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Thread: paulownia for guitars
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19th August 2007, 06:16 PM #1john james Guest
paulownia for guitars
Hi ,I am wondering if anyone has ever made any stringed instuments,particuliarly guitars,out of paulownia.If so would love to hear from you.
cheers jim
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19th August 2007 06:16 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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19th August 2007, 06:19 PM #2
Me too!
P
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19th August 2007, 08:03 PM #3
Its a fast growing species isnt it? That would count against its use as top material. Might be ok for lining. Would be interested to hear more about this wood.
Whatever note you blow youre never more than a semitone away from the correct one....(Miles Davis)
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19th August 2007, 08:32 PM #4
The Chinese use one of the Paulownia varieties for intsruments, usually the longest growing one, takes about 40 years to mature. Most of the plantations about use the fastest growing varieties, about 10 years to maturity, and it regrows. Apparentley there are about 12 different Paulwonia species that can be used.
http://www.toadgully.com.au/articles/kiri_ptimber.php
This unique guitar was made by Yokinobu Chai (master instrument maker, Japan) from Kiri wood provided to him by Masaichi Tanaka, curator of Ryogoku Kiri Museum, Tokyo. The guitar has a deeper, warmer tone than those made from cedar or pine. The fretboard requires a very hard wood and was made from ebony, but all other parts of the guitar are made from Kiri - a truly excellent instrument.
Paulownia catalpifolia
Paulownia elongata
Paulownia fargesii
Paulownia fortunei
Paulownia kawakamii
Paulownia taiwaniana
Paulownia tomentosa
The tomentosa is the most common garden variety ornamental, along with the fortunei most often used for plantation timbers, not sure which one is the long growing one but its the best for instruments....
I have some logs and some cut, sure is an interesting timber, strong and light with resonant properties...
http://www.paulowniatrees.com.au/
http://www.paulownia.org/
http://www.paulowniatrees.org/
http://www.worldpaulownia.com/
http://www.worldpaulownia.com/html/p...warehouse.html
http://archive.idrc.ca/library/docum...52/086352g.htm
http://paotong.9su.net/en/ptlz.htm"I am brother to dragons, companion to owls"
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19th August 2007, 09:17 PM #5Member
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I grew some trees at my last place and was amazed at the resonance when you put your ear to the trunck and taped it somewhere. Always thought it would make good instruments.
Dom
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20th August 2007, 11:54 AM #6
I'm 99% sure the fast growing commercial variety grown here in Australia is a hybrid, between 2 of the species, don't know which 2.
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20th August 2007, 12:07 PM #7
yes, a few of those sites below mention the hybrids available. The higher quality or tighter grained paulownia grows in temperate or colder climates and grows a bit slower with the seasons making the growth rings closer together. In China where its native, the different varieties were all in different climate zones with the cold weather ones more highly prized.
Some of the suppliers of the timber, especially in Japan will have the tighter grained stuff at higher prices, but it's definaltey available.
When i cut the log i have i;ll see if there are wide enough boards for a guitar, definaltey a uke but am not sure there enough for guitar size."I am brother to dragons, companion to owls"
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14th July 2008, 05:00 PM #8
Hi john_james and all, I recently made an experimental Classical entirely with Paulownia (except the bridge and fingerboard). Thought I'll share it here.
The guitar is very light, as you would expect with Paulownia. The sound is deceptively resonant, warm, good separation, voluminous. The wood is easy to work but the edges chip off easily when worked. However it takes shellac very nicely, just that it takes ages to pumice its millions of tiny pores! But the Paulownia is very difficult to get that is big enough for guitars, maybe older trees. The characteristic of the wood doesn't allow for a greater sustain. Maybe with some design alterations and a different top may change somethings. As is, this timber truly exceptional, so many other uses and yet so musical! Between the next Paulownia, is a Flamenco project. Hope can share more then.
You may see the photos here - http://pimach.com/sg/index.php/about...out-the-guitar. You can also hear the guitar at the home page.
Keep the music alive.
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29th June 2009, 01:35 AM #9
hi all,
i'm sorry that the earlier link to hear the paulownia classical guitar is broken. so here are the updated links.
audio sample at http://www.myspace.com/ngohguitars
construction photos at http://ngohguitars.blogspot.com/sear...ia%20Classical
keep the music alive!
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30th June 2009, 12:30 PM #10Apprentice
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love the construction pics notamen
i am delighted that you have made the neck out of this wood..
initially i thought it might not be strong enough but your pics say otherwiseLooking for
1. fiddleback mulga - 1" thick, 3"wide, 26" long
PM if you have for sale!
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30th June 2009, 01:08 PM #11Member
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It's fine for solid body guitars, I've got no info on it's uses for acoustics, but I suppose it would be ok. Necks? probably stick with maple etc...but then it's all about choices and experimenting... The body of the strat is Paulownia, and the solid body blank is also Paulownia.!!!! Not hard to get.
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30th June 2009, 02:02 PM #12Apprentice
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hmmn
just been lookin at some of me guitars and found this one
light weight - in region of basswood ; soft - easily dented with fingernail; looks like mahogany but far too light weight to be so imo; originally came from China
very resonant sound but sustain is shorter than typical...suspect neck might also be paulownia
i have always suspected this wood to be paulownia; what say you , fellas who have used it?Looking for
1. fiddleback mulga - 1" thick, 3"wide, 26" long
PM if you have for sale!
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30th June 2009, 02:22 PM #13Retired
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Looks very much like plain Eucalyptus.
Cheers Bob
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30th June 2009, 02:27 PM #14Apprentice
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30th June 2009, 03:04 PM #15Retired
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