Rosewood Source

[varney]

I'm thinking of trying to replace one of the rosewood ends on my Lachenal 30 key Anglo. I have the scroll design printed out on graph paper but finding a suitable piece of rosewood is the next step.

 

Can anyone recommend a source for suitable wood? I've spoken to a friend who makes mandolins, bouzoukis etc but his rosewood pieces only run to 5" width. He did suggest glueing up two pieces together, but I thought with all the cutaway this would undermine two attached pieces.

 

Where could I get a good rosewood piece around 7" wide x 1/8" and roughly how much would it cost ?

 

Thanks,

Michael.

[Alex West]

Michael

 

I've got a piece of rosewood which I got from a luthiers supplier as a half guitar back. It's 8 1/2" wide, 21" long and 3/16" thick (but it is as sawn and still needs sanding). I got it for a similar project on a Rock Chidley and it cost me around £25 including postage a couple of years ago.

 

There are lots of different types of rosewood as I'm sure you know and I can't remember which this one is

 

Alex West

[PaulN]

Michael,

 

Have you tried John Boddy? (http://www.john-boddy-timber.ltd.uk/)

 

Paul.

[OLDNICKILBY]

You could try CRAFT SUPPLIES in Derbyshire I have had several lots of good Rosewood from them for just this use. Dont forget that there are some who have a allergy problem with this timber so dust protection may be the order of the day

[TomB-R]

Touchstone Tonewoods in SW England supply such things, though I haven't ordered from them for a while.

 

http://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/ttwp1.html

 

About £50 for guitar back and rib set. In the past I've found it best to phone them rather than rely too much on the online info.

 

Then again, www.stewmac.com might be cheaper even though in the US. I've received (small) orders from them within 24hrs in the past! In the UK VAT and import duty adds about 20% to what you pay them.

 

 

[varney]

Thanks for all the very helpful replies folks....I will certainly follow these up.

 

One other small related question - what is the optimum thickness for a rosewood end? I measured this on the end I'm replacing and it's approx 5mm, but I see people talking about 3mm. Is thinner better in some way?

 

Michael.

[SteveS]

Thanks for all the very helpful replies folks....I will certainly follow these up.

 

One other small related question - what is the optimum thickness for a rosewood end? I measured this on the end I'm replacing and it's approx 5mm, but I see people talking about 3mm. Is thinner better in some way?

 

Michael.

I currently have an Aeola TT on the bench at the moment for which I'm making new ends. The original ends are 3.5mm overall thickness - and are 3 ply.

[david robertson]

While on the subject of making new ends, has anyone found a router bit with the appropriate profile for machining the edges?

[rayce]

I've done a little bit of guitar building, and if you properly true the edges of bookmatched pieces of wood and are able to glue it evenly, it'll be tough as nails in terms of handling cuts across the joint. Wood glue is one crazy piece of chemistry!