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Hey guys,
I got a nice piece of wood the other day that came to me in a interesting and neat way. I have been mentoring a friend in woodworking. He comes to my shop from time to time for advice and we do a few things like gluing up veneered panels in my vacuum press as his shop is a bit limited. He came by one day and give me a old cardboard package. He said "here maybe you could use this." He had a neighbor, a older man who give him a bunch of tools, wood, and things before he died. The man used to live in Majorca Spain and was into guitar building a bit. In the package, wrapped in a old Swiss news paper from 1957 was a beautiful stiff set of spruce.
There was also a half template of a classical and a cool sound hole/ rosette cutting tool. I took the wood to Todd at allied and he thought it was German spruce. Some kind of European at the least. I can imagine the man ordering the wood or getting it from someone in 1957. He had resawed it as there is a off piece from the set. He must have had hopes to build a guitar from it. Some how that never happened. He brought it here and kept it for quite a while. It went to my friend and then to me. 1957, that is old ! I know, I was born in 1957. That this piece of wood was never lost or tossed out and that it found it's way to me over the miles and years is really cool. This piece of wood wants to be a guitar. I will wait until my skills are to a point I can do it justice. I have ideas for a spanish guitar but we will see. There is time. It will be fun to work with this and think of the old man, the wood, and wonder. I know a lot of you have had things like this happen. A tree goes down in someone's yard, or some wood that has family history gets made into a piece of furniture or a guitar. This emotional connection to the wood, our work, the object made, brings meaning to our lives or enriches it. For me it can bring humility and focus to my work. It makes me realize the importance of , not myself, but of the work and the materials. To do my best will honor both the craft, task, and materials.
Anyway not to wax and wane but it this seemingly small thing , a little piece of wood makes me happy.
Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Link my friend this is a beautiful story and I have no doubt what-so-ever that when you decide to add some chapters to this wood's legacy you will do it proud.

I bought my first 'good' guitar from George Bowden in Majorca, back in the early '70s. As far as Iknow he had moved there after WW II. He was aging then, and only passed away a few years ago. I wonder if there was any connection?

Alan,
I will ask my friend the old man's name. I will also post a picture of the circle cutting tool. I haven't found anything like it in all the catalogs. I looked at the Euro ones as well.
Link

_________________
Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Great story !
Love to see the rosette tool.

What ya going to make with the top?
How bout a Flamenco with some of your Cypress.

Mike

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Mike Collins

Mike,
I was thinking along those lines.
Link

_________________
Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Hey Link-

That's a great story. I know what you mean about having an emotional connection with some wood. My dad's oldest brother, my uncle Sam, gave my dad a 1" x 42" x 10" quartered piece of Cuban mahogany that he got in Cuba sometime after WWII. He was in the navy and bought a bunch of planks when on shore leave - or something like that. He ended up using this in his garage for shelving for 30 years before one of his sons used all but one of the planks for a woodworking project.

A few years back my dad and uncle Sam were talking and the subject came up that I was interested in guitar building. The next time my dad went to visit my uncle, he came back with the wood. I hope to have it resawn into two back and side sets. My uncle doesn't play guitar but I want to build him a guitar with this wood anyways - then his sons (twins) can fight over who gets it.

I hope one day you can build yourself a really special guitar with your birthyear spruce. That would be excellent.

Good luck-

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

Link;
If you make a Flamenco go with the 1951 R.E.Brune'plan from the GAL !!
It really shines!!!!
I use it now for all my Flamencos-(Flammers)

Mike

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Mike Collins