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Old Mahogany Bed, Henkel-Harris, Winchester, VA, Should I Repurpose for Guitar?

marshall1987

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Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
I have an old American made solid mahogany bed made by Henkel-Harris Co. back in the 1980s. It's a colonial style pencil-post bed made in Winchester, VA in the mid-1980s.

Unfortunately the two 7-ft. long mahogany side-rails/boards have warped over the years making the bed unusable. I can't think of any solution that would straighten the long planks of mahogany. :dang

It's such a shame because the bed is made from beautiful high-end furniture grade mahogany. I was thinking the mahogany would be suitable for repurposing as mahogany wood stock for new custom built guitar(s). The long pencil-posts on each corner are almost 8 feet long and would make excellent guitar necks IMO. The large headboard and footboard slabs aren't thick enough for a one-piece guitar bodies unless used for an SG style guitar.

Any suggestions?

See photos below.






 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
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Aug 2, 2001
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42,567
Talk to some luthiers and see what they say about the wood. I assume most of them thought about this in their formative years. :hmm
 

jb_abides

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Apr 6, 2005
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5,274
Perhaps a Norlin-style layered pancake build, with multi-piece neck? :hmm
 

marshall1987

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Jan 30, 2005
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I thought about a Les Paul sandwich body but not sure I would want one. There is ample wood stock to carve several one-piece mahogany necks from the 8-foot posts on each corner. I could get as many as eight necks made.:hank
 

jb_abides

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Apr 6, 2005
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I think it'd be interesting to layer, with some chambering... food for thought. Good news about the neck pieces :salude
 

marshall1987

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Jan 30, 2005
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3,278
Replace the side rails and it’s still a bed.

Ya' think that I may have considered that already?:hmm

Not that simple....the bed posts and side rails have proprietary fittings, and the manufacturer no longer makes the specific type found on my old bed because the past problems with warping.:dang
 
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