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Post subject: Multipiece body construction and wood alignment
Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 3:10 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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I've noticed on quite a few (but not all) guitars that have two and three piece bodies that the end grain pattern (on the SIDE edges of the guitar where the pieces join) will form a V pattern, giving a symmetrical or 'mirror image' look. My 2-piece USA '52 Tele RI is like this, also my MIJ/CIJ '72 Tele Thinline RI's, and even a Hamer USA Standard I have with a two piece Mahogany body. I've often seen other guitars that weren't (same or similar models), but when I do see this it seems to have been done deliberately and not by accident.

Question: does this have anything to do with the sound or is this purely cosmetic? Has anybody else noticed this? Of course, I've only seen this with transparent or semi-transparent finishes. Thanks!


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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:03 pm
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Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
I will tackle this from a wood working perspective.

I was always taught when edge joining multiple pieces of wood together to make a larger board, such as a table top it was always a good idea to alternate growth ring patterns. Example: ^v^v^ if these Vs were the growth rings. Also, if you have a very wide board it is better to rip it into 4 to 6 inch boards then edge join them back together with alternating growth rings up/down. A board put together this way is more stable and less prone to warping. Most wood you get now has the growth rings running up or down U shaped unless you get some good wood from a large tree that has been quartersawn and the rings run vertically.

When I build table tops or dresser tops out of multiple pieces I always alternate up/down growth rings and haven't had any warp yet. You still have to attach them with slot screws or clips to allow for seasonal expansion/contraction but the top will not warp.

With a guitar they may start out with a larger blank of wood then bandsaw it inhalf to get a nice book matching effect. You see this a lot with Gibsons and their flame maple tops, but those are just veneers.

I hope this is what you were asking. If not, you got a woodworking lesson.

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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:03 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 1:35 pm
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Thanks very much, that makes perfect sense! I appreciate it!

It seems like I read somewhere that Rickenbacker would do something similar with their 330/360 model--take a body blank, cut it in half, flip one side lengthwise and glue it back together, then rout it. Perhaps that's the same principle.

It does make me wonder about those guitars where they don't do that, though. Plus, I've never seen a warped body before, but who knows...


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