The one and only SPALT CLUB!

[Mooseboy]

THose Angel Wings are amazing- or at first glance, I saw it as a mustache.

[dc400dragonburst]

dont get me wrong, spalt looks incredible, but i cant help but think its gotta sound like sh*t... being from a rotting tree and all.

from you spalt owners out there, how does it sound?

[Folkie]

dont get me wrong, spalt looks incredible, but i cant help but think its gotta sound like sh*t... being from a rotting tree and all.

from you spalt owners out there, how does it sound?

(Sets timer for the start of the tonewood discussion...)

The percentage of "rot" is tiny compared to the totality of the wood.

[Mooseboy]

from you spalt owners out there, how does it sound?

You tell me…

http://youtu.be/axXVHaa2cTs

http://youtu.be/qtnYrURzShw

http://youtu.be/UbKPrEwl9Kw

[Appollyon]

It's just a thin top. Even if you believe the whole tone wood thing, having a thin piece of wood like that is negligible.

[Koaboy]

Spaltlicious !!!

[spudmunkey]

dont get me wrong, spalt looks incredible, but i cant help but think its gotta sound like sh*t... being from a rotting tree and all.

Well, if you think about it, flamed maple should also SIGNIFICANTLY change the tone compared to plain maple. The reason that there are flames at all is because that part of the tree grew under stress. Burls are a whole 'nother beast.

In regards to spalted maple, the spalted maple used for instruments, furniture pen blanks, etc is sort of in a mid-point between totally sound maple and totally rotten. It has some of it's stability...but needs help: a stabilizer.

Now, I don't know how Carvin does it (or how their suppliers might do it for them) but it's typically put in a vacuum to suck out all the air, and replace it with a resin. Minwax also makes a "wood hardener". It's a resin mixed with a solvent that penetrates into the wood. When the solvent evaporates, it leaves behind the resin....but this is generally for smaller pieces (like pen blanks, or knife handles).

So, in short, the top is likely saturated with a plastic/resin. For those that subscribe to the theories of tonewood, take solace in the fact that Carvin doesn't use it as a neck wood, fretboard wood, or body wings. Purely for tops and headstock veneers, and in my head, would have about the same affect as using the polyester clearcoat (in satin or gloss)...but I have zero evidence to back that up, as I only marginally subscribe to this line of thought on electric guitars.

[gumbynotpokey]

dont get me wrong, spalt looks incredible, but i cant help but think its gotta sound like sh*t... being from a rotting tree and all.

Well, if you think about it, flamed maple should also SIGNIFICANTLY change the tone compared to plain maple. The reason that there are flames at all is because that part of the tree grew under stress. Burls are a whole 'nother beast.

In regards to spalted maple, the spalted maple used for instruments, furniture pen blanks, etc is sort of in a mid-point between totally sound maple and totally rotten. It has some of it's stability...but needs help: a stabilizer.

Now, I don't know how Carvin does it (or how their suppliers might do it for them) but it's typically put in a vacuum to suck out all the air, and replace it with a resin. Minwax also makes a "wood hardener". It's a resin mixed with a solvent that penetrates into the wood. When the solvent evaporates, it leaves behind the resin....but this is generally for smaller pieces (like pen blanks, or knife handles).

So, in short, the top is likely saturated with a plastic/resin. For those that subscribe to the theories of tonewood, take solace in the fact that Carvin doesn't use it as a neck wood, fretboard wood, or body wings. Purely for tops and headstock veneers, and in my head, would have about the same affect as using the polyester clearcoat (in satin or gloss)...but I have zero evidence to back that up, as I only marginally subscribe to this line of thought on electric guitars.

So, to the contrary, the spalts should sound brittle and harsh, given they are full of resin/filler/epoxy/hardener or whatever. Hmmm. And they don't. So, they neither sound bad due to being spalt nor brittle/harsh due to filler. Leaving the tonewood thing aside, I'll say this exemplifies the "guitars-are-a-signal-sending-device" axiom.

[GuitarAnthony]

Can't believe I never posted my TL60. She's not very spalty. She was my first Carvin custom and maybe some would have sent her back because of the lack of spaltyness but she sounded great so I kept her. In all honestly, she was gotten for studio work in NYC from me to bring from Virginia but my studio stopped bringing me back up there so she really never got a lot of play time. Tried selling her as well but the fleabayers kept lowballing me. Wasn't looking for what I paid but I wasn't gonna sell her for more than half less. Really. someone offered me $800 and wanted me to pay the shipping. Filthy savage. So I've decided to keep her here with her sisters.

[Casual Madman]

Can't believe I never posted my TL60. She's not very spalty.

That's a pretty poor photo but nevertheless quite a beautiful guitar. The flame is amazing. Most "flamed spalted" tops are more spalt, less flame. Yours leans the other way, but nothing wrong with that!

[Catman10]

Can't believe I never posted my TL60. She's not very spalty...

I think she's just as beautiful as any other. Glad you didn't sell her, and welcome to the "club".

[GuitarAnthony]

Here's some better ones from when I first got it...

[GuitarAnthony]

Can't believe I never posted my TL60. She's not very spalty...

I think she's just as beautiful as any other. Glad you didn't sell her, and welcome to the "club".

With all the Carvins I have, I'm running out of clubs TO join.

[Catman10]

dont get me wrong, spalt looks incredible, but i cant help but think its gotta sound like sh*t... being from a rotting tree and all.

from you spalt owners out there, how does it sound?

I've recorded with my XB75 that has a spalted maple top, and I think it sounds great! Here's an example of a bass track I recorded for this video using that bass...LINK

[Catman10]

With all the Carvins I have, I'm running out of clubs TO join.

I understand completely! I'm up to 10 Carvin basses, myself. I have just about every wood combo available, except for limba which is newly offered. And I have just about every pickup combo, except for soapbar and double-HB, and I don't have an AC-50 or 6-string bass...dang. Sounds like I still have some ordering to do...

[vlnbow]

spalted/walnut Icon 5

[vlnbow]

One more entry to the club-

Spalt and walnut, satin finish.

[gmiller]

It's great to see all these glorious spalt tops. Here's my entry (built in 2012):

[Koaboy]

Nice Spalts my brothers !! Here's my 2014 just in !

[Casual Madman]

Welcome to Spaltytown, Koaboy. I really like this backside shot, since it shows the spalt is a real "cap" and not just a flimsy veneer.