Official Luthiers Forum!

Has anyone found better prices on rosewood anywhere than that found at Allen Guitars?

Good call.
Great place to deal with.
And his slotted fingerboard prices can't be beat either. Definitely my go-to on fingerboards.

Which reminds me, I need to order another five pack because I'm about out.

Dave

There are some good deals there. In your neighbourhood is http://www.fine-woods.com/other_back_sides.html. There are bargains to be had there at times. I have gotten some great deals and his photos are as good as it gets.

I've bought quite a few sets from them.. including Mahogany, Wenge, and EIR. I've also bought a bunch of his finger boards, and his reject ebony. I've been pleased with what I've received. I also usually get a partial refund on the shipping charges.

Cheers, Michael

I've been building in Vancouver for ten years and I'm just finding out about these suppliers near me...

He's great. I got an eir back with a defect and he sent out a replacement pronto. Nice ebony too!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

_________________
Pat

Yes, These were $6 a set:

+1 I wish more suppliers would provide such great photos.

I assume the comments about "his great photos" refer to Ed at Fraser Valley Fine Woods, who provides numerous detailed photos of each set. Allen Guitars has been using the same two pictures of EIR sets for many years--it would be nice to see more. I bought one set from Allen Guitars, and I thought the set was fine and the price was fair, so this is not a criticism of them. But isn't it nice to deal with dealers who show pictures of the actual sets you are considering buying? It's also helpful to read detailed descriptions. It can be really educational. I learned a great deal about spruce by reading John Arnold's detailed and well-informed descriptions of red spruce he was selling on ebay a couple years ago.

_________________
Tim Allen
"Never hurry, never rest."

Sweet!

Where'd you score that, Oval?

+1 on John Arnold's descriptions of his red spruce and other eBay items. I always knew what I would get and was pleased with everything I received. There were never any surprises.

Regarding photos, in additional to the many detailed photos John provides (and Ed at Fraser Valley Fine Woods), I appreciate the fact that the lighting is good and doesn't distort the color of the wood. Some of the prominent eBay sellers seem to use various lighting to enhance colors or make the wood appear different than it really is.

Guys, remember that it takes time and effort to take photos of individual pieces of wood. We can have great service and photos, but the price reflects that. On the other hand, some do like Randy Allen does, and provides good service and great prices, but no photos. For woods like spruce, EIR, mahogany, and ebony, photos aren't necessary(for me). It's great to have choices, eh?

The old adage of "you can have it good, fast, or cheap; pick two" is at work here. In other words, if you like his prices, don't complain that he doesn't offer individual photos.

I don't feel a need for photos for generic stock woods like spruce, mahogany, or rosewood. I only want photos of the 'candy' woods that are bought for how sellable they look and not much else...

mmmmmmm candyyyyyy

LMI is cheaper if you buy 3 sets or more. 80 for 1st grade, and 60 for 2nd grade. Its always been really nice stuff. 2nd grade is usually just wider grain and sometimes theres a darker line or some color variation that really don't matter to much. You can leave a note when your order if theres something you are looking for, and they will call you if they have any questions.

_________________
Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

Ya, where did you get those for $6?

_________________
Pat