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I've shared with you the challenges I had resawing some yellow cedar that I picked up cheap at the local hardware store, under "stinkiest guitar"? Whenever I try to fabricate my own tops or back and side sets I invariably conclude that Bob, Shane and the othe sponsors do a fantastic job at a very fair price...

With my 17" Grizzly and a resaw blade I still have a lot of trouble resawing tops and backs and sides. Lots of waste, wavy lines, and the drum sander has a lot of work to do after I've cut them. Playing with tension, adjusting the saw, etc. Tricky stuff.

That being the case, I have a couple of tops of some very stiff, very nice Yellow cedar, that's about 7.7 grams per cubic inch. Pretty dense, but I think it will get lighter as it dries out a bit more. I think these tops have somre real potential, and cosmetically they're almost perfec. Really fine growth rings - almost invisble.

Who's built with Alaskan Yellow Cedar? What do you compare it to? Do you like it's sonic proprties?

I think it is commonly used in flamencos as a substitute for cypress (back and sides)

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It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX

that´s my grasp of it, too.

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member of the guild of professional dilettantes

Not sure about the sonic properties but it worked great for rebuilding the sash windows in my home a couple of years ago. I actually liked the smell when machined and it's supposed to be fairly bug resistant.

Can Cypress be a replacement for Cypress? Think it's right there alongside POC

Tim

I've used it on 3 builds. I like it alot. Nice warm bottom end. I like it for strumming guitars.

Neil

Maybe 8 years back I contacted a well-known (whose name escapes me at present) British guitar maker who had built a YC topped instrument. He raved about it, then said he had trouble finding a buyer because of its non-tradional color. Still, I purchased a couple of tops from Brent for some time in the future. Very light weight, and they tap beautifully.

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michael propsom
www.propsomguitars.com

Hi Corky;
How ya doing?
Use it for tops.just let it set for a few years if it's wet.

I love the perfume it gives off!
Mike

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Mike Collins

Like John A said, using some YC for back and sides on a flamenco build right now.
Sides bent easily which was great for my first attempt at using a hot pipe. The back however was flabby and didn't respond well to tapping until braced. I know this is to be expected, but the change was really a surprise. The plates took on a bell-like quality.
A few pro builders I know use YC regularly and the consensus is that it can be very unpredictable with regards to stiffness. Definitely softer than Port Orford Cedar.
It's used a lot in building boats I think because the chemicals which give it the strong smell repel marine critters. I like the smell, but have had rashes after getting YC dust down my shirt.

-Jake.

Corky;
Leave the back at least 2.7mm thick

Are you making a nylon strung guitar?
Or a steel?
Mike

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Mike Collins

I've never built with yellow cedar before, but I have an sweet master grade top that I'm planning on using soon. From what I've always been told is you get a good powerful sound with a bit more bass that you would with a spruce top.

Thanks, all, for the feedback. Mike, it'll be a steel string. Maybe I'll pair it with that zebrawood you traded to me. It was milled wood when I put it through the resaw, so it's not really wet, but I'll measure the moisture before I build with it, for sure. Hope to see you at ASIA. You planning on going?

Corky;
I will not be at the A.S.I.A. symposium.
I may not get to Woodstock either!
My work load is just incredible!

I hope you use the Zebrawood !!
I used the Sp. Cedar pieces!
Some for necks-some for kerfing!
Mike

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Mike Collins

Workload No ASIA

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

+2 - delighted you've got lots of work! That sure beats the alternative.. Sorry to miss you at ASIA

I have used it on a number of steel string guitars with excellent results. The best of the best seem to be on koa bodied instruments. It has a quicker response to string input, like red cedar or redwood, but is a much stronger wood with far less tendency to crack than the other two.

You can listen to Steve Hawkins doing a couple tunes on a koa/Alaskan yellow cedar Rubicon model at:
http://www.mauelguitars.com/audio.htm
Hearing is worth a thousand pictures!

The photo is Steve doing a demo on that guitar at the 2009 Healdsburg Festival.
You can also read some details about AYC on the LMI website under the Top Woods section. The guitar in their photo is this same Rubicon.

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Hank Mauel

Hank that sounds terrific. I'm sure your hands are a big contributor. I love AYC- Canadian too.

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

I built a tenor uke with AYC. Easy to bend and as Hank says, much tougher and less prone to splitting than other types of cypress. I have a few more slabs from my shingle/shake buddy in
B.C. and will definitely use it again.

Thanks, Bob.
As for my part, well, as they say..."Even a blind pig finds an acorn now and then". <g>

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Hank Mauel

yah right !

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Hank, those sound clips do sounds very very good. Might have to try that combination

BTW I just scored 2 sets of Yellow Cedar Mastergrades from rctonewoods yesterday. I'd been wanting them for awhile. Can't believe they hung around so long.

Also got a set of that Bird's eye Mahogany. Have you guys seen that stuff? Incredible looking I think.

Neil