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He was on the DIY guitar making special with Lynn Dudenbostel that travelled to West Virginia and selected and cut the red spruce that they used for the guitar. I found his number on the internet and gave him a call. He's a very nice guy and luckily he's located in East Tennessee. My wife and I will be in that area for our anniversary in a month and he told me stop by and he would show me around his shop. Apparently he's been building guitars and selling tonewood for thirty years. He said he had a lot of red spruce tops for sell. I'm sure since it's our anniversary my wife will want to buy me some. He also said that once I built a few guitars (since I'm still working on my first) and got some experience, to let him know, because he had some nice brazilian RW also. Just wanted to let you all know about another possible source for good spruce tops and brazilian rosewood. I'm looking forward to visiting his shop. Maybe I'll take some pictures!

I met Ted in 2001 at the ASIA synposium in Nashville. Ted's been building a long time and has written articles for the guilds. He a little over and hour down the road from me, just east of Knoxville. Probably 15 minutes off I-81.

Go see him, he is a great guy.

What Gerald said, except that we're a coupel thousand miles apart. I have quite a few of his red spruce tops. He knows the business and has always been pleasant and helpful to me...

He was also on the DIY special. Anyone familiar with him? I was thinking that since I will be in the Newport area, I may stop by and see him.

Jeremiah,

I just sent John an email last month about buying some adirondack. I never heard back from him, but the email address I used was from an old 13thFret post, so maybe it was an outdated address. I don't have any other contact information for him.

Eric

I have bought tops and brace wood from John. Very pleasant guy to do business with.

I too, have bought tops from John Arnold. A pleasure to do business with
and his product was top notch!

_________________
Sylvan
http://www.wellsguitars.com

I visited his shop and ALMOST bought a set of Osage Orange. At any rate the shop tour was cool, his (then) shopbuilt abrasive sander was impressively ingenious and he seemed like a very friendly and personable guy to do business with.