Hi, twyatt!

Hmmm...I collect and play with vintage Stars and have noticed the same thing. Because of what I've read and been told, I just assumed that the plies were all luan but, perhaps of a different grade. I just never questioned the composition. You have posted a VERY interesting question. Why would the plies be of alternating shades? Excellent point, sir. I wish I could help.

Brian

Brian,

At first glance it almost looks like plywood or wood that is not cut as smooth. I attached a picture in my original post.

I know what you mean! Perhaps an MIJ expert will chime in. I agree with you 100%!!! If the shells are all luan, why would the plies be of different colours ? Who would really care in the manufacturing process? twyatt, what a great question! Too often, we simply believe what we are told. Good for you, sir!!!

Brian

I pulled the split inner ply from a Sharktooth Hoshino shell and found an even lower grade, huge knotted ply underneath it. It was lighter and ran horizontally. I have also seen many Tama Rockstars with an inner ply of some other higher grade wood, some kind of birch or beech. I don't think Luan is perfectly uniform in it's grain patterns.

This is why you see different shades from the same log after being unrolled and glued up to plywood.

The harder heartwood of a tree is dead and supports the live sapwood around it. Sapwood is lighter and softer than the core.

When unrolling the log into sheets, you can cut it off when the color changes. Several layers of sapwood with finish plies of heartwood, is a good acoustic shell.

Luan is a Tropical hardwood sliced thin and built up into sheets. It`s like Mahogany but grows in wet lands or rivers edges. It grows fast and chips easy so slice it thin.

Thanks for the feedback! I'm not going to investigate much further. I don't want to pull the inner ply off or anything. They already sound pretty nice.

There are in excess of 100 species of lauan and some 680 species that are sold under the name Phillipine Mahogany.

Several Rockstar models had inner plies of Basswood and one series had an inner ply of Beech