Highly Figured or just flat sawn???

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 11:27 pm

I was just checking out an ebay auction of Indian Rosewood back and side sets. The set is described as highly figured but to me it just looks like a normal flat sawn piece of roeswood.

What do you think? Anyone had dealings with this seller?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Indian-Rosewood- ... 2484QQihZ0

Cheers Martin

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 11:33 pm

That looks like pretty crap rosewood.

You can get better without much fuss.

What is it John How says? Life's to short to use shit wood. Or words to that effect.

You can get nicely quartered stuff for less. I think I paid, like $45 per set when we did that group buy from that Indian guy via the OLF.

Perhaps we need to get in touch with that Indian fella, do another group buy.

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 11:55 pm

I agree, it's just flats-awn rubbish, I knocked a fair bit of this stuff back when it was presented to me as "wild and crazy grained EIR". I have seen nice swirly figured EIR that has come from crotch wood, it was reasonably 1/4ed and looked spectacular, but was quite expensive and still would pose a risk as far as stability is concerned.

Good EIR is dark plum, fine and straight grained and IMO clearly represents the single best bang for buck import tonewood that you can find in the market today.

Cheers

Kim

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:02 am

Yeah it's just flat sawn.

I've bought wood from this bloke and it's actually not too bad. You just have to pick the quartersawn sets.

His uncle cuts it so he doesn't know too much about the wood, he just sells it.

I got some good deals from him on EIR bridge blanks and head plates. I think the bridges ended up costing 2 bucks a blank.

I bought some mahogany from him which was listed as Macassar Mahogany. As far as I know there aint such a thing. It was only 50 bucks a set so I got some on spec. It IS swietinia but where it was grown is anyones guess. Possibly Fiji, probably Sri Lanka but you wouldn't tell the difference from ridgy didg Honduras mahog.

Arnt · Post by **Arnt** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:05 am

Definitely flat sawn.

I have not bought anything from that seller, but the funny template tracing on the wood looks a lot like the EIR I bought from some Malaysian(?) guys that I met at the 2005 ASIA symposium; their family evidently had a saw mill and they cut a lot of EIR. I wonder if this wood comers through them, it would explain the template tracing... They called their business "Eddy's Guitar Supplies", but they don't have a web site under that name. I could probably dig up some info from the shipping papers if I had to, they sold nice, quartered EIR sets at about 50 USD a set.

Dennis Leahy · Post by **Dennis Leahy** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:01 am

"Eddie" is Yauw Tju Jiang (say that fast 3 times, and you'll know why he calls himself "Eddie")

East Indian Rosewood (Back and side sets, fingerboards, neck blanks)
plus, some:
Monkeypod
Macassar Ebony

His email address is: sono_prima_usa at hotmail dot com

Dennis

Arnt · Post by **Arnt** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:24 am

That's him! Thanks Dennis.

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:33 am

Yep looks like flat sawn to me too. It is still pretty though.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:26 am

I'd be up for a group buy if there is enough interest.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:07 pm

I'd be in for a group buy on quarter sawn Indian Rosewood Back/side sets.

Cheers Martin

joel · Post by **joel** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:10 pm

Me too. For a set or two.

Rod True · Post by **Rod True** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:39 pm

This is from the same guy. A nice set of rosewood for $75 AUS (that's only $70 US) and I bet shipping isn't to bad within AUS.

Looks like he has some nice stuff though, take a look through his store. As Bob said he's got some nice stuff.

If you guys do a group buy, would it worth while for some of us North American's to get in on it, or would the shipping kill the deal?

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:48 pm

Last time I checked he was wanting $20 shipping in Oz. I've got some really nice EIR from Berry Kerr for less that that, and he's been terrific to deal with. Has gone out of his way to help me out. I can't recommend him enough.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 8:25 pm

Allen do you have Berry Kerr's contact details?

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 9:34 pm

Yep Edd's OK to deal with, a lot of his stuff is very well quartered and the sets are huge and he sells at a good price.

But generally speaking, the grain is wide and I think it comes from fast gown coffee plantation windrow stuff. Lots of water, lots of nutrient and lots of light, not too much dark plum fine grain happening there.

Allen, I to would like Barry's contact details please M8.

Cheers

Kim

Arnt · Post by **Arnt** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 5:39 am

Kim wrote:Yep Edd's OK to deal with, a lot of his stuff is very well quartered and the sets are huge and he sells at a good price.

But generally speaking, the grain is wide and I think it comes from fast gown coffee plantation windrow stuff. Lots of water, lots of nutrient and lots of light, not too much dark plum fine grain happening there.
Kim

Kim, I agree.

I also got some sets from the 'Indian guy' on the OLF group buy, the sets were much darker and finer grained. The backs were I got were 2x200 mm wide, so getting a dread size instrument was difficult, though... I can't remember if we ever got to specify what size sets we wanted.

Jules93 · Post by **Jules93** » Mon Feb 24, 2025 9:10 pm

As far as flat sawn back and sides go
I found some really nice curly maple boards on market place 3 for $153.00
Would have to make 3- 4 piece backs
But if I’m compromising structural integrity I’d rather not risk it
Just thought I’d get some opinions

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Highly Figured or just flat sawn???

Highly Figured or just flat sawn???

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