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I've been looking for a master grade western red cedar tops and have noticed my regular suppliers have been out for some time now. I found this company out of Canada, Bow River Specialty Woods that have some in stock, but their shipping costs are quite high and I hate to order a master and end up with something other. Has anyone used this supplier? Also I want to let everyone out there know that I'm all for using our sponsors but it seems like master grade WRC has been in short supply lately.

Hi Chris,

I have never had anything shipped by this company but many members of my woodturning guild in Calgary have successfully ordered from them. I have visited their shop three times and bought quite a bit of turning wood from them, all of which I've been happy with.

Kathy

Daniel and the crowd are good people. They started out as a maple supplier to companies like PRS and since moved into Spruce (sitka) and cedar as well as some imported woods.

If you are looking for a single top I can help you out as well. Another good option Daniel Minard, one of our own here, he processes cedar but does not really advertise as he usually has it all spoken for.

Shane

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Canada

Join the club, us north of the border members face this all the time from the USA. Most of our member suppliers charge the actual postage rates but many ebay sellers really inflate their shipping to Canada. The border crossing when shipping is involved complicates things a lot and the delivery time is much longer.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Some thoughts on shipping...(and we all agree not to get into the UPS diatribe today, right?? )

I have a standard 'boilerplate' text that I always send to ebay sellers (.txt file, just copy text and paste it in), and I use part of the same message/question with many other sellers- both 'across the border' and within Canada.
The important thing (for me) is whether the seller is adding on excessive 'packing and handling' charges above the actual postage cost. More than a few dollars for packing and handling will generally 'nix' the deal for me.
From time to time I've sold items online, and the postage charges just keep escalating. I'd guess would cost me $20 at least to ship a well-packed top set to most US locations. Also, postage systems are not at all uniform- for example, USPS charges the same postage rate for a parcel 'from anywhere in the lower US to anywhere in Canada', while Canada Post has differential rates depending on how far the parcel will travel. Going to the USPS or CandaPost website with some dimensions and weights can tell you in a hurry if the seller is gouging you.
For things like top sets which require good packing (with wood 'backers') I find that the shipping cost for one set doesn't seem worthwhile, but if I buy more sets.....


I don't buy 'master' grade top wood, so can't give any worthwhile advice here.
I've been happy with most of the 'lower grade' cedar I've gotten; I think the standards for cedar are quite a bit higher than for spruce,still.

Cheers
John

Chris - I've bought some nice tops and back and sides from Bowriver over the past few years (never master grade cedar though). I am very happy with my purchases and the service I get from them.

As for shipping - I try to buy several sets at the same time. For example, I just ordered a few back and side sets from one of our sponsors. The actual USPS shipping cost of 1 set shipped from Eastern USA to Eastern Canada was quoted $28.00, while 3 sets are $38.00. Even better to buy in bulk for volume discounts, but I haven't managed to buy more than 5 sets at a time!!

Good luck,

Laurie

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

I occasionally buy stuff from Canada. If someone there has what I want i don't mind paying the extra shipping cost.

I bought a few WRC tops from Bowriver a few years ago and it's good stuff. I actually have a guitar on the bench now with one of them. Shane sells great WRC too and I can't recommend him enough.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

I agree !

Shane has great tops !
Mc

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Mike Collins

Bow River are good people. If they say it's master grade, you can be assured that it is.

Although we are neighbours, we have to remember that to any postal company, anything outside of your own country is "international" shipping and the price just to get it over the border is expensive.

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Chris,

Just so that you and others know I just estimated the shipping costs for a single cedar set (with a spruce set wrapped around it and wrapped in packaging paper) is $14.50 and I add $2 for packaging material so the shipping would be $16.50, Airmail. If you added more wood to the package the price goes up but not a lot, a few dollars or so. So, in the big picture, the price is not expensive in my mind and I also receive a lot of stuff so shipping is indeed something I watch.

Shane

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Canada

I agree too ! can't wait to order my next few sets Shane ! I am working on a cedar now... smells great !

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It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX

Not only that, but plenty of good guitars have been made from Shane's shipping wood!

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Hi Chris,

I was there last Friday looking for a Western Red Cedar top. I found just what I wanted. (although it wasn't master grade)

I've found David at Bow River to be an honest guy, and has always tried his best to get me what I wanted. Although it's different for me because I can make the drive from Vancouver to Chilliwack and sort through what they have available instead of purchasing online.

I've also bought some Yellow Cedar backs and sides from them and was quite satisfied.

Dennis