Runout

West R Lee

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Can one of you guitar gurus explain to me again why "runout" in a guitar top is undesirable? I assume it's just aesthetics? I'd also assume that structurally, "runout" has no effect on tone or projection. Maybe I'm pretty ignorant about runout, but if I can clearly see both sides of a book matched top at the seam, it's never bothered me in the least. Opinions?

West
 
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Runout has to do with the angle of the grain in the top. The most desirable has the grain perfectly vertical in the top. Most tops are at an angle of varying degrees. More runout, the less resistance to the tension of the strings, all other factors being equal. At least that is what was explained to me.
 

AcornHouse

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While perfect runout (or, rather, the lack thereof) is strongest, yes, it is, essentially, cosmetic. Bob Taylor wrote a short answer about it in his blog. https://blog.taylorguitars.com/ask-bob-spruce-top-runout
As long as it’s not too severe, it won’t cause any structural issues. Now there are some (especially in the greater New York City area🤔😏) who object to any runout and reject any guitar that has that visual flaw, so to speak.
If you don’t mind it, don’t fret about it.
 

West R Lee

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Runout has always bothered me.
It looks like the two pieces are not book matched.
I dislike runout very much.
It can be a deal breaker for me.
Because you think it looks less desirable, or because you feel it was inferior top selection? Never mind, I read again.....because it doesn't look book matched to you. I understand.

West
 

West R Lee

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For some reason, I'd always associated the change of color at the center seam, when the top is moved side to side with runout. In Steve's post, it sounds as if he's referring to the grain direction at the center seam, and that could well be true, and what I see as a changing color at the center seam might be caused by varying grain direction. I'd never considered that.

I happen to own a couple of guitars that have very high quality tops. If you look at the seam on those guitars, you look from one angle and one side looks darker than the other, but if you roll the guitar to the other side, the half that was light is now dark, and the half that was dark is now light. If you look at the grain patterns in the wood, both sides match perfectly, so there no doubt they were cut book matched, grain is almost identical for both sides, so what causes the different shades on either side of the center seam.

West
 
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chazmo

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Jim, this is runout: See Sandy's picture of his D-25-12 here:
 

West R Lee

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Jim, this is runout: See Sandy's picture of his D-25-12 here:
Ok, after looking at that, what I see is what I've always called runout. The top was obviously book matched as each is a copy of the other, however there is also a color change in that picture, one side darker than the other. So, that in itself is termed "runout"? I guess my question is: Is there something more to runout other than that color change. I think Steve is saying it involves grain that kind of sneaks off at an angle from the center seam. if I understand him correctly.

West
 

GGJaguar

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I don't like the way runout looks, but I had a killer sounding Martin 12-fret dread with some pretty horrible looking runout.
 

twocorgis

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Jim, this is runout: See Sandy's picture of his D-25-12 here:
Very happy to have that guitar back after almost ten years living with my bestie, and just for the record, I now have two with significant runout now that the Orpheum OM is back as well.

95E8EA13-B720-4E38-9AF4-D423063DFE85.jpeg
 

Boneman

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You learn something new everyday!, Today I learned what runout on a guitar is. In fact I never even heard the term until this thread. So turns out the old Fender FJ-70 jumbo I had that looked two tone, it was runout! HAH, didn't know there was a technical term for it but it kind of did bother me, so I moved it along. Shoot, get it in the right light and it was like ugh, why would they mis-match it that bad. Otherwise it didn't affect the sound at all. But when I saw it in that certin light, just couldn't love it. Truth is the v-neck bothered me more than the color.
 

Guildedagain

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I've never had a Guild or any other brand that's had any visible runout. Lucky I guess, but it would bother me so I'd never buy one with any. I care about how guitars look first, play second.

As the old saying goes, love may be blind, but lust has very good eyesight.
 

Nuuska

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Because of this thread - I had to look at my 1977 F-512 - and sure enough - there is some runout to be seen - now that I pay attention to it . . .

Jim Berns is dead - Westerly is no more - Cordoba is not responsible.

Have I been had? Cheated? Victim of a scam? Should I worry about this? Is my existence doomed?
 
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