Has anyone tried paulownia in guitars? �I'm more interested in solid
bodies, but the general characteristics probably pertain to both solid
and acoustic.
The wood is ultra light, so I'd suspect that it �would sound much like
swamp ash, with kind of a mid scoop and fast 'ping' to the top end.
(Not really what I'm looking for, hence the question. I'm more
interested in richer mids, but paulownia's weight and resonance would
make it attractive). �
Can anyone comment?
I cannot comment over much, but Paulownia is the wood commonly used
for soundboards of traditional Chinese stringed instruments such as
Pipa, Liuqin, and Guzheng, probably others. Liuqin and Pipa have flat
soundboards, and the Paulownia is noticeably ring porous, much like
Sassafrass and Ash. On the Guzheng (that 16-25 string zither that is
the progenitor of the similar Japanese Koto) the soundboard is made
from a mature Paulownia of sufficent size that the curved soundboard
follows the curve of the log. As I understand it, if this is done
correctly the porous ring portion of the wood is not much used.
I keep trying to bring a piece back from my trips to China to have its
acoustic properties tested, but I have had no luck to date. I see the
trees growing frequently (they have huge heart-shaped leaves, like a
foot across). However, logging timber is no longer allowed in China,
and even urban trees are more likely to be moved than cut. (I have
watched a row of 40 mature Chinese Pistache dug out and balled and
burlapped by hand--root balls 12 foot across! All to make way for a
wider sidewalk.)
I think most Paulownia used in traditional Chinese instruments comes
from Taiwan now, but I couldn't tell you a source. This tree has been
heavily promoted in the US as a fast growing miracle source of
timber. It really is an extremely fast growing tree (on the order of
ten feet a year in some climates). However, I think those who have
tried Paulownia plantations have yet to see a significant market for
the mature trees or timber. Former president Jimmy Carter is a
Paulownia plantation owner, and has cautioned novice planters not to
stand over the little trees they plant to watch them grow lest they be
hit by the tree on its way up.
I do not make solid body guitars and I have no opinion how Paulownia
would work in that application. I see no reason not to try, although
it would get beat up rather easily. Paulownia wood is very, very
light in weight, maybe like Willow or Catalpa.
I have been curious how Palownia would work as an acoustic guitar
soundboard. If it did work the fast growth of this stuff would make
it imminently sustainable. In general, I get rather skeptical about
the quality of any fast growth timber for use as tonewood, but I
wouldn't mind being wrong.
Best wishes,
Dr. Jim Lowther