Official Luthiers Forum!

Hibdon Hardwood one of our newest sponsors sent us 18 very nice sets to showcase in our woodshed.

Stop by and check it out... they have some very nice sets posted.



Brock Poling38992.6404513889

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Man, very nice sets!

WOW !
If I hadn't just ordered $2000 + worth of sets of different woods I'd take all this great looking and cut sets!
mike Collins
http//:www.collinsguitars.com

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Mike Collins

Didn't know some of it was so costly. A bit daunting but there must be a reason for the higher prices of some sets. I wonder what leopard wood is like? It might be an affordable option for a tyro like me.
That koa would be nice for a parlour guitar on my 5 million dollar yacht. I just saw a set with pinhole knots go for $80 on Ebay. Looked pretty nice to me but what do I know. I hear Koa is harder to bend, and wonder if higher grades are easier or actually sound much better. I wouldn't want to risk breaking a $400 set on my home made side bender just yet.
The koa on my first guitar sure sounds good but it must be a lower grade, or maybe I just lucked out. I didn't have to bend it though.

nickton38993.1213888889

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"Preoccupation with an effect gives it power and enhances the error"
from "Your Owner's Manual" by Burt Hotchkiss.

I just took another look at that 4a koa and must say it is pretty increadible looking. I'd probably consider paying 300 for it if I could. Hope I didn't sound too rude before.

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"Preoccupation with an effect gives it power and enhances the error"
from "Your Owner's Manual" by Burt Hotchkiss.

Yeah, it is tough... the wood we use is expensive when you consider it in terms of cost per b/f. However, if you talk to the wood vendors and they start telling you what they have to go through to find and prepare this wood for us... it usually sounds like a bargain.

If you are looking for a great wood that is inexpensive, check out the Grenadillo. The stuff has the tap of brw and is less than $100 per set.

Hibdon has quite a few exceptionally clean sets listed.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

[QUOTE=Brock Poling]

If you are looking for a great wood that is inexpensive, check out the Grenadillo. The stuff has the tap of brw and is less than $100 per set.

Hibdon has quite a few exceptionally clean sets listed.

[/QUOTE]
Brock, it is confusing that there are two woods on the market with similar names. Grenadillo is African blackwood and Granadillo is the reddish, resonant wood of the Platymiscium species. It also is called macawood, macacauba, and trebol. You are right that it is a very good value and very resonant to boot.

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Stay with the happy people.
--Reynolds Large

[QUOTE=Brock Poling]
Yeah, it is tough... the wood we use is expensive when you consider it in terms of cost per b/f. However, if you talk to the wood vendors and they start telling you what they have to go through to find and prepare this wood for us... it usually sounds like a bargain.[/QUOTE]

You can say that again. When I first started building guitars, I could buy Ziricote for around $16 per board foot. It is now 3 times that, when and if you can get it. Then you have waste from cracks or other, and the stuff the bandsaw blade wastes in cutting it. And who can ever find boards that are cut to "just the right size" for guitar sets? No, you're gonna have to buy something that's too big for one outline of backs, but too small for a second. And don't you know that 5" wide board that you can get sides from is 38" long instead of 34". Well, there's not even headplate in that waste. Now add the time to cut it, the cost of expensive carbide or other-tipped blades, and whew! Well, there's why tonewoods get so pricey. And the farther they travel to get to here, the more they cost, and the more hands that process it, the more it costs.

And the sad news folks.....the wood isn't getting any cheaper. Now we have Mahogany listed on the CITES list, even though it's being plantation grown, demand exceeds supply. Look for the price on it to skyrocket in the next several years.

Don Williams38993.4708912037

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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."

[QUOTE=TRein] [QUOTE=Brock Poling]

If you are looking for a great wood that is inexpensive, check out the Grenadillo. The stuff has the tap of brw and is less than $100 per set.

Hibdon has quite a few exceptionally clean sets listed.

[/QUOTE]
Brock, it is confusing that there are two woods on the market with similar names. Grenadillo is African blackwood and Granadillo is the reddish, resonant wood of the Platymiscium species. It also is called macawood, macacauba, and trebol. You are right that it is a very good value and very resonant to boot. [/QUOTE]

Yeah, those common names will get you. Sorry for the confusion... this is the wood I am talking about.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Anyone built with Bocote? I like the set listed but not sure of the tap tone and bendability? prone to checking??

Very nice wares from Hibdon. And a very nice Thankyou and Welcome for being a sponsor of the OLF. It is so nice to see so many vendors donating to our forum. I for one, am trying to use as many of our sponsors as possible and tell them that the reason I am buying from them is that they sponsor our forum. Thanks again sponsors! Thanks again Brock and Lance for taking the TIME to make this forum the best.

Colonial tonewoods has a set of Brazilian rosewood for $1800 or something. That Koa's looking like more of a bargain now. I am starting my second guitar and am using myrtle that I got on ebay, because I hear it's good to start bending with. I used my homemade bending jig and it worked fine after some practice on scrap.
I can certainly understand charging for the investment involved in resawing and thicknessing select pieces of hardwood though. Being a union member I especially
support a living wage for any worker's labor.
    
   

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"Preoccupation with an effect gives it power and enhances the error"
from "Your Owner's Manual" by Burt Hotchkiss.

I am wondering about the qualities of Bocote as well. I have purchased 3 sets from Hibdon so far - and will be a customer again. Their wood is not only pretty, but they do a great job of prep and packing. The granidillo (spelling?) I got at the GAL this year went on-hold for a player friend who liked the 'Ping!'. It'll be a first for both of us.   

I plan to visit Hibdon soon. I'll give you all a report, and mabe pictures. My work takes me to the St. Louis area regularly. I'll be sure that there is room in my schedule for them on my next trip.

AlA Peebels38995.9641782407

Lookin' forward to that Al!

[QUOTE=A Peebels] I'll be sure that there is room in my schedule for them on my next trip.

Al[/QUOTE]
And room in your baggage for the tonewood on your return trip!

Cariton I drive a pickup.

Al

[QUOTE=A Peebels] I drive a pickup.[/QUOTE]
Hah! Well then, you're all set!!! Just don't overload the suspension!