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Special Edition Build-Off - Cedar P

BishopJP

BishopJP

Supporting Member
Apr 5, 2019
1,293
4,718
North Carolina
#1
While trying to figure out how to proceed with my other build...

Special Edition Build-Off - Sapele and Lacewood

...I decided to start another one!

I've had several large chunks of reclaimed cedar beam for almost twenty years now; some of it has been used for various projects, but a good bit of it has been gathering dust. Thought I would try using some for a bass!

20200419_172131.jpg

Here are a couple of the shorter pieces.

20200420_193312.jpg

Bookmatched top...

20200420_193332.jpg

Cedar is a bit soft, IMO, to bolt a neck to, so I milled a 1" sapele blank for the back

20200420_193550.jpg

And parts for a sapele neck with a wenge center stripe

20200420_203239.jpg

Rough shaped sapele back

20200421_091652.jpg

Neck glue-up

The neck and top will be ready to shape this evening!

Thanks for looking!
 
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#5
postalflunkie said:
That's gon a be one nice smelling bass
Click to expand...
Yep! I'll post a video in Smell-o-vision when it's is finished!

Gilmourisgod said:
I got nervous about the cedar until I saw the sapele back, cedar dents if you sneeze on it hard. I do love that smell though!
Click to expand...
Yeah, the sapele will do the heavy lifting; planning to inlay additional sapele at the bridge and neck pocket so the cedar will not be structural. Also, it will have a "rustic" finish (not reliced) so dents will only add to the... "charm"?
 
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#17
Jerry Guest said:
You do realize this is Western Red Cedar and not Aromatic Cedar, don't you? Much softer than the aromatic stuff. We have a LOT of Aromatic Cedar here in the Texas Hill Country. Plays havoc with my allergies every winter & spring. Looking forward to following this build to see how it turns out for you. Best of luck on it. The Sapele is beautiful!
Cheers
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's pretty soft, I know. I built a bookshelf/standing desk out of it years ago, the rest has been kicking around, thought it would be a fun project. As I mentioned, the cedar won't be structural. I expect it will get beat up pretty quick.
 
#18
You are absolutely right!! I have been involved with using it for over 50 years in one way or another. But, don't fool yourself. The Western Red Cedar offered today is nowhere even close to the old growth stuff from 40+ years ago. Federal law has prohibited the cutting of those old trees and of the Redwood that was harvested back then. For good reason, too. Over de-forestation by greedy foreign lumber companies (domestic ones, too) buying up all the prime growth areas and cutting down all the older forests. If you want 50 year old quality, find some 50 year old studs or even old exterior trim and laminate & machine it yourself. You certainly can't buy it on the open market.
Cheers
 
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