Pear tree coming down

George700DL · #1 08-26-2010, 09:10 AM

I'm getting ready to cut down a very large bradford pear tree, and I'm thinking about a few years down the road. I love pear wood, and I've made things out of it on a smaller scale (smaller than a bass). It's hard as nails, tight grained, cuts and turns easily, etc etc.

How would this work out for back/sides? The trunk is not large enough for a 2-piece back, but perhaps a 4 piece back could be done. I'm thinking more like violin/viola wood.

How about making a bridge out of pearwood? Fingerboards? Nuts/saddles? It seems to be even harder than hard maple, at least the wood that I've used from my neighbor's bradford pear (which we cut down about 7 years ago).

I'm definitely planning on keeping the lumber, I'm just trying to figure out how to cut it (quarter/flat, etc).

George

james condino · #2 08-26-2010, 11:20 AM

Pear makes for a great sounding guitar. Most of the purfling that I use starts out as large sheets of pear. It has a beautiful color and cuts / planes like a dream, even on end grain.

'Definitely keep some around. If nothing else, you'll get some great james Krenov style infrastructure cabinetry.

j.

Big B. · #3 08-26-2010, 12:12 PM

I have also seen a couple of fine older cellos made of pearwood. European pear obviosly, but they sounded nice.

powerbass · #4 08-27-2010, 07:13 PM

I have made several pieces of furniture out of European Pear Wood that was not very dense - works like Black Cherry. Very beautiful wood and a joy to work with. This electric bass I just finished, the top wood is European Pear I have been sitting on for several years. As for how to cut your logs, that depends on the diameter of the log - the larger it is the more options for quarter sawn versus flat sawn.

mpm · #5 08-28-2010, 10:49 AM

+1 on the end grain! Amazing wood...I'm doing a large order of tailpieces, using steamed Swiss Pear and am really impressed with this wood..its working characteristics are very similar to hard maple...

Ed Fuqua · #6 08-28-2010, 12:58 PM

There are at least a couple of Italian period Panormo's that are made of pearwood (back and sides), one of which was profiled in an issue of DOUBLE BASSIST.

Dr Rod · #7 08-28-2010, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

There are at least a couple of Italian period Panormo's that are made of pearwood (back and sides), one of which was profiled in an issue of DOUBLE BASSIST.

that's right, I have played also some other italian basses of unknown maker with back and sides of euro-pear, sounded beautiful.

I remember the luthier commenting on the ribs being very thin, perhaps because the wood is so heavy.

MR PC · #8 08-28-2010, 03:25 PM

If you contemplate the shape, texture, and density of the fruit from the pear tree, it's no wonder that it makes a great tone wood for double basses.

Michael Glynn · #9 08-28-2010, 06:26 PM

Gasparo da Salo used pearwood on some of his basses. And that guy made some nice basses.

bejoyous · #10 08-28-2010, 06:44 PM

Mmmm, I'm getting thirsty for a perry.

james condino · #11 08-28-2010, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR PC

If you contemplate the shape, texture, and density of the fruit from the pear tree, it's no wonder that it makes a great tone wood for double basses.

That is an interesting way to put it, but I think I'm with you all the way.

Mike mentioned steamed European pear- you'll get two very distinct hues out of the wood from steaming vs regular air dried. The steamed has a beautiful pink hue to it and works like a dream, and the other is lighter in color and works a bit more coarse.

j.

forester · #12 08-28-2010, 09:13 PM

but...bradford pear is junk.splits easily,weak crotches,and lots of breakage, showy street tree..not the fruitwood we imagine.

George700DL · #13 08-28-2010, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forester

but...bradford pear is junk.splits easily,weak crotches,and lots of breakage, showy street tree..not the fruitwood we imagine.

True on all accounts. That is why I am getting rid of it. The wood is awesome though, I already verified it (neighbor had one too). It bears pears, but they're only about 1/4 inch in size - squirrels eat them, then crap on my car underneath

.

George

forester · #14 08-28-2010, 10:18 PM

maybe wait till fall...less of a mess,and the sap will be down.

George700DL · #15 08-29-2010, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forester

maybe wait till fall...less of a mess,and the sap will be down.

Yeah, just planning ahead, that's all.

William Hoffman · #16 08-30-2010, 07:54 AM

in addition to the other suggestions, consider tailpieces. Laborie makes a pearwood tailpiece. I've got one. pear is not only strong but extremely lightweight. with this tailpiece, the bass sounds fuller and louder than with the heavyweight ebony tailpiece it came with.

George700DL · #17 08-30-2010, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by William Hoffman

in addition to the other suggestions, consider tailpieces. Laborie makes a pearwood tailpiece. I've got one. pear is not only strong but extremely lightweight. with this tailpiece, the bass sounds fuller and louder than with the heavyweight ebony tailpiece it came with.

Good point. I made my tail piece from maple - so it's already lighter than ebony. Going to pear probably won't make much difference for me, but it's a good idea for variety's sake.

Thanks.
George

George700DL · #18 08-30-2010, 08:01 AM

Thanks for the replies everyone. Looking at the tree now, I might be able to have enough wood between the knots for some sides, and maybe a few pieces that could make up a back, but most likely, I'll have better luck thinking about a viola

Like Forester said, the tree split a bunch of times and there are many knots (it grows more like a shrub, less like a tree).

George

PJMiDi · #19 08-30-2010, 08:02 AM

I've got 3 bradford pears, had 6 my grandfather cut up parts of one into a clock, one into a cabinet, and one's still sitting in a stockpile of wood since he passed away a few years ago. He always had wonderful things to say about working with it. How big are your pears trunks? Ours were all roughly 6-8 inches in diameter

George700DL · #20 08-30-2010, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJMiDi

I've got 3 bradford pears, had 6 my grandfather cut up parts of one into a clock, one into a cabinet, and one's still sitting in a stockpile of wood since he passed away a few years ago. He always had wonderful things to say about working with it. How big are your pears trunks? Ours were all roughly 6-8 inches in diameter

The tree is over 40ft tall, so the trunk is like 2 ft wide. Unfortunately, the tree becomes 2 trees about 5 ft from the ground (my neighbor used to call it the "@ss tree").

I need to start thinking about cost-effective ways to mill it...