Timeless Timbers

From southern Mexico to Northern Canada, I am searching far and wide for the perfect wood for guitars. This week I was given the opportunity to have an learning experience in Wausau for MATC, and decided to combine that trip with a visit to Ashland and Timeless Timbers. This company recovers wood out of lakes and rivers, cleans it up and kiln dries the wood. My friend Rich Herbst accompanied me on the trip and helped pick out some great flaming yellow birch. This will make many guitars in the coming years.

The wood is not cheap ($15.00 a board foot) but it is old growth timber, virtually free of any defects or knots. The wood is no longer recovered from Lake Superior, but is found in many Canadian lakes. Some wood even comes from rivers and lakes in the Southern United States. I will plan on resawing the wood on my bandsaw and making some back and side sets for future guitars. It is best that this wood acclimates for awhile to the environment, so my first guitars will be made with the cocobolo from Mexico.