Official Luthiers Forum!

Please welcome BRAZIL TONEWOODS To our fine sponsors list!
I think we've all seen some of the spectacular sets of wood that Jeff has posted.

Have a look at his site for tasty offerings!

Thanks Jeff
LanceLanceK38565.2953472222

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Our site Brazil Tonewoodsis still under construction. I will be cutting new sets all this week and by next monday should have many new sets of wood on the site. I have already received one email from an OLF'er that didn't see the links to the HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS. It's next to each thumbnail photo: DETAILED PHOTOS BACK / SIDES. They are very large photos so you can see exactly what you're getting. If you have any questions regarding the sets, just email me..I will be happy to answer your questions. The sets I have listed now are all matched board cuts. The back and sides came from the same block. Next week we will have Angico Preto, Imbuya and many more first class Pau Ferro.
All the OLF members I have checked out are first rate guitar makers and I hope to see some photos of the guitars from our woods on the forum very soon.

Best Regards,
Thanks to everyone here...
Jeff

Welcome Jeff!

Looking forward to seeing some extra nice guitar sets coming our way.

Jeff

Welcome Jeff, to the OLF!!
You have great looking products!!!
Can't wait to see the website finished.
Best of Luck!!
Walter

Jeff, checked out your nice Pau Ferro Sets. Any chance of getting some Brazilian Rosewood? Don't look Woolson. Some day, before I die, I'd like to build at least one guitar from Brazilian.

Who is that guy that advertizes he's built 400 guitars all Brazilian?

Thanks Jeff for supporting our habits, making sawdust and hanging on the OLF.

Chances are good I will have some nice Brazilian in the near future. Went today as a matter of fact to look at some pre-ban stuff but, it was on the bottom of the stack (about 16' high!). So, have to wait a few days more for them to dig it out. However, I bought some BEAUTIFUL Imbuya today. Cut from a 400 year old tree some 10+ years ago. Full of curls, burls and swirls. It's magnificent but, it'll be a week or so before I can start cutting it into sets. Also, bought some African Wenge...anyone use that stuff ? Anyway, as I hear every day from the locals here (just be patient). Everything moves at a snails pace here....not like the good ol USA. It's slow but it does get done. Don't like to keep everyone waiting and wondering but, when in Rome you have to do things as the Romans do...

Hello Jeff,

I appreciate the pictures on your site.

The wood that you're getting online - is it dry? I am a relative beginner and it dawns on me that so far I have only bought wood that is ready to build with.

(My apologies to Mrs. Millan, my English teacher).

Yes these woods are dry. Most have been cut more than 10+ years.

I'm a new member Jeff and I just went to your site. Very nice wood. Hope to buy some soon. Maybe for my next project.
Welcome

Jeff, I can't wait to see some legal BRW coming out of there! Well, I guess I will have to.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Doug, thanks for the welcome aboard..the same goes for you. This is a cool site and a lot of nice guys (and ladies) here. They are very knowledgeable and share a lot of very useful info here.
Don, you and me too. Believe me I have been working hard to find the legal means to export some Brazilian Rosewood. It is a long and complicated story !! I am working on a page for my site though that will explain my 4 month quest to do just that. I have access to a lot of Brazilian Rosewood. It is somewhat easy to obtain here if you know the right people. And even though some is not legal, the local authorities (for the most part) don't enforce the IBAMA issue. The luthiers here still openly use it, sell it and ship it. However,there is only one legal way to export it out of the country. And the 1 person who has that legal permission is a real crook. He has manipulated the system so bad and continues to control the market here. As I said, I am working on a section of my site on just this topic but, you will need to register on my site (it's FREE) and you will be given a password to access this section. Sounds corny I know but, I don't want the general population to read what I have to say. It could be dangerous for me here !! REALLY !! This is a touchy issue and somewhat of a Mafia situation. But, I am continuing to work on the legal avenue for exporting. It is theoretically possible.Brazilwood38577.3667939815

Jeff,

If your BRW situation is really dealing with some mob variant like the Mafia, I wouldn't publish anything on my site, even password protected. Nor would I put myself and my family in danger for any species of wood. You wouldn't be the first American buried in a shallow grave on foreign soil. You are in the world's largest treasure trove of wood species, including many lesser-known species that will make great guitars. Most luthiers and much of the buying public are now educated to the fact that the back and sides of a guitar contribute only about 10% to the sound of the guitar - mostly a "tone color", and probably to a degree the instruments sustain.

I for one would like to see the acquisition of BRW seen more in the "spirit of the law" rather than the "letter of the law." In other words, there may be ways to legally get around the CITES import ban (wood from private estates, Brazilian govennment approved construction projects, newly found "old" stashes, etc.), but that isn't helping the species to recover from the brink of extinction.

As someone who once had a tiny company specializing in Rainforest Alliance certified Smartwood tropical lumber, I see you in an incredibly unique and exciting position to be able to examine, acquire, promote, and sell an incredible mix of species from the well-known (like Pau Ferro and Imbuya) to the myriad lesser-known species.

Jeff, I wish you well, and hope to buy some very cool lesser-known species from you!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia