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I received an email from a current customer asking if I'd be willing to build a guitar with Bastogne Walnut/Master Red Cedar.

Up to that point I had never heard of Bastogne Walnut.

I read up on it here on the OLF and other Google search results.

Are there known sources for available and viewable back/side sets from this wood?

Thanks

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P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

http://www.alliedlutherie.com/walnut.htm

http://oregonwildwood.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=AGSetWalnut

best, Christian

Allied doesn't have any... (at least Todd didn't the last time I asked).

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

FWIW, Bastogne is used by by gunstock makers,
check this out:
http://www.talaricohardwoods.com/stash.htm

Mighty nice log

A better look at a Bastogne B&S set, might be worth a call... bottom of page
http://www.talaricohardwoods.com/instrument.htm
Gordo

Thanks Gordo - I called the number

$500/set

A good bit more than my customer is probably going to want to pay.... but it IS out there and available.

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P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

$500.... OWWW, I guess they're pretty proud of their stuff!

Gordo

My rough figure make that about $400/BF once you allow for the kerf waste....
To heck with guitar building , I'm headed to Cali to look for some trees

Try Pacific Native Hardwoods in Winton, CA. They supply Rolls Royce, Taylor, Martin, and other companies with walnut, but also sell to the small builders. I loved walking through the stacks a number of years ago, looking through all the Claro, Bastogne, French, etc.

This could be an example of the necessity for careful communication. Bastogne does not need to be curly. The example on the above referenced web site is curly, and hence more expensive. Perhaps the customer mistakenly thinks you need Bastogne to get curly. I have seen regular walnut (eastern) that is curly and very nice, also. I have even seen examples of regular walnut that is curly and marbled. So, you should probe the customer a little more for why they want Bastogne. The cutomer may not be familiar with all of the less commonly used woods, but might find them appealing if shown examples. If you do not have examples, print out pictures from a web site, such as RC Tonewoods and show them.

Bastogne walnut can be much more expensive than $500.00.It comes from central France,if that helps any. Claro walnut from California can be very attractive,with lots of mineral colors.There are 2 types of Claro,though.One of them is the same as black walnut,IIRC. Right off,I can't remember which one you would want,since I don't use it much. You might inquire about the Claro if it would do.

You might also look into English walnut. Its value depends upon the colorations and the figure.

I expect that the only Bastogne that makes it over here has already been cut for gunstocks,and might be too small for backs and sides.

I am talking with the folks at talaricohardwoods. Surprize to me when I saw this post. Bastogne is an amazing tree. Amazing how few of them there are in the world.

Mike