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| Sprucetonewood.com http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=40600 |
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| Author: | runamuck [ Sat Jun 08, 2013 5:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Sprucetonewood.com |
Has anyone ever used Lutz spruce from Mario at sprucetonewood.com? He apparently names all his trees so each set or billet corresponds to the tree name:curly bear, kermodie, white claw, as just a few examples. I'm wondering about the quality of his Lutz. The descriptions are quite hyperbolic. |
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| Author: | violinvic [ Sat Jun 08, 2013 6:58 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
I really like Lutz Spruce as I have used it for acoustic flat top guitars and carved violins( fiddles). I have an order with Shane at High Mountain Tonewood. I have never tried the dealer that you mentioned. Pals, Vic. |
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| Author: | Alain Moisan [ Sat Jun 08, 2013 7:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
I have dealth with Mario once. Contrary to Chris, I have had a good experience with him. I explained him what I wanted, he sent me pictures of two sets corresponding to my description and I bought both. He was quite proactive in making sure I was happy with the sets once I got them. Here is what I did with one of the sets: viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=39524 |
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| Author: | DannyV [ Sat Jun 08, 2013 8:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
Anyone that sources out a supply of Lutz to sell is OK in my books. I have only purchased from Shane(great wood) but I know Mario has some great wood also. I have seem some that has staining due to various anomilies that look really cool. Bridge logs etc. And, if you're feeling flush, he has wood to sell you for 5- $600 a set. Just imagine the guitar that could make.  . Mario does his own thing and he's a good guy. If you want the best deal he does some weekend auctions. Cheers, Danny |
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| Author: | Tom West [ Sat Jun 08, 2013 8:37 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
Too much hype for me.........................!!! Tom |
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| Author: | CharlieT [ Sat Jun 08, 2013 9:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
verhoevenc wrote: IMO he has no idea what he's doing when it comes to grading. I have not been happy with either his wood or his customer service. Chris +1 on Chris' comment about grading. Below is a photo of what Mario calls a "master" top. Attachment: BC18.jpg
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| Author: | the Padma [ Sat Jun 08, 2013 9:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
Lutz Botanically is a hybrid of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and White spruce (Picea glauca). Both Mario at [url]sprucetonewood.com[/url] and Shane at [url]highmountaintonewood.com[/url] sell the same Lutz harvested from the same forests in the Terrace area of British Columbia, which is known for its high quality and the only area on the planet that Lutz is found. Both dealers are honest and reputable. The wood is the same Lutz. Only their marketing practices and their grading systems are different ~ just like all of the other tone wood dealers. Personally I like the fact that Mario names his trees, as it permits me to reorder the same product because trees are just like people...no two are the same. |
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| Author: | theguitarwhisperer [ Sat Jun 08, 2013 9:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
I've purchased from, both guys. My opinion, take your pick. What I do is I call them up and describe what I want. Level of color, (IE stripey, blotchey, snow white, yada ) and how tight/straight the grain is, and the amount of medullary rays. They send me pictures, if I like it I buy it, I don't really discuss specific "grades", with either of them actually, since it doesn't matter to me what they call it, since I've described what I want already. If I see a picture that I think is mis-labeled and over priced, I ignore it. BFD. I've had no problem getting wood that I've like from either Shane or Mario. The nicest top I've recieved is from Shane, and he gets extra points for consistency and ability to cut his tops to a high degree of quality making them easy to work with. His bracewood is always nice and straight, too. I've always demanded his top quality tops and have never been disappointed, I'm sure his inexpensive tops are equally high quality for the money. I personally like his more colorful tops. Here's a nice Shane top, specially selected and pre-approved. Even with no finish you can see how straight the grain is and how beautiful the medullary rays are across the entire face: Attachment: Soundhole Cutout forum Shane top.JPG I have a TON of tops that I purchased from Mario's auctions, some of them pretty cheap, and they mostly all have the qualities that I'm looking for, although since I got a lot of them pretty cheaply, I have to work a little extra to sand them evenly as they're not all cut consistently (what do you expect for a $25 top that has medullary rays across the face and no runout, something that Martin would call a 1-in-100 top?) but have ended up with a fantastic top for the effort. The special order higher dollar tops are nicer ($80 and up) and require less work to utilize. Mario gets extra points for being available 24/7 to buy wood from, easy to get a hold of. Here's a nice special order top I got from Mario, it has finish on it so all the details are prominently visible. Very high quality as well: Attachment: Finishing, sealed front forum Mario top.JPG
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| Author: | theguitarwhisperer [ Sat Jun 08, 2013 10:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
BTW here's that guitar in the picture with the Mario top being played by the owner: Just a microphone off to the side picking them both up. |
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| Author: | JasonMoe [ Sat Jun 08, 2013 11:02 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
I've bought over 100 tops from Mario. I only had 2 that I remember that were not that great, and he sent me a free replacement. He also sends brace wood for free sometimes too. One great thing from both Mario and Shane, is that the wood is hand split so there is no run-out. I like the fact that Mario numbers and names the trees, so you can get another set of wood if you like it very similar to the one you used before. The tree "Furry Bear" is used on my photo below. |
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| Author: | runamuck [ Sun Jun 09, 2013 9:35 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
Thanks everybody. |
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| Author: | theguitarwhisperer [ Sun Jun 09, 2013 2:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
Consistent rays on that one too, Jason! |
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| Author: | JasonMoe [ Sun Jun 09, 2013 3:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
I just sanded down a Wolverine top. Full of bearclaw. He called it Wolverine because it looks like a Wolvy tore it up. I got it at his auction for $30.00. |
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| Author: | Tony_in_NYC [ Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:35 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
My hurricane Sandy guitar has Mario wood on it. I forget the tree though. Massive amounts of silking. It's gorgeous wood and stiff as a really stiff thing. |
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| Author: | theguitarwhisperer [ Wed Jun 12, 2013 12:36 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
I love the top on that hurricane guitar |
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| Author: | Tony_in_NYC [ Wed Jun 12, 2013 5:39 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Sprucetonewood.com |
Filippo Morelli wrote: So what are you saying, Tony, your guitar has a woody? Filippo Precisely. Thanks GW. It's a beautiful top fo sho! |
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