WOOD MATERIALS - PEARWOOD

[Kautilya]

Is there any role, for, or particular advantages of pearwood (100 year old) in tina/reed instrument construction?

It seems very dense and hard.

It seems it is used for woodwind instruments but don't know why. Resonance? Praps it does not warp?

Or do I put it on the fire....(it burns very poorly)?

 

"Pear (pyrus communis - europe): pearwood is a light-colored, very fine grained, hard wood. The wood is pink-brown to peach colored. It is sometimes dyed black as an ebony substitute for fingerboards on less expensive instruments. Larger pieces are harder to come by. Sometimes exhibits flame figure."

http://www.fbbcustom.com/woodstar/woods.html

 

tks

Edited January 4, 2010 by Kautilya

[Chris Ghent]

Plenty of Pearwood was used in vintage instruments, "ebonised" to appear like ebony. Whether it was used for internal parts I don't know.

 

Chris

[Michael Marino]

Pearwood does have some very good acoustical properties and I would think that would be the reason that it has been used as long as it has in musical instruments (Some examples dating into the Middle Ages). The biggest problem is getting pieces of wood as pear wood does no like to grow straight and growing the tree for wood requires a bit different attention than growing the tree for fruit.

 

I use steam straightened Pear in the comb's of harmonicas I build. I seal the comb with a food grade acrylic to remove the problem of moisture. It does not seem to dull the sound one gets from the instrument that is the important part. I also use Lime wood in the reed pans I am currently working on to get a working hybrid Concertina built to do a production run. Only having fun making sure everything can not only meet my quality level I want but also making sure that what I am doing is reproducible on a small (max 50 instruments/year) schedule. Right now getting the hang of making my own springs and finalizing a few items on reeds as looking at three different producers of reeds to see who makes a reed that will meet what I want in sound as well as a few other requirements.

 

Hope everyone is having a Christmas season as it ends tomorrow and that you all had a enjoyable New Year celebration.

 

Michael

[Kautilya]

Pearwood does have some very good acoustical properties and I would think that would be the reason that it has been used as long as it has in musical instruments (Some examples dating into the Middle Ages). The biggest problem is getting pieces of wood as pear wood does no like to grow straight and growing the tree for wood requires a bit different attention than growing the tree for fruit.

 

I use steam straightened Pear in the comb's of harmonicas I build. I seal the comb with a food grade acrylic to remove the problem of moisture. It does not seem to dull the sound one gets from the instrument that is the important part. I also use Lime wood in the reed pans I am currently working on to get a working hybrid Concertina built to do a production run. Only having fun making sure everything can not only meet my quality level I want but also making sure that what I am doing is reproducible on a small (max 50 instruments/year) schedule. Right now getting the hang of making my own springs and finalizing a few items on reeds as looking at three different producers of reeds to see who makes a reed that will meet what I want in sound as well as a few other requirements.

 

Hope everyone is having a Christmas season as it ends tomorrow and that you all had a enjoyable New Year celebration.

 

Michael

C&M - very informative and helpful. I will keep the less bendy cuts and tku!

[Marien]

Pear is sometimes used for backs and sides for stringed instruments (guitars, mandolins, mandolas, dulcimers,...) It is not the "top" wood for acoustical instruments. Using brasil or indo rosewood, european walnut or maple are acoustically better for backs and sides. Mahogany and maple and even rosewood (good zound but it's heavy) is good for necks. Maple is more suitable for soprano instruments - resonates the high notes well.

 

There are more suitable woods but for a luthier pear is kind of second choice wood.

[jdms]

And then there's sapient pearwood...

 

jdms

[Terrence]

Pearwood is used in woodwind instruments mostly because it is resistant to moisture and saliva.

 

Terrence