paulownia wood

[irish blues]

Anyone know anything about this wood as a guitar body wood???

[SonicGator]

You must be looking at Guitar Mill's Featherlight series. I think there have been some threads on TGP from people who've bought those. I'm totally intrigued right now with Primavera and thinking about possibilities there.

[ConnemaraGuitar]

This is interesting wood. It is extremely lightweight, almost bone white in color withsome dark grain lines and much loved by carvers. It also does not burn (or so I'm told). In Japan the wood is prized for making platters and bowls.

I have no idea what it would sound like acoustically...probably a lot like balsa wood or pine. Namely, it's very soft. Any guitar made from it would be very neck-heavy!

[tom]

we made a couple guitars out of it years ago. you wouldn't know it wasn't ash unless you were an expert just looking at it. it is super light, and soft. to me it sounded like super light ash, no bottom. there is a point of diminishing returns when it comes to lightness. i think this crosses the line.

[irish blues]

Thanks for the replies. I was asking because I have a one growing in my woods. Pretty good size.

[tom]

they're a fast growing tree. how big is the dia?

[irish blues]

This is a slow growth one...in plenty of shade.

11" thick trunk, approx 3'4" od. and runs for about 18' until you reach the first branch.
Looking at the main branch, it appears to be 6" to 8" thick and about 8' long.
Overall the tree is over 40' high.

[tom]

it should stay a tree, trees are good.

[Pietro]

isn't it used primarily (in music) for violin/viola/cello/bass bows?

[tom]

totally different wood. that would be pernambucko.

[mdrs]

it should stay a tree, trees are good.

This is true.

:D

[irish blues]

The problems we face in Alabama, are that there are people driving around looking for paulownia trees (among others) and cutting them down to get at the trunk....unfortunate, but a fact of life.