Musical instrument WORKSHOP

Instrument Materials

Construction Theory and Practice

		A few shop pics  that I'll update periodically Clockwise: 36 string harp before finish: test fitting the Mary Kate Celtic harp: interior of parlour guitar: binding a guitar using jute rope: Chiara and small harp: constructing an internal soundbox in a Maccaferri style guitar : gluing braces with the Amazing Exploding Gobar Press

Instrument Woods - Here is a sampling of some of the tone woods I have in stock. Instrument making is the most intensive and value added use of any wood. Tone woods come from a variety of sources and are rare to plentiful on the world market. As an artist I try to be as environmentally friendly as possible (in a previous chapter of this life, I planted close to 1.5 million seedling spruce cedar fir and larch in BC's silvaculture industry) and so play close attention to its availability and provenance. Some of this wood is salvaged from diverse sources which I think just adds to the story. Premium woods are subject to special pricing due to their rarity. Brazilian rosewood requires a permit under CITES to cross international borders. I also have an extensive inventory of figured veneers for the construction of round back harps etc.

	Brazilian Rosewood: The true jacaranda, I have 8 sets of this premium quality , 1/4 sawn rosewood, harvested more than 50 yrs ago, saved from a life as a coffee table or stash box. Available are two (with small wings) and four piece backs and sides. The first choice for steel strings and nylon string guitars. (Rare if not extinct in its wild form)		Birds eye maple:  Salvaged from a bowling alley. Yet to tried (all those pins) but by previous experience a very bright wood with lots of figure. Close pored high density and stable wood. Two and four piece backs. (Plentiful)
	Bubinga or African Rosewood : high density wood finishes to a chocolaty brown. Bright sounding wood with tiny pores. Mostly two piece backs. (Plentiful)		Bocote is a Mexican wood of the rosewood family, medium sized pores, medium density, tasteful deep brown under finish. (Plentiful)
	The yet to be sawn premium Macassar ebony, yummy flamboyant grain, high density small pores, bright sounding stable wood makes excellent guitars (getting rare and more expensive)		Padauk: medium density, deep cavernous pores, oxidizes to a dark cherry/brown colour.  One of my favourite tonewoods, it never fails to make great guitar. mellow, round sounding (plentiful)
	Left is Sitka spruce from Haida Gwaii and right is red cedar salvaged at Bamfield BC. Both are tight grained premium quality sound board wood for harps or guitars. Suitable old growth trees are getting hard to find as much is turned into lumber and shakes.