Fishook :
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Posted:Tue, 06/30/2009 - 9:15pm -- Subject:old American Chestnut
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Several yrs ago I acquired some true quatered americam chestnut from an old barn . Ive been wondering what a Chestnut lrg body would sound like ,..time to find out I'll post as I progress . It taps great and bends perfect . I think I'll build with all salvage woods , old walnut neck , red spruce bracing from old mill beam's , not quite sure about the bindings ,..I was thinking some old salvage curly Koa . f hole's
Looking forward to following the construction. Chestnut has always been one of my favorite woods, and I have built several items from very old salvaged Chestnut. Should be a beauty!
soonerfan :
from
MiddleTN with
posts since11.01.2005...
Chestnut is a wonderful wood. My wife and I have a couple of Mike Clemmer dulcimers made out of wormy chestnut and they have a beautiful tone. I guess that a reso would sound great as well.
Dean
Fishook :
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somewhere with
posts since12.31.2006...
Im looking forward to final results ,...This was the only clear set of chestnut I had . I have enough quartersawn wormy for a couple more , if infact this guitar has great tonal qualities .
Dean,.. Thanks for sharing about your dulcimers . Markinson ,..Maybe I should put brazilian bindings on her .
While reading about the chestnut tree's ,of the past . I came across a comment that said " It was not uncommon for one chestnut tree to be milled , and fill the entire box car of a train . These tree's must have been gigantic ,..It was said they out numbered oak tree's 3 to 1.
The chestnut tree was a huge source of winter food for many families ,..as well as for livestock . The blight had a huge , financial ,and enviromental impact on midwest america.
Carey Biorkman :
from
Camarillo, CA with
posts since04.23.2006...
I have seen the bases of old chestnut trees, up in the southern tier of New York, that were probably 4-5 feet in diameter, and still, after having been sawed many years before, were still there and solid. I spoke to an old timer (guess that would describe me, now) years ago who went back to visit his childhood home north of the Syracuse area, and could not find it, the forest of Chestnut trees was gone.
To me, Chestnut has a "hand" to it, a texture when you touch it, and of course a distinct look. Their loss was an economic disaster of that era.
Dean Upson :
from
Connecticut with
posts since01.15.2009...
When I was a kid in the 40's and 50's I can remember gathering chestnut with my dad for firewood. A friend of mine found enough of it in the woods 20 years ago or so to make a split rail fence at his house. I, too have seen huge stumps here in Connectict. Chestnut was a wonderful wood to build with, strong, hard and comparitively light in weight. There is still quite a bit of it in old barns where it has been kept dry. I like the looks of wormy chestnut and I'll bet that would make an interesting looking reso. The trees still grow and it is not uncommon to see them in the woods. They get to a certain size and die, there has been much research done to bring the mighty chestnut back. Either the University of Tennesee or North Carolina has research going on if memory serves. I hate to admit that I cannot figure out how to post pictures here yet, but those wormy chestnut dulcimers are the top ones in this picture: http://www.resohangout.com/myhangout/photos.asp?id=6951 I am not pushing dulcimers or banjammers as you will notice my reso has center stage
edit with picture was a mess, but I'll try harder next time
Dean
Fishook :
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Looking forward to following the construction. Chestnut has always been one of my favorite woods, and I have built several items from very old salvaged Chestnut. Should be a beauty!
Koa binding always looks great, but my vote would be for cherry.
"you've got to have a metal block"
The wood looks awesome. Because of Chesnut Blight, new lumber from this tree is probably almost as rare now as Brazilian rosewood.
Chestnut is a wonderful wood. My wife and I have a couple of Mike Clemmer dulcimers made out of wormy chestnut and they have a beautiful tone. I guess that a reso would sound great as well.
Dean
Im looking forward to final results ,...This was the only clear set of chestnut I had . I have enough quartersawn wormy for a couple more , if infact this guitar has great tonal qualities .
Dean,.. Thanks for sharing about your dulcimers . Markinson ,..Maybe I should put brazilian bindings on her .
While reading about the chestnut tree's ,of the past . I came across a comment that said " It was not uncommon for one chestnut tree to be milled , and fill the entire box car of a train . These tree's must have been gigantic ,..It was said they out numbered oak tree's 3 to 1.
The chestnut tree was a huge source of winter food for many families ,..as well as for livestock . The blight had a huge , financial ,and enviromental impact on midwest america.
You're an adventurous builder.
I have seen the bases of old chestnut trees, up in the southern tier of New York, that were probably 4-5 feet in diameter, and still, after having been sawed many years before, were still there and solid. I spoke to an old timer (guess that would describe me, now) years ago who went back to visit his childhood home north of the Syracuse area, and could not find it, the forest of Chestnut trees was gone.
To me, Chestnut has a "hand" to it, a texture when you touch it, and of course a distinct look. Their loss was an economic disaster of that era.
edit with picture was a mess, but I'll try harder next time
Dean
Beautiful Dean ,..thanks for the glimpse .