Twisted Ringed Gidgee

[blackalex1952]

I have just fished a ringed gidgee fingerboard out of my stash with great expectations, only to find that (yes, I should have stickered it!@!!) -it has developed a twist. I had assumed that it was pretty stable, but I guess the upside could possibly be that it has not twisted post neck assembly and distorted the playing action of the neck or de laminated due to glue giving up.
Has anyone any experience in straightening and stabilising such a board?
I'm off to a gig this weekend so will hopefully find the time to post a photo along with some measurements when I return.
Also a gidgee fingerboard question: I know a recently retired luthier who told me his opinion that gidgee, he feels, sucks a bit of tone when compared to rosewood or ebony. I find ebony to be quite bright, but makes a beautiful playing surface, especially when using low frets and also looks so nice...the ringed gidgee attracts me for that reason as well.
As an aside, I have found that rosewood bridge plates have, to me, the best sound when compared to maple bridge plates...comments?

Cheers, Ross

[demonx]

I’ve heard people say Gidgee boards create a dull guitar and I call bullshit on that.

I’ve made two comparison builds with same specs inside the box and consecutive cut cedar tops, one had Rosewood back/sides with ebony board, the comparison guitar has Gidgee back/sides with Gidgee board and I like the sound of the Gidgee guitar better. Both guitars sound very similar. Neither guitar is dull. Gidget will not kill tire sound and if it does then you should look elsewhere in your build for the reason.

As far as the twisted blank, sure you can risk building with it, knowing that once it’s thicknessed and slotted you can clamp it down to the neck blank, however my guess is that because Gidgee is a fairly stubborn timber all that will happen is it’ll twist your neck, if not straight away it’ll probably happen later on.

I’d suggest you store it flat under weight and hope it goes back into shape, you may have lost the blank but time will tell. The joys of timber storage.

[jeffhigh]

If the blank is overthick and oversize as they mostly are, cut it to length and width (to minimise the amount of twist you have to deal with) then flatten one side and use that as a base to thickness to final. The exact process will depend on what gear or machinery you have.
Dealing with it this way is much better than trying to straighten it.

I love Gidgee and don't believe it has any deleterious effect on sound production