What exactly is "silk"? (Full Version)

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britguy -> What exactly is "silk"? (Oct. 31 2011 13:07:15)

Been reading a few books on classical guitar construction recently, and keep seeing references to "silk" in regard to selecting quality tonewoods.

What exactly is this quality, and how does it affect tone, etc.?



Gimar Yestra -> RE: What exactly is "silk"? (Oct. 31 2011 14:31:43)

silk is a type of figure that you see in wood when its perfectly quartersawn.



Gimar Yestra -> RE: What exactly is "silk"? (Oct. 31 2011 14:32:58)

http://www.lonewolfguitars.com/images/option_photos/top_wood_sitka_cup.jpg

good example of silk in a piece of spruce.

silk can be found in every quartersawn piece of wood, in some woods it looks more drastic than others though.



Dave K -> RE: What exactly is "silk"? (Oct. 31 2011 16:53:59)

Here you go Britguy, your fruit trees couldn't live without medullary rays, better known as cross grain silk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medullary_ray_(botany)



Dave K -> RE: What exactly is "silk"? (Oct. 31 2011 17:04:49)

Here's a better article with pictures by Frank Ford...
http://www.frets.com/fretspages/general/glossary/Silk/silk.html



britguy -> RE: What exactly is "silk"? (Oct. 31 2011 18:24:16)

O.K. I see the 'medullary rays' O.K. in the sample photos, and also on the face of my guitars.

Is this just a cosmetic feature, or does it have any effect on tone, etc.?



Gimar Yestra -> RE: What exactly is "silk"? (Oct. 31 2011 18:32:04)

there are some theories about this.

first of all, medular rays show that a top is perfectly quartersawn, wich make the piece of wood stiffer, wich therefore can be worked thinner, wich if properly worked can give better volume or projection.

2nd is, these medular rays sortof connect the woodfibers across the grain, wich cause vibrations to travel both along the grain, aswell as across the grain.



britguy -> RE: What exactly is "silk"? (Oct. 31 2011 18:38:37)

quote:

your fruit trees couldn't live without medullary rays


Interesting. . .

So THAT'S what keeps those trees alive and well, and producing nice juicy fruit.

(And all these years I thought it was all those gallons of nutritient-laden (?) water I keep pumping out of Lake Ontario. . .)



Anders Eliasson -> RE: What exactly is "silk"? (Nov. 1 2011 7:42:02)

All very true BUT

Dont make the conclusion that more silk necesarily means a better tonewood. I´ve used some very nice German spruce with little silking even though it was perfectly quatered.
Some spruces silk more than others. I think the most extreme I´ve seen is Sitka spruce.



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