Post subject: 

What are you going to build with that!?  Whatever it is, might I suggest dark brown cedar, you know, so its chocolate covered Almond.  Yumm.  Whatever you choose, I'm sure that it will come out tasty.

Author:  Larry Davis [ Mon Nov 26, 2007 3:47 am ]
Post subject: 

If it's the same species that produces the almond nut, it's sold as firewood in California when orchards are taken out or pruned. Much to unstable for anything else. Yours may be different, of course.

Author:  Colin S [ Mon Nov 26, 2007 4:16 am ]
Post subject: 

Larry, I don't see stability as a problem with this wood. This particular wood comes from Syria, quite a few guitars and other instruments were made with it in the 18th and 19th century in Europe that are still around today. I've played a couple of 19th century Italian guitars that sounded fine, though I did have to repair a crack in the top of one, the 150+ year old almond was in perfect condition. This species originates in the middle east and the instability may be a clonal problem with the original stock introduced to the USA.

Colin

Colin

Author:  Larry Davis [ Mon Nov 26, 2007 4:41 am ]
Post subject: 

You could very well be correct in the California root stock theory, Colin. I tried to find uses for the almond when I lived and had my retail store there, but it always came back to bundles of firewood in the local grocery store. Wood turners not even interested much. Nice find!!!

Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC - 5 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/