**All of the Old growth cedar I process,
is salvaged from Shake mills or wind fall on Vancouver Island**
**Luthiers demand quality tops, so cutting small volume,
high quality tops is my aim**
Master:
By all standards, this is the highest grade achievable in Red Cedar.
This top will exhibit uniform color and stiffness, and will be exceptionally well quartered.
It will have an outstanding display of Medullary rays and reflectivity.
The grain will be exeptionally straight with uniform spacing that is very even and tight across the board. Alternatively, it can be slightly more open grained and maintain a uniform spacing across the entire top. **currently unavailable**
Near Master:
This grade will be very similar to the Master grade with one exeption:
there will be one visual feature that may catch your eye. These tops will be otherwise stiff, well quartered, uniform in color, and consistent in grain spacing. (May graduate progressively, and evenly toward the outside of the board)
Special Grade:
The special grade will accomodate most of the features above, but may have a slight irregularity in grain spacing. It is pleasing to the eye and will have the excellent tonal qualities of the higher grades.
#1 Grade:
Our #1 grade Cedar is an excellent choice for guitar tops. Visually and structurally pleasing, this top will offer the straight grain, and stiffness that is offered in the higher grades.
The #1 grade allows more irregularities in grain spacing, may include very minor color shifts across the top, and 1 or 2 small black lines.
#2 Grade:
This grade will incorperate more of the common features of cedar, such as light color changes, and black lines. There may be a slight curve to the grain.
These tops will be stiff for the most part, and well quartered with lots of silk. (unless otherwise specified)
#3 Grade:
The #3 Cedar top will include light color variations. It may have wavy grain and slightly more uneven grain spacing. It will be quartered with 8 degrees, and will have varying degrees of silk.
This grade can accomodate some light smudge.
#4 Grade:
This is the Paint grade of Cedar.
Although none of my Cedar tops have visual defects on the face side withn the template, this grade will include features such as strong color changes, bold contrasts in color, smudge, wavy grain, uneven grain, and perhaps wide grain.
Most of these tops will still be stiff and well quartered and may show some excellent silking.
Thank you for taking the time to familiarize yourself with my grading system.
This was written with you in mind, as a learning tool,
and,
to help with the selection process when making your purchase
from Blue Silk Tonewood.