Where to buy interesting wood?

axisus

Thinking about making another guitar and I'd quite like to find some 'interesting' wood for the body and neck. Is eBay the usual port of call for wood or are there better resources out there?

earwighoney

If you're looking to build an acoustic than David Dyke and Bob Smith are worth checking out in the UK. 

In Europe, Maderas Barber and Espen are good as well, who have electric guitar woods as well. 

ArchtopDave

I would happily recommend David Dyke. I've taken the trouble to actually go and visit him to get wood on two occasions. He's a real nice guy and very helpful. If you do, then ring and arrange a time for visiting him. 

Danielsguitars

What are you looking for and what's it for.

octatonic

David Dyke is great.

Also try these guys http://www.exotichardwoodsukltd.com

They tend to specialise in exotic and figured woods, DD's is a mix of everything.

axisus

Yeah, I wasn't very specific. I'm planning on building a solid body electric guitar, I'd like a light coloured wood on the bottom and a dark coloured wood on top, Preferably both with interesting grain of some sort. Removable neck, dark wood, once again preferably interesting looking.

Andyjr1515

octatonic said:

David Dyke is great.

Also try these guys http://www.exotichardwoodsukltd.com

They tend to specialise in exotic and figured woods, DD's is a mix of everything.

I use exotichardwoodsukltd (care - there is another exotic hardwoods site...use @octatonic 's link). The advantage is that, for the figured tops, you can see what you're buying. Bit pricey, though. I've also picked up some lovely bits from fleabay from time to time (check dimensions carefully, though to make sure they are big enough. I use DD for most of my quality non-figured wood...always good quality and very nicely finished but they are too far away for me to visit and have no pics on their web site ref the figured stuff.

octatonic

axisus said:

Yeah, I wasn't very specific. I'm planning on building a solid body electric guitar, I'd like a light coloured wood on the bottom and a dark coloured wood on top, Preferably both with interesting grain of some sort. Removable neck, dark wood, once again preferably interesting looking.

Try an alder body, ziricote or wenge top, cocobolo neck. (Cocobolo is a pig to work with- very oily).

WezV

I used to get a lot of wood imported from USA - the exchange rate was very good then.   I went to ebay for maple and curly redwood quite often and got some amazing deals

However, the best fancy  wood I have had came from Larry Davis at Gallery hardwoods - the website hasn't been updated since the internet began. .

https://www.facebook.com/galleryhardwoods/

http://www.galleryhardwoods.com/

I have had loads from him in the past but he is mostly retired these days. Although the facebook page suggests he is still doing a bit of stuff. I do miss messaging Larry with a very specific request, letting him grumble about it, and then waiting for the photos of a piece which is almost exactly what I asked for - but always a bit better than I could have hoped for. 

Looks like he is still supplying Alan Cringean

https://www.facebook.com/ac.guitars/media_set?set=a.10152734279325927.1073741906.653980926&type=1&hc_location=ufi

....

David Dyke is the best and most reliable in the UK.  I know I can order stuff without seeing it, and it will be just what I need.  

Andy Prime is worth a call for maple and walnut tops - I have also had wenge and sycamore from him

None of them have websites which are helpful to the internet generation

axisus

Thanks for the comments everyone, plenty to go on there.

Danielsguitars

I should be getting some more limba in a few weeks time, it's whitish looking and light, I do 2 piece bodies and 1 piece necks.
I'm also getting some walnut and I think there's some ovankol, it's dark and stripes.
Have a look at the pics in made in uk thread if you're intersted.

Sporky

My experience is that David Dyke, provided you are polite, will send you an excellent piece of wood that matches or exceeds your request.

Pretty much everywhere else will send you the worst piece of scrap timber they have in stock.

My local, Surrey Timbers, is magnificent if you go in person, but atrocious if you order from them. The last time I let them choose when I wasn't there I ended up with £300 of useless banana-shaped firewood which they wouldn't even deliver on a day when I was there to check it on arrival. Probably deliberately. And they are far from the worst.

Danielsguitars

I try and find my own wood from other sources now.
I bought a maple cap from DD, it was expensive for what it was and I ended up glueing a bloody split in it, I haven't even used it yet, that was probably 3 yrs ago.
I now get my maple from Canada.

axisus

Sounds expensive buying from abroad!

octatonic

Sporky said:

My experience is that David Dyke, provided you are polite, will send you an excellent piece of wood that matches or exceeds your request.

Agreed.

There is also no issue of spending a lot of time there sorting through various pieces of wood.

I do one or two trips a year and spend anywhere between 3 and 5 hours going through stuff.

David makes me tea, sometimes I even get a biccie.

WezV

axisus;941906" said:

Sounds expensive buying from abroad!

It can still work out cheaper than buying from the UK, but its more of a gamble.

Give me a mo

Sporky

The only time I went there in person he had an air of being somewhat distracted, but also completely happy to pick out the two body blanks and two neck blanks I'd asked for. And none of them were the top of the pile. Either he's very good at looking like he cares, or he actually cares. I prefer to think the latter.

axisus

Where is David Dyke based?

Sporky

In a rambling conglomeration of buildings at the side of the road somewhere southern.

octatonic

axisus said:

Where is David Dyke based?

Horam, East Sussex.

Bit of a trek for me (6 hour round trip) but worth it if I am doing a full order.

WezV

here is a couple of international sellers i used years ago - for one top the prices will be comparable to the uk due to postage - but if buying a few you start to make real savings.  I used to buy bundles of 10 or 20 and sell the ones I didn't want to cover my costs

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Buzzsaw-International?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Bow-River-Wood-to-Works?_rdc=1

but you should also notice very few of the cheaper tops are consistently figured and very few of them are pale maple.   they are "interesting" but they are not high grade 

i did it when the exchange rate was much better