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Just got a shipment from Brian Hawkins. Ordered / received some lovely, and I do mean lovely, flamed Myrtle. I'm thinking of a West coast special: maybe a Port Orford cedar top, maybe some Claro walnut bindings, I dunno. (Any ideas anyone?) To me it's fascinating working with some of the US species that are not so well known...but should be.

Anyway, thanks mucho Brian. It's great to know there are such great wood suppliers here at the OLF.

SteveSteve Kinnaird38556.9654282407

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Hi Steve

I agree with you that it is facinating to work with native woods, of course my natives are different in some cases to yours. Myrtle is a fantastic wood .

I have used it only once but found it to be very bright, I think the Claro bingings would look great.

I don't have any experience with the Port Orford

You are very welcome Steve, I am pleased that you like it!! Have you thought about Bloodwood for binding material? Just a thought.Brian Hawkins38557.7471180556

Hi Brian,
I have thought about Bloodwood, but am having a hard time picturing it. The Myrtle--as you well know--has a slight greenish cast. Or green-gray. Perhaps the red against that might look just great. Kevin Gallagher made his liberty guitar out of some greenish Poplar with Bloodwood bindings. I never saw it, but he claimed it looked fine together.

My brother sent me some bees-wing Narra bindings which might look good. So many choices....

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Maybe walnut?

Ebony ?

I like your idea of claro walnut

Steve, I was in Elderlys about a year ago, and after fondling the old Martins, I made my way over to the Breedloves. There is were I saw it, and ill never forget it, Myrtle back and sides, cedar top, and Blood wood bindings with b/w/b fine lines. I tucked away a note in my wallet to use this combo, especially the bloodwood bindings over the myrtle. Just an absolutely stunning combo. By the way, I ordered two sets of Myrtle from Brian the next week

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I have built with some flamed myrtle, it is a pleasure to work, bends nicely and looks fantastic.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

[QUOTE=John How] I have built with some flamed myrtle, it is a pleasure to work, bends nicely and looks fantastic.[/QUOTE]

Yes?? And what did you bind them w/ John???

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Hi Steve

There is one on Johns Website, I was admiring (Great work John) and it looks like it has snakewood bindings.

Myrtle with Port Orford Cedar makes a really nice combo. I dont know what form factor you will be building but Les Stansell build really nice Classical and Flamenco out of that combo so it would be a great combo for a fingerstyle guitar.

I have built with Myrtle and really like it...I have built Flamenco with it but matched it with an Italian Spruce top (brighter than P.O. Cedar).

I have built a Honduras Rosewood classical with P.O. Cedar and it is a really nice top wood.

A Narra or Bloodwood binding would really set it off nicely. I would lean toward the Narra...it also catches the light as Myrtle does so it would be a killer combo and a good color/value contrast.

Steve here are a couple pictures of my myrtle guitar.
It was a pleasure to work this wood as it just wants to be a guitar.


Thanks for lookingJohn How38559.452349537

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

[QUOTE=John How] Steve here are a couple pictures of my myrtle guitar. Thanks for looking[/QUOTE]

Thanks for posting!
Looks like the binding is some really dark Koa?

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

That is very sweeeeet John!!
I haven't built with it yet but after cutting enough of it I can tell that it must be a dream to work with. What is the binding? Have you played it? How does it sound? What kind of neck are you using? WHat is the soundboard?

Signed, lots of questions

I cut some yesturday that looks very much like what you have there.

[QUOTE=Steve Kinnaird] [QUOTE=John How] Steve here are a couple pictures of my myrtle guitar. Thanks for looking[/QUOTE]

Thanks for posting!
Looks like the binding is some really dark Koa?

Steve [/QUOTE]

...or maybe fiddleback Mahogany???

Yes the binding is some nice Koa that I got from Gurian Instruments, I wish I had some more but it's all used up. The top is Addy that I bought one sale at Allied. It's about a 00 size guitar and it sounds great. I'll have to check out your stash Brian.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

I should have three sets up on the site by next week and will be ordering more monday or tuesday. As soon as I have an open mold I think I will build with a set. I bet that Addy really sounds good with it!!

Back to the praise for BeachTonewoods...

I noticed on Ebay that BeachTonewoods had recently sold a set of the KILLER pommele Sapele for $275.00, which is a great price considering that the same stuff is $340-$599 at LMI right now.

So, to the new owners of the 10 sets that were just sold here for $150, let me just say that really was a very special deal indeed! And, only $100 gross went back to BeachTonewoods (the other $50 went to charity.) So, Brian probably lost money, or made very little, in order to pass the deal on to OLF members and help out a charity. Very cool!

Thanks, Brian!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Hip, hip, huray!!

Awesome! Just gorgeous wood. And a bridge and fingerboard blank to boot! What a steal of a deal. Glad I finally gave in.

Thank you again.

Jeff

Thank You Jeff and you are very welcome!! For the rest who have not yet recieved your wood it is on its' way. I will be listing several more sets of wood on my site (this and mostly next week) and keeping the prices as affordable as possible. Thanks again!! Brian