what is sapwood ?

[JuanCarlosVejar]

is it a type of wood ?

or is it the sap that remains inside a type of wood(hog ,maple,rosewood) ?

 

 

 

 

 

JC

[tpbiii]

See it on the lower middle seam on the BRW Martin D-21.

 

 

Let's pick,

 

-Tom

[jedzep]

is it a type of wood ?

or is it the sap that remains inside a type of wood(hog ,maple,rosewood) ?

 

 

 

 

 

JC

 

If you search it and it's use in guitar building you'll be busy for a while, Juan. I'd jump in but I'm changing out strings today as an excuse to procrastinate and avoid housework.

[j45nick]

Sapwood is the "active" layer of wood under the bark: the youngest wood in the tree. In hardwoods, it is generally softer and less consistent in color than the heartwood, which is older wood nearer to the center of the tree.

 

For most applications such as furniture building and instrument making, heartwood is considered superior to sapwood.

[JuanCarlosVejar]

Sapwood is the "active" layer of wood under the bark: the youngest wood in the tree. In hardwoods, it is generally softer and less consistent in color than the heartwood, which is older wood nearer to the center of the tree.

 

For most applications such as furniture building and instrument making, heartwood is considered superior to sapwood.

 

Nick & Tom ,

 

I have been lusting after a parlor guitar for a while and I saw one of these froggy bottom parlors a lefty prototype that was made some 12 years ago :

 

 

 

 

 

 

here is another parlor style Froggy with the sapwood :

 

 

 

anyways is this a good choice of wood or is it just something visually stunning ?

 

 

 

I'm not buying anything yet just seeking out knowledge from you guys and whoever might know about the subject

 

 

 

JC

[jannusguy2]

It's a nick- name for Esteban guitars.

[j45nick]

Nick & Tom ,

 

I have been lusting after a parlor guitar for a while and I saw one of these froggy bottom parlors a lefty prototype that was made some 12 years ago :

 

 

 

 

 

 

here is another parlor style Froggy with the sapwood :

 

 

 

anyways is this a good choice of wood or is it just something visually stunning ?

 

 

 

I'm not buying anything yet just seeking out knowledge from you guys and whoever might know about the subject

 

 

 

JC

 

All I can say is that it is probably chosen for its appearance, and no other reason. Sapwood is generally softer and less rot-resistant than heartwood, which may not matter for a guitar.

 

As someone who has built fine furniture and yacht interior joinerwork for decades, I avoid sapwood like the plague, and I don't want it in my guitars, either.

[tpbiii]

I have never read or heard anything about the issues of building using sapwood.

 

However, there was an interesting discussion on the UMGF recently about the early 12-fret D-2s and D-28s built in 1932-1934. Apparently, a lot of these -- and maybe all -- were built with sapwood. So Martin seems to have thought it was ok, and maybe even special.

 

http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/topic/140415/Do-you-know-this-1932-Martin-Dread?page=3

 

Best,

 

-Tom

[duluthdan]

Not a big fan. Its like wooden bling. This is on a Bourgois (sp?)