Official Luthiers Forum!

This is a long-shot, I realize, but I would like to get my hands on some small pieces of Almond wood.
Big pieces would certainly work, but I'm trying to be realistic.
My desire is something large enough for a rosette blank.
5 1/2" x 5 1/2" would work.
Or smaller, it can be pieced together.
Anyone able to help, or point in the right direction?

TIA,

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Howdy Steve,

The only place I've seen Almond Wood is Indian Almond Wood in the form of pen blanks. Some beautiful stuff though. Here's a guy on EBAY that has some beautiful specimens.

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

Another thing to consider is that the domesticated Almond tree here in the US is Prunus Dulcis. A different genus than the Indian Almond Tree which is of the genus Terminalia Catappa. The Indian Almond Tree is more likely to be available as far as I know unless you know someone in the NE USA who has some almond orchards. I could be wrong though.

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

You can sometimes get Almond wood here in California. They are cutting down a lot of orchards for development and vineyards.
Look for urban logging, that sort of thing in Cal. I will check around and see if I can find something for you. I might be able to scare up enough for a rossette.

Link

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

Thanks Bill, interesting items for sure. Not much of an ebay fan, but just might make an exception.
Link, that would be greatly appreciated, as we are a long way from Calif.

Thanks guys,

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Steve,

Sometimes we get firewood bundles of it in the supermarkets here in Ukiah, CA. They wouldn't be large enough for a whole rosette but you could do it in sections. I made a spoon with some of it once and it gave me a terrible rash. I could look for some if you want me to. The have a lot of almond trees around Chico, CA.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

Steve I have this bit of Sweet Almond going spare, it's two bookmatched pieces which together measure 6" X 9" by about 1/8". I can get it air mailed to you Monday. PM me.



I have got some really nice Sweet Almond B&S sets, I'm planning a Cedar/Sweet Almond OO.



Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Steve;
try www.cookwoods.com

Mike

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Mike Collins

Ken, your offer is much appreciated--but I don't want you getting a rash on my account.
Colin, you never fail to amaze--PM sent.
Mike, thanks for the link! Very interesting site.

Again, accept my appreciation guys.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

In the post Monday Steve.

It's a wood I like a lot, the US wood has a reputation of being a bit unstable, but the wood from the Middle East that I buy is very stable, probably something to do with the clonal variety that was imported into the US. I used some on the two recent classicals I built which you may have seen recently (see here http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=23811)

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

And I can confirm that it is some very sweet almond indeed !!

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Apparently there are two types of almond trees. One which is from the middle east originally that produces almond nuts and another that is just more a flowering shrub like tree. So which one does the wood come from? I see a lot of pen blanks out there but thats about it.

Colin, my thanks amigo.
Dave, it's a cool thought that I'll have an instrument that shares something with yours.
Mike, good Q. As this project necessitates the fruiting variety (which also blooms--of course) that would be one more little fact to get right.

Thanks guys,

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com