Interesting thread on neck woods....

[pirate]

Lots of good info (I thought) on why some pieces of wood are potentially better than others for necks. I actually liked the detailed description of roasting wood and what it actually does to the wood.

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/sizing-up-a-neck-quality-evaluation.1315323/page-2

 

[Cagey]

I thought it was interesting that trying to bake parts in your own oven vs. the proper oxygen-free tank (or whatever) is only a topical effect as opposed to a through-and-through effect. I imagine it's a bit like the wood "treatment" process, where they have to put the wood in a vacuum before adding the anti-everything  chemical, or the wood won't suck up the chemical and get properly treated throughout. This as opposed to just painting it with some sort of stain/sealer and hoping for he best.

 

[spe111]

I wonder if roasting would be beneficial to acoustic guitars?

 

[pirate]

Certainly for the necks, I would imagine.
Can't think why not the body parts too? At least the top and back? Would the sides need to be curved first? Because aren't they curved wet?

 

[Cagey]

I thought I read somewhere that Taylor roasts their Spruce tops for some (or all?) of their acoustics. It would make sense. With less moisture content and the resistance to absorption, I would think they'd vibrate better/longer. Unlike electrics, acoustics are all about body vibrations.

 

[Cagey]

I guess it's not just Taylor - Collings and Martin are doing it, too. See here...

 

[AirCap]

Can't think why not the body parts too? At least the top and back?

Several makers offer torrified spruce tops... even StewMac offered torrified tops for sale.
The back and sides are usually the same wood - but NOT spruce or cedar.
Tops and sides are not torrified.
Further to that, most makers believe that the back does not add much sound compared to the top.

Would the sides need to be curved first? Because aren't they curved wet?

As stated, sides and backs are usually not torrified.
Sides are sometimes curved wet, but are dried in the bending process by the iron.

 

[mayfly]

Hmmm.  After reading all of the above I suspect that it would be very difficult or perhaps impossible to perform traditional steam bending on torrified sides.

 

[pirate]

And I will try not to be studying every neck in a guitar store with a magnifying glass (old eyes) and measure the direction and spaces between rings  :icon_biggrin:
Then discuss the saw cut options with the salesperson until their eyes glaze over and they walk away shaking their heads...