Australian cedar for soundboard?

[martintaylor]

Hi All,

I just received an old piece of recycled Australian Red Cedar from a friend that heard I was making guitars. I have resawn it and have been able to get a lovely set of bookmatched pieces big enough for a top. It is perfectly quarter sawn and already has a lovely tone when tapped.

My question is, is it possible to use it as a top? It is nice and light, really stiff (although I haven't got it down to soundboard thickness yet (still at 6mm) and pretty tightly grained.

I have an old Yamaha Steel string acoustic that has a cedar top but it looks nothing like this piece. This piece is darker and when I wiped some metho on an offcut it is a beautiful golden colour.

I am considering using it on a recycled timber guitar that I already have back and sides for (from a recycled Tassie Oak desk).

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Martin

[kiwigeo]

Should make a decent top.....go for it.

[Tod Gilding]

Yeah Go For It I Know Allan McFarlen has used it for Uke and guitar tops, he may offer some advice. I have used it for back and sides and can't fault it for that purpose, (see my avartar )

[Allen]

I've used it a few times. Tend to treat it like a mahogany top in that the sound you are going to achieve with using it will certainly be different than spruce.

The pores in it will be enormous, so prepare yourself for some serious pore filling even if you aren't going to go with gloss. They are just too large to leave unfilled.

[martintaylor]

The pores in it will be enormous, so prepare yourself for some serious pore filling even if you aren't going to go with gloss. They are just too large to leave unfilled.

Hi Allen,

I finish with Danish Oil and wax usually. What do you recommend for pore filling? I've never done it before.

Thanks

[Allen]

On the tops I've used, it took 4 sessions of thin epoxy.

I'd recommend using some off cuts to figure out how much you could live with ( or not).

[Peter Young]

Hello Martin

I used Oz cedar (surian?) for a weissy.

Yes ... needs serious fill. Handle with care ... it is soft.

DSC02914.jpg (88.12 KiB) Viewed 32496 times

DSC02910.jpg (65.25 KiB) Viewed 32496 times

Also ... John Maddison did one using Surian

Weissenborn surian top.jpg (56.35 KiB) Viewed 32496 times

Both instruments sound fine

Pete

[martintaylor]

Thanks Alan and Peter,

Peter, looks like WA Sheoak on those Weissy's for sides (and backs I assume). Nice combination. And Allen, I've been admiring your builds for ages, thanks for the advice.

Martin

[jayluthier]

I've had great success using Australian Red Cedar (Toona) as a top paired with Tasmanian Blackwood B/S for a 00 acoustic. This guitar is about number 60 for me. It is the best sounding 00 that I've ever built. Very balanced sound, good highs and lows, great sustain, rings forever. The Blackwood/Cedar combination really seems to work well.

[DarwinStrings]

Now that I find amazing Jay, where did someone from Washington dig up a bit of quarter sawn Aust Red Cedar?

Jim

[jayluthier]

It's actually Toona. Not only does this timber grow in Australia, but also there is some in Hawaii. That's where I got it from a mate who lived in Hawaii for a few years.
After I consulted with Alan McFarlen, who endorsed it as a tonewood with Blackwood. I went for it.

Incidentally, I lived in Darwin from 1985-1987. I was the territory manager for IBM. We lived in Nightcliffe and our first daughter was born in the Darwin hospital.
After Darwin, then we moved down to Adelaide, where I was IBM branch manager for South Australia.
small world.


cheers,

[P Bill]

I've used Surrian for tops on a double bass, an archtop, and a viola. Quite happy with the results.

[DarwinStrings]

It's actually Toona. Not only does this timber grow in Australia, but also there is some in Hawaii. That's where I got it from a mate who lived in Hawaii for a few years.
After I consulted with Alan McFarlen, who endorsed it as a tonewood with Blackwood. I went for it.

Incidentally, I lived in Darwin from 1985-1987. I was the territory manager for IBM. We lived in Nightcliffe and our first daughter was born in the Darwin hospital.
After Darwin, then we moved down to Adelaide, where I was IBM branch manager for South Australia.
small world.


cheers,

Okay, thanks Jay. Toona Ciliata ex Toona Australis, it has quite a history in Australia and though some might say Australia was built on the sheep's back that tree was pretty much up there. I just checked the Hawaii connection and it was introduced there in about 1918.

I am just on the other side of Bagot road to Nightcliff, all my kids were born in Darwin Hospital. I can't understand why anyone leaves Darwin

Jim

[colburge]

I can't understand why anyone leaves Darwin

Jim

The heat and humidity

Cheers

Col

[P Bill]

I can't understand why anyone leaves Darwin

Jim

The heat and humidity

Cheers

Col

You forgot the Crocs, they seem to be everywhere!

[Kim]

I can't understand why anyone leaves Darwin

Jim

The heat and humidity

Cheers

Col

You forgot the Crocs, they seem to be everywhere!

Crocs are probably why Jim can't understand why anyone leaves...they've got the place surrounded.

[ebhsbill]

I made a parlour guitar using Australian Red Cedar. The back, sides and soundboard are all ARC. It has a lovely tone and very bright and loud for the size of the guitar. I think the important thing is the timber density. The commercially available cedar has a very open grain. The material I used came out of a set of filing shelves that were over a 150 years old, made from old growth cedar which has a much higher density.

https://plus.google.com/photos/10162495 ... 1384383631

[Jules93]

How about as a back and side?
Anyone with an experience

They have red Australian Cedar as a back and side sets to which is absolutely stunning available at guitar tonewoods

[Steve.Toscano]

How about as a back and side?
Anyone with an experience

They have red Australian Cedar as a back and side sets to which is absolutely stunning available at guitar tonewoods

Ive done a few flamenco builds with Toona(Aus cedar) back and sides. Worked well. However It doesnt bend very well at all, and once bent it doesnt like to hold its new shape. Its also very very soft. It will dint just by looking at it.

[Robert Gleason]

Plenty of Toon grows here in Hawaii. Some builders use it for uke bodies, and for necks with CF rods. It makes a good sounding uke, but it's only drawback is looks. Koa is king here, and even fairly plain koa has more of a look that people want than the look of toon. Great to work with. Machines easily. I use it for miscellaneous things like kerfing.

[Jules93]

As far as bending that would be done by hand
I’d be building a j45
It’s obviously big but not as curvy as other body shapes
Thank goodness for body mold’s and spreaders

This is the set I’m thinking of getting when money comes in if it’s still available

https://guitartimbers.com/wp-content/up ... 0.jpg.webp

[Robdon]

Hi, Australian cedar can vary from reasonably hard to almost powdery soft. The older stuff in furniture tends to be pretty hard. If you can put a dent in it without too much pressure with your fingernail, I would be wary.

[56nortondomy]

I've used it for tops a few times and it's great. As mentioned it's pretty soft, I wouldn't use it for back and sides there's much better options out there. Wayne

[Jules93]

What would be a better option
I’ve played guitars with Blackwood, Queensland maple&walnut and New Guinea rosewood
But I’m still a newbie to Australian tonewoods

[56nortondomy]

Those timbers are great, there's also myrtle and sassafrass. Lots of exotic timbers out there too that are great. Have a look at Australian tonewoods, Tim Spittle owns it and he's a great guy and very reasonable with his prices and his timber is always good quality, just ring him and have a talk if you want, he's always up for a chat, his number is on his website. Wayne