QUARTERSAWN vs PLAINSAWN..

[brownsound79]

Wassup guys...

what with these Quartersawn/plainsawn woods.. ?? i heard that a Quartersawn maple neck is MUCH stronger than plainsawn ones.. TRUE or FALSE..?? :icon_smile:

 

[Sixbender]

It's not as simple as true or false. Maple is maple. Q-sawn is stronger in one direction, weaker in another. With a properly built neck, it makes very little structural difference in the big picture.
Visually, you get straight grain.
Personally, I think highly figured birdseye is stronger in both directions.

 

[dbw]

I don't think it's about strength... the quartersawn neck should be less likely to warp, since all the grain runs in the same direction.  With a good finish it most likely won't warp anyway so it probably doesn't matter.

 

[SkuttleFunk]

Wassup guys...

what with these Quartersawn/plainsawn woods.. ?? i heard that a Quartersawn maple neck is MUCH stronger than plainsawn ones.. TRUE or FALSE..?? :icon_smile:

both grain orientations are significantly stiff enough to accommodate the tension of a stringed instrument. add to this the counter action provided by a trussrod, and the added stiffness of the two steel bars Warmoth add to their necks and you have engineered beyond the minimum requirements

all that is left then is to properly select the wood, and be certain that the moisture content is within usable limits. from here sound construction methods will produce a neck that is stable for the long haul - no matter which grain orientation you prefer


so if both orientations are more than sufficient for the need, it really doesn't matter which is stiffer ... and the case for trolling up a debate vanishes like a mist cloud in the afternoon sun  :glasses9:

all the best,

R

 

[chuck7]

Personally, I think highly figured birdseye is stronger in both directions.

Being that birdseye results from an infection of the wood, wouldn't that make the wood weaker, not stronger?  To be clear, I don't think birdseye has any appreciable impact on neck strength, but what ever impact it was going to have would have to be negative, wouldn't it?

 

[brownsound79]

i believe it look much nicer straight grain maple (especially on necks).. (they dont quarterswn a birdseye maple..,the 'eyes' wont be as round as plainsawn.. correct me )..

anyway Quartersawn = less # production..= not much big bosses like that..

 

[Wyliee]

I don't think it's about strength... the quartersawn neck should be less likely to warp, since all the grain runs in the same direction.  With a good finish it most likely won't warp anyway so it probably doesn't matter.

All wood can move.  Quartersawn is more likely to move parallel to the strings (up and down in playing position).  Flatsawn will move side to side in playing position (which would be seen as backbowing.)  Technical details here.

Though, yes, a properly finished neck will be much more stable than an unfinished maple neck.

 

[Sixbender]

"To be clear, I don't think birdseye has any appreciable impact on neck strength, but what ever impact it was going to have would have to be negative, wouldn't it?"

I cant respond to that in a technical way, but I'm a big fan of the birdseye. I own a few, and they all seem more dense, stiffer, and brighter sounding that their "plain" maple counterparts. If those are negatives, I'm a negative guy. It's my neck wood of choice. I wouldn't want any other type of maple neck.

 

[brownsound79]

chill out dudes.. i'v own a couple of guitars with both birdseyes and plain hardrock maples.. both is good wood.. 

 

[T.L.]

Birdseye maple is weaker. It just looks nice.  I personally have no use for it, and prefer plain maple.

Suhr doesn't use quarter-sawn maple for their necks. I have no idea what the pros and cons are. I assume that both are good...

 

[brownsound79]

Birdseye maple is weaker. It just looks nice.  I personally have no use for it, and prefer plain maple.

err.. How do you know 'Birdseye Maple is weak..??  have you tried hitting your head with it..?? common mann... grow up..

 

[T.L.]

Birdseye maple is weaker. It just looks nice.  I personally have no use for it, and prefer plain maple.

err.. How do you know 'Birdseye Maple is weak..??  have you tried hitting your head with it..?? common mann... grow up..

Excuse me? I am quite "grown up". I turn 40 next month.  perhaps you should take your own advice. I never said Birdseye is "weak". I said it is weaker than regular maple, which is a FACT. It's still strong enough for guitars, or it wouldn't be used...

 

[brownsound79]

STEREOTYPE...  :icon_tongue:

To characterize by a stereotype:

"Elderly Americans are the neglected sector of the fashion industry, stereotyped by blue hair and polyester pantsuits"    (American Demographics). 

A stereotype is a simplified and/or standardized conception or image with specific meaning, often held in common by one group of people about another group. A stereotype can be a conventional and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image, based on the assumption that there are attributes that members of the other group hold in common. Stereotypes may be positive or negative in tone. They are typically generalizations based on minimal or limited knowledge about a group to which the person doing the stereotyping does not belong. Persons may be grouped based on racial group, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any number of other categories..

 

[T.L.]

Your definition is wrong. Although there is NOTHING wrong with stereotyping, it is NOT based on minimal or limited knowledge, it is in fact usually based upon facts or experience. I have experience, and I am HARDLY "elderly".  But ask a teenager while they still know everything!

If you want to remain ignorant, be my guest. It's no sweat off my back...

 

[T.L.]

This is a direct copy & paste from John Suhr's website:

"We offer plain-grain hard rock Maple as well as the finest quality Birdseye Maple and museum grade Birdseye. The plain-grain is usually the most stable (at least in our opinion) although Birdseye sure does look good."

But since he's just some "elderly" guy with "minimal or limited knowledge", he doesn't know what he's talking about. You'd be better off asking some young punk...

 

[dbw]

T.L., you got to relax... you're heading down the confederatewk path...

Yours

--Some Young Punk

 

[tfarny]

Yeah, this is not the board for flaming-type posts. Waste of time. Don't get all personal.

 

[Shmoopie]

oh geezer fight, its on, get your walkers and your depens i gunna be a hoot


oh and i loved your stereo type about young people.
you ever think they don't act that way because they think they know everything, but because old fogies always spew the same common knowledge blather, about how good the old days were where dark people sat in the back of the bus, prune juice only coasted a nickel, and rock and roll made your kids feel all tingly in there nether regions i could go on but i don't want to stereotype.

oh, and i just read tfarny's post and now i feel like a royal ares, but i want to make my point so i can't help but hit post

 

[tfarny]

It's okay schmoop I know all you younguns'r just full up of pee & vinegar. You jes can' stop yourselves from flamin and all that. Goes with the hormones.  :icon_jokercolor:
Nice that we've got that fight out of the way (?!??)

 

[Shmoopie]

isn't a flamer a.... never mind.


hormones,  flamin, im a vagitarian thank you very much.