I have a classical guitar made with a beautiful Spalted Tamarind. The sound was amazing very similar to cocobolo rosewood. It's a hard wood to get, but I think it's worth it. As a professional guitarist I recommend it to luthiers.
In México they use Tamarind for two reasons. One the pods to make a very tropical drink called, "Agua de tamarindo." The other is for furniture. Very strong wood for furniture in the southern Gulf of México states in México!!
Paul - the fungus actually starts working on the wood only after the tree is cut, and stored in a damp, humid environment for a number of months. It creates all kinds of cool patterns. Then the wood is taken for drying and resawing. Hope this helps!
Never heard of or seen Spalted Tamarind before... hard to decipher the tonal characteristics of this one. The tap-tone exercise is not revealing very much - as you say Tom, the plates are a bit too thick at this stage. I’m not getting the rosewood similarities it’s supposed to resemble. It will be really interesting to hear and see how ST performs on a finished guitar... Cheers Tom. K.
I have a classical guitar made with a beautiful Spalted Tamarind. The sound was amazing very similar to cocobolo rosewood. It's a hard wood to get, but I think it's worth it. As a professional guitarist I recommend it to luthiers.
Cool!
In México they use Tamarind for two reasons. One the pods to make a very tropical drink called, "Agua de tamarindo." The other is for furniture. Very strong wood for furniture in the southern Gulf of México states in México!!
Someone else mentioned this drink! do you have a recipe?
@@TomSandsGuitars ua-cam.com/video/J2adTHsg4co/v-deo.html
Tamarind is also an ingredient in Lea & Perrin's Worchestershire sauce.
That’s how you know it’s good
From what I've read and seen so far, tamarind is only being used as back and sides, not top. Have you got around using it?
Not yet, I’ve played some nice guitars made from it though
@@TomSandsGuitars full tamarind, top, back and sides?
@@zachtbh I wouldn’t personally, you could, but it’s pretty dense and so perhaps wouldn’t make the most responsive of guitars.
@@TomSandsGuitars yeah, that's what most have said so far. Thanks!
Interesting stuff. I assume the fungi dies when the tree is felled? Thx Tom.
Paul - the fungus actually starts working on the wood only after the tree is cut, and stored in a damp, humid environment for a number of months. It creates all kinds of cool patterns. Then the wood is taken for drying and resawing. Hope this helps!
What Karan said! Although in some cases, spalting can occur in living trees under stress. The fungi die when the wood is seasoned.
Who doesn't love an ice cold tamarindo?
i don't know what that is but I want one!
Hi Tom, out of curiosity, how thick should the wood be before it starts to ring? Is it different on each species due to its density or anything else?
totally depends on the species, you'll get a sense pretty quickly from handling the woods
@@TomSandsGuitars Thanks Tom!! All the best!
Never heard of or seen Spalted Tamarind before... hard to decipher the tonal characteristics of this one. The tap-tone exercise is not revealing very much - as you say Tom, the plates are a bit too thick at this stage. I’m not getting the rosewood similarities it’s supposed to resemble. It will be really interesting to hear and see how ST performs on a finished guitar... Cheers Tom. K.
Cheers!
Indica... that makes me think of a very different type of plant.
lol
Is there a Sativa wood as well? Lol... Make a hybrid guitar....
Stoll in Germany make guitars with tamarind and they describe it as rosewood alternative.
I'll have to check it out!
Just don’t hear rosewood similarities in Tamarind... sorry:)
Use tamarind heart wood
Okay!