The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

[quiksilver]

Does this creature exist, or is it just a legend, much like the Yeti?

Spalted maple is offered as a choice in the JCS online quote form, but I've never seen one.

Pics, if any exist, would be greatly appreciated. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[shreddermon]

Re: The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

Brooks has a custom spalted maple-topped PC1. See:
Brooks' Web Site

I've never heard of a Soloist with spalted maple. [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] ...Come to think of it, Brooks' is the only Jackson I've ever seen or heard of with spalted maple. It's very difficult to work with, as the wood's unique appearance is actually the effect of the wood decaying and dying.

[chrisolson]

Re: The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

I built a guitar with spalted maple. As the saying goes, "the pictures don't do it justice".

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chr...lted+Maple.jpg

[HuntinDoug]

Re: The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

Spalted Maple is beautiful. However, I would think twice before ordering a Custom Shop Spaled Maple guitar. The way I understand it, spalting is a form of a rot or decay of some kind. I have worked with Spalted woods before, and I have found the more spalting in the wood, the less dense it is. Some pieces I've seen have been almost to the consistancy of balsa wood. It just doesnt seem like it would hold a trem stud very well.

[YetAnotherOne]

Re: The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

You are correct sir. From a WoodWeb.com posting requesting a method for "making" spalted maple:

Spalting is the result of activity by the white rot fungi. You want the fungi to begin their activity, but not get too far advanced. We can stop their activity by drying the wood or by heating it above 130 F. We can encourage their activity by keeping the wood warm and fairly wet (but not too wet).

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">So it's entirely fair to say that the more striking the spalt, the more rotten the piece. With that firmly in mind, check out these amazing examples from Ed Roman:



Looks rotten to me. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[HuntinDoug]

Re: The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

Very well put sir!

Ed Roman = Rotton Deal

[shreddermon]

Re: The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

Originally posted by HuntinDoug:
...However, I would think twice before ordering a Custom Shop Spaled Maple guitar...It just doesnt seem like it would hold a trem stud very well.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's why you would only use it as a maple cap on some other (sturdy) body wood. Mahogany, alder, ash, korina, etc. would all do just as well. That's what would be holding the bridge studs well.

[toejam]

Re: The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

Originally posted by YetAnotherOne:
We can encourage their activity by keeping the wood warm and fairly wet

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I also encourage activity where my wood is warm and wet. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[slayer]

Re: The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

Oh Joe, say it ain`t so [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Jack.

[YetAnotherOne]

Re: The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

I can't believe I posted that and didn't even think about the alternative meaning. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[toejam]

Re: The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

Hehehe! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: The Spalted Soloist: Does it exist?

[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]