[Harp-L] Dating harmonica woods

[David Payne <dmatthew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Right now, I'm concerned with this old chestnut, but I understand with stuff like Beech or pear are way easier to date dendrospectroscopicly, they take basically a little pinhole's worth of wood and analyze the decay and stuff. After 300 years, there is a greater margin of error, but in harmonica times, say after 1830, they can pin it down pretty close, the age of the wood, and I believe they can get an idea of when it was cut by comparing the decay of the outside layer to that of the inside.. Perhaps close enough to answer some burning harp history questions, such as, what is the deal with the Marine Bands that have the prewar front covers and postwar back covers, but the front prewar cover is uncrimped. The Elk River Institute for Advanced Harmonica Studies is a think tank, but not a money bank, so I doubt ERIAHS will be funding any such research, which costs about a hundred U.S. smackers.  But it is an idea I put out there...

My son and I were working with a piece of the chestnut today, I took a
handplane to the endgrain of a half-inch piece so I could see the rings
fairly well. If I complete the arc of the ring, I get a three inch
circle, so this harmonica wood I've cut is definitely from the center
of the tree. So the wood could have easily grown then in the 1600s. I'd
like to actually get it dated, cause harps are more cool when you know
these things, and I like wood cause I think it's cool... and knowing
stuff that makes things cool is important at the Elk River Institute
for Advanced Harmonica Studies and how we live up to our
Leave-it-to-Beaveresque motto: "this is important stuff we're doing and
junk."  Having a confirmed date + or - whatever from some folks in labcoats would increase the cool factor by at least three Fonzarellis.

But I know spectroscopic dating is dang tough  with American
Chestnut because it is about the most decay-resistant wood on earth. We
all have our fortes here and I know there are lurkers on this board who
are whiz kids with wood. If anybody can help me with this, please lemme
know. I can get a 6 inch square crosssection when I cut the next piece. 

Dave
___________________________
Dave Payne Sr. 
Elk River Harmonicas
www.elkriverharmonicas.com