Padauk guitar

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Padauk guitar

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Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

Padauk guitar

Hey everyone,
A little update on what I've been up to. Just strung up a new Spruce/Padauk (Coral) guitar with no finish on it yet. The Padauk was extremely stiff so I took it nice and thin. It's a very nice tonewood I think. The guitar is really loud, clear and responsive.

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Attachment (1)

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 19 2012 22:51:41

gounaro

Posts: 875
Joined: Sep. 28 2008
From: Athens, Hellas

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Andy, is this a guitar order?It sounds excellent and very flamenco.

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Spyros

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 19 2012 23:02:26

estebanana

Posts: 9372
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I've heard people say nice things about Paduk, but I have not tried it yet.

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https://www.stephenfaulkguitars.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 19 2012 23:33:47

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Thanks gounaro, the guitar is an order. But I have more Padauk

You should try it Stephen. My teacher has a set that has a really unbelievable tap-tone. Totally marimba-like and musical. But he wouldn't let me use it

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2012 0:02:45

Jim Kirby

Posts: 149
Joined: Jul. 14 2011
From: Newark, DE, USA

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I have a steel string body in Padauk that hasn't spoken yet. I like working with it.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2012 0:33:30

gounaro

Posts: 875
Joined: Sep. 28 2008
From: Athens, Hellas

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Whats the difference with cypress Andy?

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Spyros

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2012 0:56:37

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Jim Kirby)

quote:

I have a steel string body in Padauk that hasn't spoken yet. I like working with it.

It is nice to work with. Smells good on the bender too.

quote:

Whats the difference with cypress Andy?

It's closer to Indian Rosewood in tone, but I'd say a little dryer than rosewood (this guitar anyway).

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2012 2:59:20

at_leo_87

Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Images are resized automatically to a maximum width of 800px

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2012 3:08:25

Sean

Posts: 672
Joined: Jan. 20 2011
From: Canada

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

I do like the aged padauk look, I'm not a huge fan when it is fresh crimson red looking. What do you plan on filling those pores with Andy?
The colour can bleed pretty badly when hit with alcohol.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2012 3:29:02

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Yeah, be carefull when giving the first coat of sealer. It bleaches a lot. Also that orange dust is very sticky and very difficult to get rid of.
Padauk gets very dull when exposed to ligt. Kind of greyish brown. But besides that, its a great tonewood. I dont think you can compare it to cypress. Its a lot heavyer.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2012 8:12:54

aarongreen

Posts: 367
Joined: Jan. 16 2004

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Padauk is more akin to Brazilian rosewood, at least the pieces I've held are. Very active and bright tap tone. Rang for days. Not at all like cypress. My teacher, Alan Carruth was building a guitar out of it years ago when I was studying with him and I remember it was prone to splitting. His set was very well quartered and definitely a kickass set of wood but it drove him nuts.

It can oxidize down to a nice deep brown eventually, although depending on the finish it might be a bit grey like Anders experienced.

The bright orange is a turn off for me but I've been thinking it might be worth trying for bridges.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2012 11:34:46

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Anthony, I can't see that picture...

quote:

I do like the aged padauk look, I'm not a huge fan when it is fresh crimson red looking. What do you plan on filling those pores with Andy?
The colour can bleed pretty badly when hit with alcohol.

Normally I fill pores with 30 min epoxy and then scrape back down to bare wood. Then I seal everything with a piece of t-shirt, keeping color off the purflings... it can't bleed that much more than Indian can it??

quote:

Yeah, be carefull when giving the first coat of sealer. It bleaches a lot. Also that orange dust is very sticky and very difficult to get rid of.
Padauk gets very dull when exposed to ligt. Kind of greyish brown. But besides that, its a great tonewood. I dont think you can compare it to cypress. Its a lot heavyer.

My friend made a padauk steel string and 4 years later it is a nice deep brown with a reddish glow.. looks really nice to me.
Yes Padauk is its own thing, not very closely related to rosewood but the sound is in the same ballpark.

quote:

Padauk is more akin to Brazilian rosewood, at least the pieces I've held are. Very active and bright tap tone. Rang for days. Not at all like cypress. My teacher, Alan Carruth was building a guitar out of it years ago when I was studying with him and I remember it was prone to splitting. His set was very well quartered and definitely a kickass set of wood but it drove him nuts.

It can oxidize down to a nice deep brown eventually, although depending on the finish it might be a bit grey like Anders experienced.

The bright orange is a turn off for me but I've been thinking it might be worth trying for bridges.

It is very splitty. That fact actually contributed to me putting a one inch gash in my thumb with a chisel. Of course being an idiot was also a small factor

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 20 2012 12:30:52

at_leo_87

Posts: 3055
Joined: Aug. 30 2008
From: Boston, MA, U.S.A

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

the picture isn't as important as the message, which is, "very nice!"

it seems like you get to try using all sorts of different woods nowadays and you always get a very flamenco sound no matter what. have you found a favorite so far?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 21 2012 7:19:01

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Padauk guitar (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Oh I see it now thanks man

Yeah my last 4 guitars have been Myrtle, Cypress, Indian Rosewood, and Padauk.

I am really starting to think that "objectively" Indian Rosewood is the best tonewood for guitars, in terms of volume, clarity, balance and overall musicality.
BUT I personally ALWAYS like blancas (cypress) the best. It's hard to explain but I think cypress actually has something of a damping effect on the sound which makes those guitars more enjoyable to play and listen to over the long term. Myrtle is in the same camp IMO while Padauk is closer to rosewood.

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Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 21 2012 15:30:00