Curly (Masur) Birch top wood!

Ob1 · #1 04-08-2003, 05:06 PM

I'm sorry to post without having any questions but I just had to show you this wood! It's curly birch, from Swedish Lapland (northernmost part of Sweden). The figuring is caused by a genetic defect in som of the birches, and is quite uncommon.

Suburban · #2 04-10-2003, 04:51 AM

Though not all that uncommon, I'm quite surprised that you got such a wide piece! They are usually less than 150 mm wide, and rarely figured throughout, like yours.
Looking nice, indeed, and I must say how I like the Finnish luthiers urge to use lokal wood: splendid!

pilotjones · #3 04-10-2003, 07:26 AM

Marleaux has used it also:

Ob1 · #4 04-10-2003, 02:06 PM

Yeah getting a lare enough slab was a PITA...only place in Finand that had some was WAY too expensive, but I found a guy in sweden (www.masurmannen.com) who was a bit more reasonable. The slab was originally 500x300x60mm, and it cost me around 60€ (~600SEK). That dude alo knew the value of good customer relations! Whenever I mailed him a question it took no more than a day to answer, and I mailed him around 10 times.

Oh, the rest of the bass is made from ash (body core) wenge (center of neck and body accent lamination) red beech (sides of neck) and ebony (fingerboard). I'll post a pic to give you a hint:

As you can see I've taken some inspiration from Marleaux !

christoph h. · #5 04-10-2003, 05:49 PM

neuser also offers this wood for a top.

Suburban · #6 04-11-2003, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by chris h.
neuser also offers this wood for a top.

Neuser is fennoslovakian, meaning buy (material aquisition) and sell is in Finland, build is in Slovakia.
They claim that the wood selection is a result of the founders time in Finland...

OTOH, Warwick also sell pieces with masur tops.

christoph h. · #7 04-11-2003, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Suburban
Neuser is fennoslovakian, meaning buy (material aquisition) and sell is in Finland, build is in Slovakia.
They claim that the wood selection is a result of the founders time in Finland...

yeah, i knew that. i always wondered how this affects the prices. anyway, great instruments.

rockbassist1087 · #8 04-20-2003, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ob1
I'm sorry to post without having any questions but I just had to show you this wood! It's curly birch, from Swedish Lapland (northernmost part of Sweden). The figuring is caused by a genetic defect in som of the birches, and is quite uncommon.

Thats different. I've never seen a curly birch top, or even a birch top.

lousybassist · #9 04-22-2003, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by chris h.

yeah, i knew that. i always wondered how this affects the prices. anyway, great instruments.

I don't know the exact reasons behind it, but I find Neuser basses to be quite "cheap", for what you get (which is, as you said, a great instrument).