Official Luthiers Forum!

to OLF members. In our continuing effort to build on our inventory I am looking for input from the membership on what you would like to see us carry. Most anything luthier related is open for consideration. So let's see whats on your mind. Should be an interesting thread.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

More Imbuia.... mind you, I'd buy it all if you could get it

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I think an African Ebony back and side set would be cool.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

We are already working on both of those. Anyone else? How about slotted fretboards, fretwire, tuners etc etc etc.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Indian Ebony fretboards

Might not be worth it for your biz,
but I need Weiss back, sides tops.

Simon just as soon as this Lacey issue is resolved.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Alan what species would be good to carry?

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

well if you can find some pernambuco, that would be cool

Bob,
I'm not a big player or anything, but I think it would be great to have a trusted source for bridges, necks, fingerboards, etc., that are made from domestic woods. Even before all the issues of the Lacey Act came to the forefront there seemed to be a lot of discussion here and elsewhere about acceptable alternative materials. I know I would be interested and I doubt I'm the only one. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems reasonable to assume that the demand for such items will only increase in the future.

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George :-)

[quote="George L"]Bob,
I'm not a big player or anything, but I think it would be great to have a trusted source for bridges, necks, fingerboards, etc., that are made from domestic woods. Even before all the issues of the Lacey Act came to the forefront there seemed to be a lot of discussion here and elsewhere about acceptable alternative materials. I know I would be interested and I doubt I'm the only one. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems reasonable to assume that the demand for such items will only increase in the future.[/quote

+1

Hi Bob, how about matching neck stock?
You know, some slab-sawn pieces that might be left-overs from the milling process, which would be perfect matches for the particular set(s) being offered?
And you wouldn't have to glue it up into blanks, just offer it as a possibility.
I love making a neck with at least one stringer (laminated neck) that matches the body wood.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Well, it depends on what direction you want to take your business. I typically go to you for primo beauty woods, LMI for tuners, fretwire, nuts/saddles, bridge pins, carbon fiber, tools and occasional wood bits, Allied for truss rods and more fancy woods and nuts/saddles, Hibdon for necks (their prices and quality on mahogany and Spanish cedar are unmatched) and some backs and sides, Andy DePaule for shell. Tops, fingerboards, and bridges I've accumulated from various places with no clear winner. So, you can either stay focused on your niche and I'll keep coming back when I see something I can't resist, or go study those other places to see what your competition will be

In any case, a steady supply of African blackwood bindings would be much appreciated. I know you had some a while back, but I just hate paying shipping for one item, and didn't have anything else to add before they were all gone

Some domestic neck woods would be cool, like maple, walnut, maybe cherry and butternut. Especially if you can get some pieces with good colors and/or curly, but stable grain.

I've also been on the lookout for a supplier of domestic fingerboard and bridge woods. Maybe not too practical for you since not much good grows up there, but if you can source mesquite, Texas ebony, desert ironwood, and persimmon (if you can find some "zoot quality"/not pure white), that would be great to have available.

I'll second Rod's request for imbuia. Love my bubbly burly curly set from you Won't be building it up for a while though. Get some non-burl sets too though, for live back guitars. The burl may be beautiful and smell great, but it thunks about as well as an Ovation

A small stock of harp guitar woods would be nice too. I'm currently on the prowl for cedar and redwood tops. Alaska Specialty Woods has some cedar that I'll likely be buying soonish, but no redwood located as of yet (although I won't be needing it for a few years anyway). Won't be needing any more backs and sides for a good while either, but of course "need" and "I'm buying that" are very different concepts when you're involved Maybe some of that imbuia? Curly mahogany would be nice too.

Dennis Funny you should mention that. We have been buying our mahogany and cedar lumber from Hibdon for quite a few years.



Price for African Blackwood is too prohibitive as well as near impossible to obtain.



We are working on this.



Very little of our wood is sourced from our area. Texas Ebony and mesquite are a possibilty. I have never come across anyone selling persimmon.



Harp guitar tops are highly unlikely. The amount that we would sell would be nill. We'll leave that too the guys that specialize in soundboards.

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Steve we usually have these leftovers in the form of orphaned sides. Is that what your asking for or the actual neck to match?

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Brian -- pernambuco is a ways down on our list just before sky hooks

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

You shouldn't make any decisions based on the handful of sets I need a year, but I keep wanting to try osage orange and keep not finding it. And ever since I first visited your site, I keep checking the flamewood section. I also like LMI's longer neck blanks. I stack heels and matching from the same board seems like a good idea.

As for tuners and other stuff, that seems like a lot of inventory to keep, but one stop shopping might make my life a little simpler.

+1 on domestic woods that aren't oak.
+1 on domestic fingerboard and bridge options.

Mike

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Mike Lindstrom

Good Black Limba Bob..always sells well. Sounds great and looks great especially when it has a good bit of contrast webbed up with black and/or a streak of red from ambrosia beetle..Oh and along the lines of Steve's request...matching neck stock would be the roo's shoes........

If you find can find it, please let me know mate.

Cheers

Kim

U-Beaut Hard Shellac. I have some coming from LMI (West coast) it would be nice to have a dealer on the east coast. I have my fingers crossed that a glass bottle of liquid is gonna make it ground shipped across America!
Wood.
Cheap sets of Brazilian

If you have an interest in Kentucky Coffee tree I have a 300 year old + hunk waxed and ready to harvest. And I am shy on tools to make it to billets.

For us international customers, the shipping is a big part of the consideration, especially as the price on overseas shipping from the US has gone through the roof in recent years (no more "surface mail", for example). So for us, the more stuff we can get from the same vendor, the more stuff we can ship combined, the better, as it lowers the total shipping, brokerage/customs fees etc. Shane Neifer can deliver a full range of Gotoh tuners, for example, but I don't think he has it all in stock, so it may take a little bit of time for him to get it, but his prices are good.

Be the new LMI / Stewmac, but with better wood and better prices!

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

John what would the Kentucky Coffee tree be used for?

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Bob I don't know if you have this or if you've carried it before, but pressure dyed maple veneers for purf's and trim. I'm not a big fan of the fiber sheets as they sometimes just fuzz a little.

BTW - Soooo good to have you back and I hope you have the greatest success!

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There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.

Arnt thanks for suggestions

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

That Cuban Mahogany I got from you is beautiful.
I'll want another set soon...

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https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008907949110

Filippo we no longer have that problem since we switched suppliers. Not sure what non-wood products are available. I know the fiber is a wood product and we also have wood veneer.

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498