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I'm going to be beginning a redwood/koa guitar for my wife soon. In thinking about how I'd like to dress it up and appoint it, a brown binding of some sort seems too rich, but ebony is a bit too stark for what I'm going for--a slate type color. Charcoal grey with a hint of brown, that kind of thing.

Do you think Macassar would be the way to go for binding, end piece, etc? Any other ideas?

Do you think Macassar would be the way to go for binding, end piece, etc? Any other ideas?

Yes, I just did one with Macassar. I used SuperSoft 2 to assist with the bending.

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Wisdom is justified by her children

Walnut!

Ziricote!

Wenge

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Under Compensated Nut!

+1 on walnut.

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Kyle

How about low grade Indian rosewood? It can be pretty greyish colored sometimes. See if Allied has an orphan side you can slice up.

There's also ipe, but it's insanely hard, and probably hard to bend too.

Walnut or rosewood. Maybe even some dyed mahogany
You could try some baked maple... http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum ... aked+maple

I dunno how well it bends after baking though

Ah! Some great ideas! Thanks, guys.

I want to stay away from the classic dalbergias. I've used a lot of ziricote and EIRW in the past, and it's a bit rich (in color) for what I'm after.

I'll definitely have to find some images of walnut appointments, or just get a bit of walnut and Macassar from LMI or something. I'm going to use some of my b/red/b purf, and maybe shell. Elegant and pretty without being over the top.

If walnut, you want the usual steamed, kiln dried walnut. Air dried will probably not have the grey you want.

I would test out the walnut, including putting some finish on it though. Steamed/kiln dried can have a slight purplish hue that you may or may not want.

A quality hardwood supplier should have their soft maple separated into two categories. Clear or stain grade and stained or "brown maple" which is sold to cabinet shops for paint grade work. I see lots of muted brown/grey in the brown maple. The brown staining is however not consistent through out but I would think you could find a section of the color and grain you are looking for large enough for bindings.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

+1 on wenge

Steve

How about African Blackwood. The samples I have seem more charcoal grey than black.

Glenn

Glenn, good call. I have a few AFB headplates and would agree.

I have a wenge back/side set. It's beautiful. I can see that working, too.

Sometimes posting a question is definitely worth it.

https://www.gilmerwood.com/items.php?pa ... h&size=100

Halfway down (I make the page size 100 items per) is some figured shedua that looks like it would make some pretty nifty bindings...

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Old growth, shmold growth!

I was in the wood store the other day digging through the curly maple, and there was a lot of gray there. Don't know how it finishes.

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Mike Lindstrom

I have seen some spalted sticks of holly that had a steely gray over a white undertone to it when finished. Perhaps this might make a nice contrast.

Peruvian Walnut

Claro walnut can have some straight away gray mixed with brown if you are lucky enough to find a stash to look through. Beautiful stuff!