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Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: roberto on August 28, 2008, 08:43:01 AM

Title: TULIP wood top tone?
Post by: roberto on August 28, 2008, 08:43:01 AM

Dear forum,
Any body have or know the tonal spectrum of a tulip wood top laminated mahogany Alembic?
Is it a premium wood or standard wood?
Thanks
Robert

Title: TULIP wood top tone?
Post by: mica on August 28, 2008, 10:10:05 AM

Tulipwood is a premium wood. As a member of the Rosewood family, it sounds pretty much like Rosewood, Coco Bolo, etc.  
 
I have Tulipwood in stock that is wide enough only for an Essence bass. It's generally available in only narrow widths. I buy wide stuff when I can find it with nice figure, which is usually only ever 2-3 years.  
 
Other woods are marketed as Tulipwood that are not  Rosewood. Commercial names get confusing. There's a tree in the US called Tulip Tree and it's wood is sometimes sold as Tulipwood but it's not the wood I'm talking about.

Title: TULIP wood top tone?
Post by: keith_h on August 28, 2008, 11:21:08 AM

Mica,
Would the other wood be Tulip Poplar by any chance? I have plenty of those in my yard. It's a soft hardwood that I don't think would make for a very good guitar wood nor is it good for a long lasting fire. It is great for resisting termites and is seen in a number of older houses for flooring.  
 
Keith

Title: TULIP wood top tone?
Post by: funkyjazzjunky on August 28, 2008, 01:53:40 PM

Ah, I wondered why Tulipwood is a 'premium' wood.  I though is was the same as Poplar (Tulip Poplar)

Title: TULIP wood top tone?
Post by: David Houck on August 31, 2008, 08:14:53 AM

Keith; looks like Tulip Tree and Tulip Polar are the same tree (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liriodendron).

Title: TULIP wood top tone?
Post by: funkyjazzjunky on September 05, 2008, 12:22:45 PM

Here is a link that clears up the issue:
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulipwood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulipwood)
 
It seems that Tulip Poplar is not Poplar at all.