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Wood sources?

topper

topper

May 22, 2005
1,404
776
Charlottesville, VA
cakefightband.com
#1
What are some of your favorite sources for wood? Especially for those of us that are amateur/noob/hobbiest luthiers looking for milled, ready-to-use stock?

In particular I'm interested in affordable drop top/lam tops.

It seems like I can find fairly decent body blanks at affordable prices ($60-$75) from a few sources. But affordable drop tops and lam tops are harder to find. I guess there's just more labor involved in producing those.
 
#2
So this question pops up about every 6 months, and I generally have the same answer every time. I don't like buying from online sources, because I like to physically SEE the wood before I buy it. I'm lucky in that I have a great little local shop that caters directly to woodworkers, so they carry all the things for woodturners, pen turners, general woodworkers and such. They have a very large indoor, climate controlled, hardwood lumber yard and also sell hardwoods at reasonable prices. I tend to buy from them, because I trust them, I like them and it's literally a 20 minute drive from my house.

My suggestion is to always just go to Google Maps and search "hardwood lumber yard". You'll be surprised what you might find in your area. I did this in the Charlottesville area and it looks like "Hill City Hardwoods" in Lynchburg may be a great source for you.
And, if you're interested in driving up to Annapolis, "Exotic Lumber" might be a fun place to spend some time. When I see pics like this I start getting giddy -
Screenshot 2022-11-04 093117.jpg
That's literally the kind of stuff I'm buying from my local hardwood store.

Hope that helps! :thumbsup: :cool:

Edit to Add: Don't worry, I think when I first joined I asked this same question too. ;) :smug:
 
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#4
topper said:
Thanks, Lynchburg is about 60-90 min away and Annapolis is at least 2 hours. Unfortunately, I'll have to buy online.
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What's a 60 minute drive? Some people spend that much time in rush hour traffic twice a day, week in, week out. At least, you'll be assured of knowing what you're getting.

A few years ago, I was on a holiday in the Rocky Mountains relaxing in some hot spring pools and struck up a conversation with another bather, and it turns out he worked in forestry. I asked him if he knew where I could buy some Englemann Spruce for violin tops; he gave me the number of a fellow he knew.

The only thing was, it was about a 3 1/2 hour drive each way, but what the hell, it was a holiday. So I packed up the family and drove through some beautiful country, and bought enough wood for about 20 instruments for a really good price. It was freshly split into quarters, so I had seal up the end grain quickly to prevent splitting and checking as it dries very quickly, otherwise. I looked at it as sort of an adventure.
 
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#5
Yeah, I'd drive 60 minutes to be able to put my hands on it first. For me, it would be a day trip including a stop at The Silver Pig. Luckily for me, my wife is usually up for those sort of stupid trips. :smug:
I'm not saying it's something I'd do on a regular basis, but if you could make a day trip out of it and make it worth your while, I'd give it a run.
But that's me, like I said, I like to put my hands on it. Buying lumber online is a gamble at best. They can post all the pics they want but the actual color and figure doesn't come through since it's subject to the quality of the camera being used.

That being said, look up Kimball Hardwoods (Kimball Hardwoods – The Best Woods for your Guitar). Derek caters directly to the guitar community. Not saying he's "cheap", but he's a stand up guy. I've never purchased anything from him, but I know a LOT of people who have and I've spoken with him several times.

Hope that helps. :thumbsup:
 
#7
micguy said:
I buy my wood about 90 percent shaped (I do some slight mods to it) from Warmoth.
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Oh man, Warmoth. They drive me nuts. They are literally 15 minutes from my house and more like 5 minutes from my office. But I can no longer just walk in and buy stuff, you have to order online and pay shipping. I remember back when they started, it was the go-to place for all of us local musicians for any sort of parts or repair stuff. But now, online only, even tho I drive by it on a regular basis. :meh:
 
#9
topper said:
What are some of your favorite sources for wood? Especially for those of us that are amateur/noob/hobbiest luthiers looking for milled, ready-to-use stock?

In particular I'm interested in affordable drop top/lam tops.

It seems like I can find fairly decent body blanks at affordable prices ($60-$75) from a few sources. But affordable drop tops and lam tops are harder to find. I guess there's just more labor involved in producing those.
Click to expand...

This is a little bit of a hike as well, but outside of Disputana, is a guy that does carpentry restoration for Colonial Williamsburg. He also happens to be a fairly renowned flat picker, and think he made some of his own guitars on the side. I can't think of the guys name or firm, but I'm sure he'd help you out. He has a good sized free standing shop right on US-460 on the south side of the Highway.
 
#14
Videojunkie said:
Colonial Hardwoods in Springfield is an awesome source (well worth the 90 minute drive)

There's also a number of Hardwood stores between Staunton and Richmond including a woodcraft store.
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I've visited some of the hardwood lumber stores around Charlottesville. The ones I've encountered only sell large, rough stock. I don't have the tools to turn a 4/4 48" board into a drop top.

Several of the ones that show up on Google maps don't actually exist anymore.

I'll have to look at the Woodcraft store in Richmond. That might be a possibility.
 
#15
johnh89 said:
Jeez man , I used to travel 4 hours a day to and from work . My country is a whole lot smaller than yours . A 2 hour trip to do something that I actually want to do is nothing .
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An hour drive each way if I know I'm going to find what I'm looking for at a price I want to pay, maybe... but still probably no. But to just go on a fishing expedition in the hopes that I'll find something? Definite no. I'm not interested in that.
 
#16
topper said:
An hour drive each way if I know I'm going to find what I'm looking for at a price I want to pay, maybe... but still probably no. But to just go on a fishing expedition in the hopes that I'll find something? Definite no. I'm not interested in that.
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That is where we differ then . I'll quite happily travel in the off chance that I may find something . The whole world does not revolve around the internet and online shopping . Pretty well all of the interesting stuff I have accumulated has come my way by chance encounters with folks I have met on my travels who would not know where to start in the digital world . There is a whole other world out there . You do you . :)
 
#17
johnh89 said:
That is where we differ then . I'll quite happily travel in the off chance that I may find something . The whole world does not revolve around the internet and online shopping . Pretty well all of the interesting stuff I have accumulated has come my way by chance encounters with folks I have met on my travels who would not know where to start in the digital world . There is a whole other world out there . You do you . :)
Click to expand...

And you do you. :):bassist:
 
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#18
I haven't bought anything from them for a bit and I didn't purchase tops but exoticwoodzone.com had ok prices for body blanks and you could pick sanded to 120 or 220 grit, if memory serves, for the same price.


Edit: took a look at the website. You can pick planed or unplaned and the prices have gone up a bit.
 
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#19
topper said:
Thanks, Lynchburg is about 60-90 min away and Annapolis is at least 2 hours. Unfortunately, I'll have to buy online.
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Shipping for a board bought online will cost more than the gas you'd burn on a 3 hour drive. Of course three hours is three hours and only you can put a price on your time, so I'm not saying that to judge you.

There must be some small lumber mills/yards within 20 miles of you. Their selection will be limited to the timber they cut but they should have something more interesting than what Home Depot stocks, even if there isn't anything exotic. And if you're lucky the material they consider offcuts from customers building cabinets and furniture would be usable for instruments.
 
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