One Piece Backs

[J J Hildreth]

I note that a few mandolin makers and violin makers will extole the virtues of one piece backs. I suppose this is because of the rarity of such large pieces of figured wood.

I have several planks of highly figuered western big leaf maple in excess of 17 inches., about 1 1/8th thick. Aesthetics aside , is there downside to using this for one piece backs on archtop guitars ? They are about 12 years air dried and check and defect free.

Thanks

Jeff

[Frank Ford]

None at all.

But, when you do consider the aesthetics, I, for one think it's way cool.

[J J Hildreth]

Hi Frank.

I have wanted to do this for a long time but held off.

My (il)logic was like purple heart , a little goes a long way

But with highy figured maple.,. my thoughts are that you can't get enough !

The objective was a 16- 16 1/2 inch non cutaway to take full advantage of the wood. A bit of the Stromberg with their more natural finishes to show off the timber.

Thanks for the cool forum. Frank.
I do miss being close enough to Gryphon to call it home but their are some advantages to being exiled in Oregon... such as.. maple and Port Orford and California Bay Laurel ,,, er , I mean Oregon Myrtle