Snakewood Guitar Bridge Blanks

Also called Letterwood and Leopardwood. Color: dark red to reddish brown with irregular black speckles or stripes. Fine textured and highly lustrous. Very hard and heavy, 75-84 lbs/cu ft. Takes a beautiful finish. Very rare and very expensive. Guyana and Surinam.

Item Number: IW36684

Snakewood Guitar Bridge Blanks

Also called Letterwood and Leopardwood. Color: dark red to reddish brown with irregular black speckles or stripes. Fine textured and highly lustrous. Very hard and heavy, 75-84 lbs/cu ft. Takes a beautiful finish. Very rare and very expensive. Guyana and Surinam.

Item Number: IW36683

Figured Narra Guitar Finger Boards

This wood is also called New Guinea Rosewood. It is a beautiful, highly lustrous redish-orange color sometimes with darker streaks. The figure is classic bee's-wing mottle. A nice turning wood it is also used in furniture, jewelry boxes, handles, etc. It is easy to work and glue and takes a nice polish.

Item Number: IW36682

Wenge Guitar Finger Boards

Most Wenge comes from the interior of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), and is floated to market on the Congo river. It is fairly hard and heavy with a medium to coarse texture. The heartwood is very dark brown with fine, nearly parallel black veining. Very rich looking when finished.

Item Number: IW36681

Snakewood Guitar Finger Boards

Also called Letterwood and Leopardwood. Color: dark red to reddish brown with irregular black speckles or stripes. Fine textured and highly lustrous. Very hard and heavy, 75-84 lbs/cu ft. Takes a beautiful finish. Very rare and very expensive. Guyana and Surinam.

Item Number: IW36680

Snakewood Guitar Finger Boards

Also called Letterwood and Leopardwood. Color: dark red to reddish brown with irregular black speckles or stripes. Fine textured and highly lustrous. Very hard and heavy, 75-84 lbs/cu ft. Takes a beautiful finish. Very rare and very expensive. Guyana and Surinam.

Item Number: IW36679

Genuine Mahogany Guitar Heel Blocks

Also called Acajou, Tropical American Mahogany, and Honduras Mahogany. This medium to large tree occurs throughout Central and South America. Related to Cuban Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani) and Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis). It produces one of the classic furniture and cabinetmaking woods. The heartwood varies from a light reddish-brown to a rich, dark red. Generally straight grained and exceptionally stable, it is easy to machine, hand plane, sand and finish. Occasional logs produce several figures, curly, quilted, and the rare plum pudding figure which looks like large drips running down the board. Used in fine furniture and joinery, boat building, and in the guitar industry for acoustic sets and necks.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36678

Genuine Mahogany Ukulele & Guitar Neck Blanks

Also called Acajou, Tropical American Mahogany, and Honduras Mahogany. This medium to large tree occurs throughout Central and South America. Related to Cuban Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani) and Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis). It produces one of the classic furniture and cabinetmaking woods. The heartwood varies from a light reddish-brown to a rich, dark red. Generally straight grained and exceptionally stable, it is easy to machine, hand plane, sand and finish. Occasional logs produce several figures, curly, quilted, and the rare plum pudding figure which looks like large drips running down the board. Used in fine furniture and joinery, boat building, and in the guitar industry for acoustic sets and necks.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36677

Spanish Cedar Guitar Neck Blanks

Also called Cigar Box Cedar because of its aromatic scent and its wide use in tobacco humidors. It resembles the wood of South American Mahogany to which it is related. Heartwood color varies from a light pinkish brown to reddish brown. It is fairly light in weight.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36676

Spanish Cedar Guitar Neck Blanks

Also called Cigar Box Cedar because of its aromatic scent and its wide use in tobacco humidors. It resembles the wood of South American Mahogany to which it is related. Heartwood color varies from a light pinkish brown to reddish brown. It is fairly light in weight.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36675

Spanish Cedar Guitar Lining Billets

Also called Cigar Box Cedar because of its aromatic scent and its wide use in tobacco humidors. It resembles the wood of South American Mahogany to which it is related. Heartwood color varies from a light pinkish brown to reddish brown. It is fairly light in weight.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36674

Spanish Cedar Guitar Lining Billets

Also called Cigar Box Cedar because of its aromatic scent and its wide use in tobacco humidors. It resembles the wood of South American Mahogany to which it is related. Heartwood color varies from a light pinkish brown to reddish brown. It is fairly light in weight.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36673

African Blackwood Instrument Billets

The heartwood is purplish to brownish-black with dark gray streaks giving an overall impression of being black. Lustrous with an attractive inner chatoyance. Very hard, heavy, close-grained, and virtually free from pores. Its stability and lovely tonal qualities make it an excellent instrument wood.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

These African Blackwood billets are cut from logs in Africa in 2023. To prevent cracking while in transit to the US, they were completely dipped in hot paraffin wax before being palletized and shipped.
Since they cannot season fully encased in wax, we remove the wax and apply several coats of clear shellac. This seals the wood and protects it from spikes in temperature or drops in humidity but has some porosity which allows the wood to dry and season. We recommend you keep it wrapped in the shrink wrap we applied before shipping. It is best stored in a cool climate (65-70° F) and with relative humidity around 35%.
When you are milling this wood, keep watch and if it starts developing small air checks, put a coat of shellac or paste wax on it. These large, mostly clear boards are incredibly rare in African Blackwood so please take pains to prevent degradation.

These are absolutely gorgeous pieces of wood. Straight grained and as close to perfect as you can get in blackwood. They are ridiculously hard to photograph and capture the grain, plus we have put several coats of shellac on them for protection, but in the sunlight you can see the beautiful grain.

B has a fractured corner on one end, which a crack that is about 1 1/2" long. Please call for more details.

Item Number: IW36672

$415.65

A 2 x 4 3/4 x 31 1/2"

African Blackwood Instrument Billets

The heartwood is purplish to brownish-black with dark gray streaks giving an overall impression of being black. Lustrous with an attractive inner chatoyance. Very hard, heavy, close-grained, and virtually free from pores. Its stability and lovely tonal qualities make it an excellent instrument wood.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

These African Blackwood billets are cut from logs in Africa in 2023. To prevent cracking while in transit to the US, they were completely dipped in hot paraffin wax before being palletized and shipped.
Since they cannot season fully encased in wax, we remove the wax and apply several coats of clear shellac. This seals the wood and protects it from spikes in temperature or drops in humidity but has some porosity which allows the wood to dry and season. We recommend you keep it wrapped in the shrink wrap we applied before shipping. It is best stored in a cool climate (65-70° F) and with relative humidity around 35%.
When you are milling this wood, keep watch and if it starts developing small air checks, put a coat of shellac or paste wax on it. These large, mostly clear boards are incredibly rare in African Blackwood so please take pains to prevent degradation.

These are absolutely gorgeous pieces of wood. Straight grained and as close to perfect as you can get in blackwood. They are ridiculously hard to photograph and capture the grain, plus we have put several coats of shellac on them for protection, but in the sunlight you can see the beautiful grain.

B has a fractured corner on one end, which a crack that is about 1 1/2" long. Please call for more details.

Item Number: IW36671

West African Ebony Bass Guitar Finger Boards

Sometimes called Gabon or Gaboon, this Ebony is sometimes jet black but oftentimes has grayish streaks that mostly disappear when finished or after the made object has been put into service. This Ebony has a marked resistance to checking that is characteristic of some of the Indian and Asian species. It has a wonderful texture and is easily carved, planed, turned, and milled. It is fairly fine-grained and takes a high polish. This Ebony usually originates in either Cameroon or Nigeria and the logs are rough hewn in the forest and oftentimes brought to the nearest road by human porters. With the disappearance of other species of black Ebony this species is fast becoming the Ebony of choice.

Item Number: IW36670

West African Ebony Bass Guitar Finger Boards

Sometimes called Gabon or Gaboon, this Ebony is sometimes jet black but oftentimes has grayish streaks that mostly disappear when finished or after the made object has been put into service. This Ebony has a marked resistance to checking that is characteristic of some of the Indian and Asian species. It has a wonderful texture and is easily carved, planed, turned, and milled. It is fairly fine-grained and takes a high polish. This Ebony usually originates in either Cameroon or Nigeria and the logs are rough hewn in the forest and oftentimes brought to the nearest road by human porters. With the disappearance of other species of black Ebony this species is fast becoming the Ebony of choice.

Item Number: IW36669

West African Ebony Bass Guitar Finger Boards

Sometimes called Gabon or Gaboon, this Ebony is sometimes jet black but oftentimes has grayish streaks that mostly disappear when finished or after the made object has been put into service. This Ebony has a marked resistance to checking that is characteristic of some of the Indian and Asian species. It has a wonderful texture and is easily carved, planed, turned, and milled. It is fairly fine-grained and takes a high polish. This Ebony usually originates in either Cameroon or Nigeria and the logs are rough hewn in the forest and oftentimes brought to the nearest road by human porters. With the disappearance of other species of black Ebony this species is fast becoming the Ebony of choice.

Item Number: IW36668

$55.00

B 3/8 x 3 1/16 x 31 5/8"

West African Ebony Guitar Bridge Blanks

Sometimes called Gabon or Gaboon, this Ebony is sometimes jet black but oftentimes has grayish streaks that mostly disappear when finished or after the made object has been put into service. This Ebony has a marked resistance to checking that is characteristic of some of the Indian and Asian species. It has a wonderful texture and is easily carved, planed, turned, and milled. It is fairly fine-grained and takes a high polish. This Ebony usually originates in either Cameroon or Nigeria and the logs are rough hewn in the forest and oftentimes brought to the nearest road by human porters. With the disappearance of other species of black Ebony this species is fast becoming the Ebony of choice.

Item Number: IW36667

Guatemalan Rosewood Guitar Bridge Blanks

This Rosewood species has a reddish-brown to dark brown colored heartwood contrasting the almost white sapwood. The dust has a sweet odor. It is an excellent furniture/case works/jewelry box wood and even though it has a medium texture it does take a nice polish. We also offer it as a musical instrument wood (see guitar fingerboards and backs & sides elsewhere on the site). It has a very "crisp" tap tone with good sustain.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36666

Guatemalan Rosewood Guitar Bridge Blanks

This Rosewood species has a reddish-brown to dark brown colored heartwood contrasting the almost white sapwood. The dust has a sweet odor. It is an excellent furniture/case works/jewelry box wood and even though it has a medium texture it does take a nice polish. We also offer it as a musical instrument wood (see guitar fingerboards and backs & sides elsewhere on the site). It has a very "crisp" tap tone with good sustain.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36665

Bois de Rose Guitar Bridge Blanks

Bocote is an oily wood with a yellowish to dark brown color accented with irregular black stripes and streaks. It has a spicy smell and is hard, heavy and strong. It is easy to work and takes a very nice polish. This beautiful wood is seldom seen in woodworker's shops.

Quartersawn.

Item Number: IW36664

Wenge Bass Guitar Finger Boards

Most Wenge comes from the interior of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), and is floated to market on the Congo river. It is fairly hard and heavy with a medium to coarse texture. The heartwood is very dark brown with fine, nearly parallel black veining. Very rich looking when finished.

Item Number: IW36663

Bird's-eye Maple Guitar Neck Blanks

The heartwood is white or cream to light brown or reddish brown. Figured somewhat like that of burl with many small eyes separate from each other. Hard and heavy, 45 lbs/cu ft. Easy to work and takes a smooth polish. U.S.A.

Item Number: IW36661

Wenge Guitar Neck Blank

Most Wenge comes from the interior of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), and is floated to market on the Congo river. It is fairly hard and heavy with a medium to coarse texture. The heartwood is very dark brown with fine, nearly parallel black veining. Very rich looking when finished.

Quartersawn.

Item Number: IW36660

Alaskan Yellow Cedar Instrument Billets

This is fantastic wood with grain so fine you can hardly see the annular rings.

Item Number: IW36659

Genuine Mahogany 3 piece Solid Body Guitar Blank

Also called Acajou, Tropical American Mahogany, and Honduras Mahogany. This medium to large tree occurs throughout Central and South America. Related to Cuban Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani) and Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis). It produces one of the classic furniture and cabinetmaking woods. The heartwood varies from a light reddish-brown to a rich, dark red. Generally straight grained and exceptionally stable, it is easy to machine, hand plane, sand and finish. Occasional logs produce several figures, curly, quilted, and the rare plum pudding figure which looks like large drips running down the board. Used in fine furniture and joinery, boat building, and in the guitar industry for acoustic sets and necks.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36658

Black Limba Solid Body Guitar Blanks

Beautifully variegated and colored, Black Limba is easy to work and finish. This wood is found in the equatorial forests of West Africa. Black Limba has wonderful tonal properties and is suitable for both solid-body guitars and acoustic guitars. Easy to work and takes a nice polish.

Item Number: IW36657

Black Limba Solid Body Guitar Blanks

Beautifully variegated and colored, Black Limba is easy to work and finish. This wood is found in the equatorial forests of West Africa. Black Limba has wonderful tonal properties and is suitable for both solid-body guitars and acoustic guitars. Easy to work and takes a nice polish.

Item Number: IW36656

Bird's-eye Maple Guitar Neck Stringer Billet

The heartwood is white or cream to light brown or reddish brown. Figured somewhat like that of burl with many small eyes separate from each other. Hard and heavy, 45 lbs/cu ft. Easy to work and takes a smooth polish. U.S.A.

Item Number: IW36655

African Blackwood Instrument Billet

The heartwood is purplish to brownish-black with dark gray streaks giving an overall impression of being black. Lustrous with an attractive inner chatoyance. Very hard, heavy, close-grained, and virtually free from pores. Its stability and lovely tonal qualities make it an excellent instrument wood.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

These African Blackwood billets are cut from logs in Africa in 2023. To prevent cracking while in transit to the US, they were completely dipped in hot paraffin wax before being palletized and shipped.
Since they cannot season fully encased in wax, we remove the wax and apply several coats of clear shellac. This seals the wood and protects it from spikes in temperature or drops in humidity but has some porosity which allows the wood to dry and season. We recommend you keep it wrapped in the shrink wrap we applied before shipping. It is best stored in a cool climate (65-70° F) and with relative humidity around 35%.
When you are milling this wood, keep watch and if it starts developing small air checks, put a coat of shellac or paste wax on it. These large, mostly clear boards are incredibly rare in African Blackwood so please take pains to prevent degradation.

These are absolutely gorgeous pieces of wood. Straight grained and as close to perfect as you can get in blackwood. They are ridiculously hard to photograph and capture the grain, plus we have put several coats of shellac on them for protection, but in the sunlight you can see the beautiful grain.

Item Number: IW36654

West African Ebony Guitar Finger Boards

Sometimes called Gabon or Gaboon, this Ebony is sometimes jet black but oftentimes has grayish streaks that mostly disappear when finished or after the made object has been put into service. This Ebony has a marked resistance to checking that is characteristic of some of the Indian and Asian species. It has a wonderful texture and is easily carved, planed, turned, and milled. It is fairly fine-grained and takes a high polish. This Ebony usually originates in either Cameroon or Nigeria and the logs are rough hewn in the forest and oftentimes brought to the nearest road by human porters. With the disappearance of other species of black Ebony this species is fast becoming the Ebony of choice.

Item Number: IW36653

$35.00

B 3/8 x 2 1/2 x 21 13/16"

Genuine Mahogany 2 piece Guitar Neck Set

Also called Acajou, Tropical American Mahogany, and Honduras Mahogany. This medium to large tree occurs throughout Central and South America. Related to Cuban Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani) and Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis). It produces one of the classic furniture and cabinetmaking woods. The heartwood varies from a light reddish-brown to a rich, dark red. Generally straight grained and exceptionally stable, it is easy to machine, hand plane, sand and finish. Occasional logs produce several figures, curly, quilted, and the rare plum pudding figure which looks like large drips running down the board. Used in fine furniture and joinery, boat building, and in the guitar industry for acoustic sets and necks.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36652

Genuine Mahogany Solid Body Guitar Billets

Also called Acajou, Tropical American Mahogany, and Honduras Mahogany. This medium to large tree occurs throughout Central and South America. Related to Cuban Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani) and Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis). It produces one of the classic furniture and cabinetmaking woods. The heartwood varies from a light reddish-brown to a rich, dark red. Generally straight grained and exceptionally stable, it is easy to machine, hand plane, sand and finish. Occasional logs produce several figures, curly, quilted, and the rare plum pudding figure which looks like large drips running down the board. Used in fine furniture and joinery, boat building, and in the guitar industry for acoustic sets and necks.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36651

Genuine Mahogany Instrument Billets

Also called Acajou, Tropical American Mahogany, and Honduras Mahogany. This medium to large tree occurs throughout Central and South America. Related to Cuban Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani) and Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis). It produces one of the classic furniture and cabinetmaking woods. The heartwood varies from a light reddish-brown to a rich, dark red. Generally straight grained and exceptionally stable, it is easy to machine, hand plane, sand and finish. Occasional logs produce several figures, curly, quilted, and the rare plum pudding figure which looks like large drips running down the board. Used in fine furniture and joinery, boat building, and in the guitar industry for acoustic sets and necks.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36650

Genuine Mahogany Guitar Neck Stringer Billet

Also called Acajou, Tropical American Mahogany, and Honduras Mahogany. This medium to large tree occurs throughout Central and South America. Related to Cuban Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani) and Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis). It produces one of the classic furniture and cabinetmaking woods. The heartwood varies from a light reddish-brown to a rich, dark red. Generally straight grained and exceptionally stable, it is easy to machine, hand plane, sand and finish. Occasional logs produce several figures, curly, quilted, and the rare plum pudding figure which looks like large drips running down the board. Used in fine furniture and joinery, boat building, and in the guitar industry for acoustic sets and necks.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36649

Figured Hard Maple 2 piece Guitar Neck Set

The heartwood is white or cream to light brown or reddish brown. Because of the generally small size of available logs, most sawmills produce flatsawn boards which will show a broken curl on the surface and a fiddleback curl on the quartersawn edge. Hard and heavy, 45 lbs/cu ft. Easy to work and takes a smooth polish. U.S.A.

Item Number: IW36648

African Padouk Acoustic Guitar Back & SIdes Billets

This brick-red colored West African hardwood was once one of the more common imported hardwoods but has become increasingly scarce in the last couple of years. It is easy to work, takes a nice polish and is dimensionally stable.

Item Number: IW36647

Malagasy Ebony Ukulele Finger Boards

This Ebony is unsurpassed for its beauty and blackness. It is fairly fine-textured and takes a high polish. Finest ebony in the world. Rare.

This species has been newly added to the CITES list and as a consequence, we are limiting sales to the United States only.

These are beautifully black and quartersawn.

Item Number: IW36646

Honduras Rosewood Guitar Bridge Blanks

A true rosewood, most of our stock comes from Belize. Smelling like stored apples, it is a lovely wood to turn and takes a fantastic polish. Getting scarce on the world market.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36644

Western Red Cedar Instrument Billet

This is a large conifer species growing along the Pacific Coast of the U.S.A. At one time most wooden shingles used in the U.S.A. were cut from Western Red Cedar. Old-growth billets with little or no grain run-out produce excellent tonewood for guitars and other musical instruments.

Item Number: IW36643

Swamp Ash 3 piece Solid Body Guitar Blanks

This White Ash comes from the southern U.S.A. and is noteworthy for its very light weight, 2.2-3.2 lbs. per board foot. Used mainly in the musical instrument trade for light weight electric guitars, it also has very nice acoustic properties.

Item Number: IW36642

Santos Rosewood Guitar Finger Boards

This wood has gained in popularity since the early 1990's when Brazilian Rosewood was designated an endangered species. Furniture manufacturers used it as a Brazilian Rosewood substitute but it stands on its own as an instrument tone wood.

These are extremely old stock, 30-35 years old.

Item Number: IW36641

$15.00

A 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 21"

$15.00

B 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 21"

$15.00

F 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 21"

$15.00

G 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 21"

Santos Rosewood Guitar Finger Boards

This wood has gained in popularity since the early 1990's when Brazilian Rosewood was designated an endangered species. Furniture manufacturers used it as a Brazilian Rosewood substitute but it stands on its own as an instrument tone wood.

These are extremely old stock, 30-35 years old.

Item Number: IW36640

$15.00

B 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 21"

$15.00

D 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 21"

$15.00

E 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 21"

$15.00

G 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 21"

$15.00

H 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 21"

Alaskan Yellow Cedar Instrument Billets

This is fantastic wood with grain so fine you can hardly see the annular rings.

Item Number: IW36637

Genuine Mahogany Solid Body Guitar Blanks

Also called Acajou, Tropical American Mahogany, and Honduras Mahogany. This medium to large tree occurs throughout Central and South America. Related to Cuban Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani) and Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis). It produces one of the classic furniture and cabinetmaking woods. The heartwood varies from a light reddish-brown to a rich, dark red. Generally straight grained and exceptionally stable, it is easy to machine, hand plane, sand and finish. Occasional logs produce several figures, curly, quilted, and the rare plum pudding figure which looks like large drips running down the board. Used in fine furniture and joinery, boat building, and in the guitar industry for acoustic sets and necks.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36635

Genuine Mahogany Solid Body Guitar Blanks

Also called Acajou, Tropical American Mahogany, and Honduras Mahogany. This medium to large tree occurs throughout Central and South America. Related to Cuban Mahogany (Swietenia mahogani) and Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis). It produces one of the classic furniture and cabinetmaking woods. The heartwood varies from a light reddish-brown to a rich, dark red. Generally straight grained and exceptionally stable, it is easy to machine, hand plane, sand and finish. Occasional logs produce several figures, curly, quilted, and the rare plum pudding figure which looks like large drips running down the board. Used in fine furniture and joinery, boat building, and in the guitar industry for acoustic sets and necks.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36634

African Blackwood Guitar Bridge Blanks

The heartwood is purplish to brownish-black with dark gray streaks giving an overall impression of being black. Lustrous with an attractive inner chatoyance. Very hard, heavy, close-grained, and virtually free from pores. Its stability and lovely tonal qualities make it an excellent instrument wood.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36632

Bird's-eye Maple 2 piece Guitar Neck Set

The heartwood is white or cream to light brown or reddish brown. Figured somewhat like that of burl with many small eyes separate from each other. Hard and heavy, 45 lbs/cu ft. Easy to work and takes a smooth polish. U.S.A.

Item Number: IW36631

Sitka Spruce Instrument Billet

A conifer species native to the Pacific Coast of the U.S.A. It became well known during World War II because of its use in airplane construction. Widely used for sounding boards and tonewoods in the manufacture of musical instruments.

Item Number: IW36630

African Blackwood Instrument Billets

The heartwood is purplish to brownish-black with dark gray streaks giving an overall impression of being black. Lustrous with an attractive inner chatoyance. Very hard, heavy, close-grained, and virtually free from pores. Its stability and lovely tonal qualities make it an excellent instrument wood.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

These African Blackwood billets are cut from logs in Africa in 2023. To prevent cracking while in transit to the US, they were completely dipped in hot paraffin wax before being palletized and shipped.
Since they cannot season fully encased in wax, we remove the wax and apply several coats of clear shellac. This seals the wood and protects it from spikes in temperature or drops in humidity but has some porosity which allows the wood to dry and season. We recommend you keep it wrapped in the shrink wrap we applied before shipping. It is best stored in a cool climate (65-70° F) and with relative humidity around 35%.
When you are milling this wood, keep watch and if it starts developing small air checks, put a coat of shellac or paste wax on it. These large, mostly clear boards are incredibly rare in African Blackwood so please take pains to prevent degradation.

These are absolutely gorgeous pieces of wood. Straight grained and as close to perfect as you can get in blackwood. They are ridiculously hard to photograph and capture the grain, plus we have put several coats of shellac on them for protection, but in the sunlight you can see the beautiful grain.

Item Number: IW36628

$241.15

A 1 3/8 x 4 x 31 9/16"