Spalting - spalted guitars

[Duffy]

Great article here on spalted wood, if you ever wondered what it was and want to know more about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spalting

Taken from a June 2009 post by Monkus.

This clarifies some of the stories I have heard about exactly what spalting really is. I didn't know that this type of wood was highly sought after by specialized woodworkers. I always avoided this type of wood, considering it rotted. Evidently it comes in many different grades, some of which are quite rotted I'm sure, based upon my observations and experience. I didn't know that the higher grades and types of wood undergoing the process were of great value.

[Kazz]

I have a couple of nice spalted maple boards that I intend to make at least one tele out of now that it has started to cool down. I might even be able to squeeze out a strat. I have a couple of nice cherry boards that will back the spalted maple to give me the full 1 3/4 inch I need for the teles. Once I begin that project in earnest I will post pictures here as well as at the tdpri forum

[marnold]

I thought spalted guitars looked silly until I saw some in person. Now I'd like to have one.

[oldguy]

I never had a spalted guitar. Probably because when we built any structures a board that looked like that was considered weak, inferior, or "dry-rot", and not used. Apparently if caught at the right stage and prepped correctly, it's OK for guitars/woodworking though.

[Duffy]

I wonder how soft and rotted that splated maple is under that thick coat of polyurethane?

They sure do, however, look beautiful.

[deeaa]

Interesting...never heard of that.

My granddad used to build violins when he was young, among boats, and I know he looked for sunken logs now and then and used that wood, immersed in water for who knows how long, for some parts...of course, he'd dry them well first :-)

But whatever he built, he used natural shapes from the woods...he worked as a forestkeeper too, and whenever he came from the forest he'd drag along some weirdly shaped branch or something he knew he could build something like an oar holder that would last forever as opposed to a part glued from boards. Interesting stuff. His workshop, completely electricity-less still stands, but his last builds were in the 50's when he made his last boats...we still have one of those wooden boats and I believe it could be renovated still for active use...I should take it on as a project some day.

[Kazz]

On Deaa's note....I am a huge fan of the show "The Axemen" and the last 2 seasons there have been a couple of companies that do this "aqua logging" and salvage trees that have been submerged for many years. The oxidation and minerals in the water color the wood in incredible ways. They make mantles and other things out of them...and visually they are just incredible

[deeaa]

Hmm...I have a couple of maple slabs about the size of a guitar and maybe ~3,5" thick...they've been drying out about ten years now - came from big maples I cut off my lawn back then...it's not particularly great maple, just ordinary stuff, but I have this lurking idea in my head I might just sink them in a lake for another ten years or so - or maybe just a few would do - like in shallow water at my cottage, let it freeze in ice and all...and then dry it for a few more years and then do some tests with it. It would be big enough to allow for making a guitar out of a single piece of wood...that'd be a real challenge to make an entire electric guitar out of just one slab of wood. Might be possible, though.

Hell why not, methinks I'll just toss one of those in the water when I visit the cottage the next time :-) I could cut a test slice out of it already next summer, see how it's changed...

[Duffy]

Interesting.

I had originally heard that spalting took place under water until I read that article.

However, wood that is already spalted that is later submerged for a LONG time is supposed to pick up minerals that are present in the current.

I originally heard that spalting was caused by these minerals getting into the grain porosity and filling it in and coloring the wood with the awesome patterns.

It seems that wood already spalted on land, in swamps, etc., that is later submerged is the best spalted maple. The mineralization process where the grain is filled in makes a lot of sense in developing better colorization.

I heard some of the spalted maple comes from here in Pennsylvania where the wood has been submerged for over a hundred years. Don't know how true it is. It must be valuable though, if they are shipping it all the way to Asia to build guitars.

Here in Pennsylvania we have a lot of varieties of maple and immense hardwood forrests covering most of the state, very semi-wildernesslike.

The Adirondack Mountains in Northern New York state, very very much in a wilderness environment, have a large variety of maples and they grow in a very cold climate, up to 45 below zero on the thermometer, straight up, no wind chill; personally witnessed and experienced by me at least twice. Frequently 35 degrees F below zero, usually every winter. Very very thick ice on lakes and rivers sometimes causes huge ice dams after break up that knocks bridges down and knocks houses right off their foundations and moves them great distances, destroying them or damaging them substantially in the process. A lot of people think of New York as being like New York City, an awesome place, but the state is huge and the Northern part contains vast areas of serious wilderness, ultra dense with forrest and vegatation and super super rugged, steep terrain. Bears live to older ages there due to the difficulty of hunting in the Adirondack Mountains because of the cold temperatures during hunting season and the ruggedness of the terrain. People get seriously lost there.

I have gotten lost in the Mountains several times and have made progress in finding my way back: stop immediately when you discover you are lost and sit down; remember which way you came from before panic sets in - which almost always happens- and disorientation; then after you calm down, go back the way you came and often you will immediately, within a short time find the main trail or where you originally started to get lost. Diversion I know, but might help someone someday.

Water temperature may also play a role in submerged mineralization of spalted maple; might let it exist in a more useable state longer due to slower degradation of the wood - less oxygenization under water to begin with and probably less micro-organism destruction with the very cold water temperatures.

I'd like to see some submerged spalted maple taken from the North Shore of Lake Superior, the coldest lake I have ever been swimming in. I have swum in all of the five Great Lakes in the US and Lake Superior is by far the coldest. I have only been able to stand the coldness of it for maybe five minutes at a time, in August. Lake George, in the Adirondack Mountains is an old glacial lake, very very deep and is swimmable in August for somewhat longer periods of time.

Spalted maple guitars are looking more appreciable to me the longer I look at them. They have a Michael Kelly Patriot Customlike spalted maple one near me that looks great that I am going to play and it isn't expensive. Michael Kelly makes some nice guitars, like my Patriot cherry burst flammed maple top Custom with direct mount Rockfield pickups, thru a good amp.

[deeaa]

I've visited many places upstate New York, can't remember which ones exactly though...but yeah, it's very similar both in size and to Kainuu region here in Finland, except there are no real mountains here at all, and it's not as warm in summer usually. Adirondak area sure looks pretty!

[aeolian]

Here's an example:

http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/USA/customcreations/ASAT_Spalted_Maple/index.asp

[NWBasser]

This is by far my favorite bass, but I actually bought it despite the spalted top. However, it's much prettier in person than the photos.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f156/NWBasser_photos/newbassPhotos001.jpg

The look has really grown on me over the years, but it's such an incredible bass that I'd love it now matter what the top.

[Duffy]

Beautiful G and L Aeolian. And great information.

There is so much more to the spalted wood story than I would have ever guessed. The posts are so educational and interesting.

Thanks for the continuing insight and shared knowledge and learning.

[marnold]

This is by far my favorite bass, but I actually bought it despite the spalted top. However, it's much prettier in person than the photos.
Yeah, I've found that spalted tops look way better in person than in any picture. Not sure what that is.

[Tig]

There are a few spalted Agiles that have caught my eye. The variation is so wide with spalted wood, it can be quite beautiful or sometimes a bit ugly. Since you never see what you'll get until it shows up, I've been hesitant to buy one from Rondo Music.

http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/al3000natspalted5a.jpghttp://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/al3000wineredspotted5.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/al3100rootbeerspalted5.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/al3100widewineredspalted5.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/al3000rootbeerspotter5.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/tc12002tsspalted5.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/ad3000mnatspalted5.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/tc1200natspalt5.jpg
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/tc1200rnnatspalted5.jpg

[Duffy]

It is definitely best to go to a store and look at some spalted guitars and evaluate the appearance from your point of view.

If buying from the internet, sight unseen, it looks like the natural ones give the best contrast and look better. Might be hard to go wrong. But I still think because of the nature of the infinite variability of spalting and the case where every spalted guitar has a different pattern of spalting, you are going to be most satisfied buying one that you have personally looked at and compared and selected from a variety of available ones within your travel area.

There is a really nice Michael Kelly near me and it sounds really good. The spalting is exquisite and really looks like someone took a fine point drafting pen with super black ink and lined the grain. The black lines stand out really well.