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Topic: Birdseye |
Zach Keele
From:
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 2:02 pm |
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I was just looking at the Sho-Bud thread and was wondering, what was Nashville's deal with birdseye in the late 60s early 70s  Lots and lots of Sho-buds used it and Grammer guitars were mostly birdseye. It's been discussed on here before that birdseye is NOT the best tonewood. Was the decision to use it based purely on visual appeal?
I have a Grammer and it's a great playing guitar, but it just doesn't sound near as good as a nice Martin or Taylor.
Just wondered if it was something about Nashville.
(Just so you know I think Buds sound fine.) |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 3:01 pm
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| I would beg to differ, birdseye in pedal steels is the best tone wood. Part of the reason those old guitars sound so good, but not the only reason. Some may disagree, but after talking to the older builders over the years and being a builder myself, that is my conclusion. "The best" is subjective. I only know what I prefer based on building a classic steel guitar from the 60's. |
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Zach Keele
From:
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 3:27 pm
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Kevin,
Were most of the ZB steels birdseye? For the record, I think old Sho-Buds sound great. I'm just wondering why there was so much birdseye going on in Nashville. Was it tone, or was it for show? |
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Jerry Jones
From:
Franklin, Tenn.
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 4:19 pm
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I always thought that Birdseye Maple came from the Bigsby tradition. Somewhere in the forum archives, someone said (maybe Buddy) that Shot Jackson bought a train car load of Birdseye. I think there’s still some floating around Nashville. Love my Bud!  |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 4:29 pm
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The very first Sho-Buds were VERY plain grained wood.
My 1957 from Al Udeen was one of the first with fancy grained maple, but it is more flamey than birdseye. Al believes it is the third Sho-Bud made. However, because it has no routed finger grab slots in the wooden ends (to replace the metal handles common in the day) I suspect that it is no earlier than the fifth or sixth Sho-Bud made. Al Udeen, when he ordered the guitar at Shot's garage recalls Jackson telling Buddie Emmons to "pick out some nice wood for Al." |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 4:46 pm
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| Yes, the vast majority of ZB's were Birdseye tops. I have researched this topic with other builders. Zane Beck believed in Bidseye Maple, so I follow the tradition. I have no problem with someone using something else in their guitars. The Birdseye that I use is extreme select Minnesota north woods Birdseye. Its expensive and its hard to work with sometimes because of the grain, but I am a firm believer that it has its own sound characteristic. It finishes out beautifully, but its not easy. |
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Zach Keele
From:
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 5:43 pm
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| A train car. Wow. That's a lot of Birdseye. Does anyone know if Shot influenced Billy Grammer to use birdseye on so many of his guitars? It sure does make one look good. |
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Pat Comeau
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 8:17 pm
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If i remember correct...Paul Franklin said that his dad Paul Sr said something like regular hard maple is better for tone then Birdseyed maple.
Paul F said
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I have two non formica guitars. The blue one is all maple. The other has Amaranth on the necks, front, and back boards and maple on the tops and it sounds just as great. There are no absolutes when it comes to judging woods for tone. MY dad, Bud Carter and others agree that the less pretty woods tend to consistently sound best. As a player, Dad and I can tell you that the wood is just part of the tonal equation which is why some straight grain maple guitars can sound worse to the ear than some intensely knotted Birdseye guitars........Its how the entire design allows for sustain that counts after the wood is chosen.
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_________________
Comeau SD10 4x5, Comeau S10 3x5, Peavey Session 500,Fender Telecaster,Fender Stratocaster, Fender Precision,1978 Ovation Viper electric. Alvarez 4 strings Violin electric.
Click the links to listen to my Comeau's Pedal Steel Guitars.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIYiaomZx3Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2GhZTN_yXI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvDTw2zNriI |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 10:17 pm
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Birdseye maple is usually a very tight grained wood. I use it for some projects just because of the grain pattern and how that translates to sustain. The beautiful look is just icing on the cake.
As for these builders who favor plain maple....it sure is easy and cheap to get plain maple. |
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