Where do you buy woods from?

[Brendan]

A question regarding hollow bodies and thin lines, what's a suitable top wood? Is it possible to get an acoustic soundboard blank and use that?

Andrew - I think it would be doable. Check a couple of the big name manufacturers of hollow bodies and see what they are using on theirs and I think you'll find a nice range. Alternate supplier would be ALS in the Gold Coast. The Hancock Brothers that run the show have a reasonable rep. They also stock spruce specifically for archtop guitars.
http://luthierssupplies.com.au/index...Path=133_33_37

BTW - I know that the Gold Coast is no where near Mackay, but it's a whole lot closer to there than Perth. No idea what the postage costs would be to get it from the GC to Mackay - hopefully cheaper than Perth.

[vh2580]

If its been underground for a while it could have had colour leached in from minerals and organics in groundwater which may make it harder to identify. Particularly if old shoring timber.

[Brendan]

Also possibly try TopVeneer in Townsville. http://topveneer.com.au. While they specialise in veneers, they may be able to offer something a little less thin. They also have a pretty good range of nice woods. As for tonal qualities - no idea. Ran across their site looking for veneer for rings not guitars.

[ponch]

Thanks for the help guys. I almost forgot I know a fella up here, a carpenter, who has a workshop at home and can cut the boards I have down to half inch thickness so failing all other avenues, I could chamber out the body, then use a slimmer piece of the same wood for the top.
Tony you're probably right man, this stuff is caked in dirt and coal, pretty gnarly but looks interesting.

[Brendan]

Just found this site - seems to specialise in Archtop guitars - the wood used for tops is pretty much the same that acoustic builders would use...
http://www.bowriverwoods.com/tonewoo...d-soundboards/
Dimensions though may be different...

[ponch]

Thanks heaps for the link mate, checking them out now.

[ponch]

Turns out the figure that looks like scarring is a slight fiddle back which is quite desirable. I may be way off but I wonder if it is brush box?

[ponch]

Another suggestion as to this mystery tree is Himalayan blue pine.

[ponch]

Emailed a few timber yards. Pressure treated yellow pine.




Shit.

[wokkaboy]

bummer Andrew, thats what a few blokes thought on Electric Guitars Builders Resource as well hey.
Not much you can do with it then. What did you spend on it about $100 ?
You said it is pretty heavy timber, pine generally isn't so sounds like its got some moisture absorbed.You might be able to use the boards to retain a vege garden in your backyard mate !