Spruce grain being perpendicular to bottom

[Patrick.little]

When looking at the end grain on a top blank I just bought I saw that the endgrain runs at an angle from the bottom. It is about a 10 degree angle. I was wondering if this will affect the tone of the mandolin. The grain runs straight and is all parallel, but the amount the grain skews from being perpendicular scares me.

[pelone]

10 degrees off of perpendicular IMOH is not enough to be of concern. There might be a slight apparent width between each growth ring but you are well within reasonable as far as using this as tone wood for your top.

[CarlM]

Simonoff has a drawing in his book showing how to orient grain that is slightly off perpendicular. You orient it so it is more or less perpendicular to the arch as it fans out.