WAS -- sometimes you get lucky

[tim mullin]

Honduras mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) is highly regarded as a species for guitar building, especially for neckwood, but its international trade is now regulated under CITES. It certainly is my preferred neckwood species, but starting up two new builds this past week made it obvious to me that my stash was running desperately low -- another 2 guitars and I'm out!. I decided to make a trip to City Timber in Wellington, thinking they might have some plantation-grown mahogany from Fiji or some other suitable substitute that I could put in stock.

Imagine my surprise when what I found was -- honest-to-goodness Honduran mahogany! Had been stored for years in some cabinet making shop. They had originally acquired about 150 board feet of the stuff, various dimensions 3.5 to 4 meters long, and were happy to let me pick through it.

My eyes light up when I found a piece 200 x 110 that had been shortened to 2 metres long, with grain perfectly at right angles to the short side. I told the dealer that this was exactly what I was looking for -- "that's what Paddy Burgin said when he bought the first half of that piece". So, Paddy had been here before me!

I also found a 3.5 meter length of 420 x 25, and perfectly quartered -- ideal for back/side or neck blanks, and I took that too. All-in-all, about 34 board feet of old, dry, clear straight-grained Hog!

There's still some left at City Timber, but I'd warn that the remaining pieces are all rift sawn -- between Paddy and me, we snatched up the best stuff.

Sometimes, you get lucky!

[Nick]

Good score Tim! Got to get lucky sometimes a?
I know TimSpec have Sapele on hand all the time & is usually what I end up using. Don't know if they've ever stocked the Honduran but might be worth my looking next time I'm in there.

[kiwigeo]

I told the dealer that this was exactly what I was looking for -- "that's what Paddy Burgin said when he bought the first half of that piece". So, Paddy had been here before me!

I'm wondering why Paddy didn't buy the whole piece.

[tim mullin]

I told the dealer that this was exactly what I was looking for -- "that's what Paddy Burgin said when he bought the first half of that piece". So, Paddy had been here before me!

I'm wondering why Paddy didn't buy the whole piece.

Can only speculate about that, but I'll be talking to Paddy soon and it won't surprise me if he's disappointed that it's gone. But at least it went to a good home!

[tim mullin]

I know TimSpec have Sapele on hand all the time & is usually what I end up using.

I thought I'd be going back to sapele, as it's readily available. I just don't like carving it as much as the "real" thing, although some pieces are much nicer to work with than others. I've been spoiled by having Honduras mahogany available in the past, and very happy to have my supply restocked!

[woodrat]

Great Score Tim...I cant go back to other timbers for necks now that I have used genuine Swetenia. I have quite a few neck blanks so I am right for a little while but I am always on the lookout for it. Its wonderful for back and sides too.