HARP GUITAR WOOD
Updated December, 2012

Wood for Harp Guitars

I've been searching for wood almost since I started this site.  If there's one thing I've learned, it's that a "board in the hand is worth about 50 in the bush."  Supplies are dwindling in many areas, but there is still a lot of great wood out there.  Getting people to save or cut it for harp guitar sets is another matter.  It will never remotely be a money maker for me.  I just saw a need for getting a pipeline going from stockpile to builder - both professionals and the dozens of first time or casual builders I am routinely contacted by.  I've found a need to supply a couple builders for my own projects as well, so this inventory was born from that. (Note that etiquette requires clients to ask a prospective luthier before considering supplying their own wood.  It is not typically done).  My goal is for this to be a consignment area for large or small suppliers - or any individual who wants to help the harp guitar community gain access to a constant supply of a variety of useful, and even special, material.

- Gregg Miner, "the harp guitar pope"

Tops

Note: Color seen in photos is only an approximation. Straight boards may appear "bent" from camera lens.

Sitka Spruce

These are nice ready-to-use sets suitable for a Dyer or similar harp guitar.  

From a professional supplier to the major guitar companies.  

1 increment below Master Grade, as grain is about 18 lines to the inch.  

Clean and straight, good color.

  Set 1
39-3/4" x 10-3/4" x 3/16"

$165
SOLD

  Set 2
35-3/4" to 40-1/2" x 13" x 3/16"

$185
SOLD

And more tops!

I have entered into a special agreement with Brent Cole of Alaska Specialty Woods, who has cut over 100 harp guitar sets for us.  These are ready to go and samples are all up on his site.
Plenty of Dyer-size Sitka sets in bear claw and non-figured, in all grades and price ranges, and some cedar as well.  Smaller "Sedgwick size" sets also!

You must say "Gregg Miner, the harp guitar pope, sent me" to enable Harp Guitar Music to receive its modest commission, so please don't forget!

This link will take you right to the harp guitar page:

Luthier quality  Sitka Spruce tonewood for soundboards.

Back & Sides

First up are 3 types of B&S supplied by Kerry Char.  Kerry is not a wood supplier, but an expert builder and restorer.  He is one of the very few to answer the call to help obtain and provide wood in the correct size for Dyer (or other) harp guitars.  Having built Dyer copies, Kerry knows exactly how to utilize and cut planks to optimize material for harp guitars.  Some are cut utilizing his ingenious "L" pattern, which can often yield 2 sets where others would only find one.  A nice bookmatch is always maintained.  All this wood is dry and ready to build, thicknessed and sanded to ~ 3/16".  Pictured sets are in hand (shipped from 91367); additional similar sets can be shipped from 92503.

Claro Walnut

Highly figured and nice 3-D flame

No way I can photograph the nice, slightly 3-dimensional glow of the cross-flame.

Kerry has drawn the Dyer pattern as he would use the material for best use of highly contrasted pattern.

The sides taper from ~ 4-1/2" to 3-1/2" which is enough to work with.

  Back: 38-1/2" & 22-5/8" x 10-7/8" x 3/16"
Sides: 46-1/4" x 3-5/8" x 4-3/8" x 3/16"

$350
SOLD

Honduras Mahogany

Someday going the way of Brazilian Rosewood...

Nice, clean, tight and straight quarter sawn sets.

 

Back: 38-5/8" & 22" x 10-7/8" x 3/16"
Sides: 50-3/4" x 5" x 3/16"

$175
SOLD OUT

Keruing Mahogany

Also known as "Asian Mahogany," this is a nice, affordable alternative to the increasingly difficult-to-find Honduras mahogany.  According to Kerry, it has a better tap tone than maple.

 

Back: 43" x 9-7/8" x 5/32"
Sides: 50-3/4" x 5" x 3/16"

$85
SOLD OUT

Myrtle

A beautifully figured set of Oregon Myrtlewood prepared by Kerry Char for full size Dyer instruments.

 

Back: 36-1/2" x 9-1/2"
Sides: 45" x 4-3/4"

$385
SOLD

Mango

This set has some amazing 3-dimensional glow.
Prepared by Kerry Char for full size Dyer instruments.

 

Back: 40-1/2" x 9-1/4"
Sides: 45" x 4-1/2"

$425
SOLD

Birdseye Maple

Next up are 2 sets of Birdseye Maple from Oregon Wild Wood.  I am selling them at less than my original cost.  I got them because I love maple, but am not satisfied with flame maple for HG tone.  This is harder - somewhere between "flame" and "rock" maple.  On the right instrument, the unusual heartwood could look quite cool.  It may be tricky to keep the bookmatch, as birdseye is flatsawn and the grain/pattern wanders quite a bit from front to back.

 

Set 1

Back: 39-1/4" x 10-1/4" x 7/16"
Sides: 48" x 5" x 7/16"

$225
SOLD

 

Set 2

Back: 39" x 10-5/8" x 5/16"
Sides: 48" x 5" x 7/16"

$225
SOLD


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