I want to embark on a home brew 5 string fretless and I'm thinking of using spalted maple as the top on an alder body. I've never worked with spalted maple before and i've heard it's hard to work with.

is this true? if so, what's so hard about working with it?

also, is it very hard to finish? (i'm thinking either TO or shellac)

Always wear a respirator when wroking with that wood since it is a big fungus!

About it being hared to work with- that is due to is cork like softness to a very hardwood. It is inconsistent from end to end.

I would only recommend a laquer type finish on it since the density of the wood fluctuates soo much you will have a harder time with a Tung oil.


Darrin

I'm using spalted/flamed maple for the top half of a 5 string fretless. Surface planed it by hand. It wasn't something I'd do on an everyday basis. Also, sometimes, less spalting is nicer than a whole crapload of it(made me pick a certain face for the top instead of the other)

i understand that spalted maple is really soft. are there any special tools i need to make sure i dont rip it apart when i start carving it into shape?

and corwin, how did u finish the top of your bass? any pics? thanks a bunch

i understand that spalted maple is really soft. are there any special tools i need to make sure i dont rip it apart when i start carving it into shape?

and corwin, how did u finish the top of your bass? any pics? thanks a bunch
It's not finished yet. It's still a blank, but pics are in the "My homebrew progress" thread that I started.