Cottonwood
Heyer
should i just try to find some alder?
Thanks.
Nathaniel Heyer
Ron Long
If I recall correctly, "cottonwood" is the same species as poplar, merely a
different name, and also it's closely related to alder. If you have a
nice, well-seasoned chunk of it, it will very likely make an excellent
solid guitar body.
--
Ron Long
Links to Guitar Builders and Repairers at:
http://www.frontiernet.net/~ronelong/makers.htm
My email address is munged. You know what to do.
dunwell...@dorje.see-my-organization
<rone...@outdamnedspam.frontiernet.net> writes:
Hmmm, I'm not so sure about this. When I think of Poplar I think Lombardi
Poplar, those tall thin trees used for wind breaks in the mid west, tend to
be kind of pulpy with a very hard core. Cotton wood OTOH are great hulking
suckers, such as usually found along the river banks out here in the west. I
believe you are right in that they are the same genus, but it may not be fair
to treat them as equals. Same leaf type, but the wood I believe is different.
My experience with cottonwood was to use it in place of basswood for linings in
an acoustic guitar many years ago. OTOH, another piece that I had was very hard
and close grained and might have made a good body, it came from a very old
standing dead tree. I think I can firmly state that it depends<g>.
Alan
life...@xxvoy.net
>My experience with cottonwood was to use it in place of basswood for
>linings in an acoustic guitar many years ago.
I'll go along with the basswood idea. But there are lots of poplars
around besides Lombardy. One called the yellow poplar by many folks
is very common around here (Eastern Tennessee) and isn't a poplar at
all. It is also referred to commonly as the Tulip Tree and is
actually in the Magnolia family.
Having said that, the wood is a dead ringer for many poplars.
We had lots of Cottonwood in the Dakotas. The wood was generally
less dense than poplar as I've experience the two. Cottonwood made a
rather poor firewood, because of its low density.
You said something about it getting harder. If it's like Tulip Tree
wood, it gets harder and harder as time goes by. I've found it 75
years old or more, and it is impossible to put a nail into it. I say
that as one who has driven nails for a living for 45 years. WEll,
actually I've driven short, round, twist-shanked concrete nails into
it. You can even burn up a few drill buts drilling pilot holes in
it.
Jim L
Remove XX from address to Email
Posted by MR/2 ICE v 1.60 #10529
Neil Bryan
dunwell...@dorje.SEE-MY-ORGANIZATION wrote:
> In article <01be7a4c$8017d020$edda82d1@ronelong>, "Ron Long"
> <rone...@outdamnedspam.frontiernet.net> writes:
>
> >Heyer <tau...@means.net> wrote in article <36FFE56E...@means.net>...
> >> Does anybody know if cottonwood would be good for a solid body guitar or
> >> should i just try to find some alder?
> >> Thanks.
> >>
> >> Nathaniel Heyer
> >
> >If I recall correctly, "cottonwood" is the same species as poplar, merely a
> >different name, and also it's closely related to alder. If you have a
> >nice, well-seasoned chunk of it, it will very likely make an excellent
> >solid guitar body.
> >
> >--
> >Ron Long
> >Links to Guitar Builders and Repairers at:
> > http://www.frontiernet.net/~ronelong/makers.htm
> >My email address is munged. You know what to do.
>
> Hmmm, I'm not so sure about this. When I think of Poplar I think Lombardi
> Poplar, those tall thin trees used for wind breaks in the mid west, tend to
> be kind of pulpy with a very hard core. Cotton wood OTOH are great hulking
> suckers, such as usually found along the river banks out here in the west. I
> believe you are right in that they are the same genus, but it may not be fair
> to treat them as equals. Same leaf type, but the wood I believe is different.
> My experience with cottonwood was to use it in place of basswood for linings in
> an acoustic guitar many years ago. OTOH, another piece that I had was very hard
> and close grained and might have made a good body, it came from a very old
> standing dead tree. I think I can firmly state that it depends<g>.
>
> Alan
Cotton wood is the "sponge" of the trees. They take up enormous amounts of water
and grow like weeds. If you cut an area of dominant cottonwood you will have a
swamp within days, even though the soil was dry before cutting. The are estimated
at taking up over 50 gallon of water a day for a large tree.They inhabit the river/
creek bottoms and swampy areas as mentioned. On the west coast they can be very
big.
The dry wood is puggy, lifeless, and soft. Makes good paper at the pulp
mills.....thats about it!
--
Neil Bryan
NB Custom Guitars
What I know, I know...
What works for me may not work for you...
To each their own!
David Neely
David Neely
jeremygi...@gmail.com
> Does anybody know if cottonwood would be good for a solid body guitar or
> should i just try to find some alder?
> Thanks.
>
> Nathaniel Heyer