spruce top darkening

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Stray Feathers
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spruce top darkening

Post by Stray Feathers »

I've been working on two versions of my "Norman Kinkade" first builds, 12 fret short scales on a Jonny Kinkead OM-type body form. One is a new Sitka top, thicknesses to Kinkead specs (about .125") and the other is a Sitka (I think) top that was given to me already thicknessed to about .100". It has aged some or been exposed to light so has darkened. I have scraped and sanded some in the rosette process so it looks uneven. I have debated running it through the thickness sander to even the look a bit but am reluctant to thin it further. I know from a houseful of Douglas-fir trims that softwoods will darken, even to match older wood, so can I expect this to happen with this top? Or might it always be unevenly coloured? That would not be the end of the world - I'm more concerned about the sound. I have an older Larrivée that is a lovely dark colour and I don't mind that, if it's uniform. To sand or not to sand?
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tippie53
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Re: spruce top darkening

Post by tippie53 »

you can sand the entire top. to even up the color
it happens when the wood is exposed to sunlight.
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johnnparchem
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Re: spruce top darkening

Post by johnnparchem »

I would wait until the guitar was assembled, you will most likely need to sand the top as part of your prep work. That sanding will even the tone.
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