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Old 01-08-2012, 02:41 PM
BBWW BBWW is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
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Originally Posted by architype View Post
Hey BBWW...What is the street value on that slab? How thick is it? and is it quartersawn or flatsawn?
This whole tree was figured. 3 types of quilt. Tortoise-shell, Sausage Quilt and a combo of both. The tree it's self was quartered when it got to the mill after being floated downriver. No matter how it got cut it was highly figured. I have had some sausage quilt that was well quartered and some close to quartered. The wood is so stable that really I'm not sure from a building point of view it's ever been an issue. I've handled about 50 sets of the Sausage over the years and about 10 of the Tortoise-Shell. I had one last set of that floating around the luthierverse this last two years, my last set, and it landed in Harvey Leach's hands. I won't get into costs of that set or others. I know that if I gave him the whole board he might build me a guitar out of it. :-) And that might take some sweet talkin'. He is having an affair with the Tree right now. I think he has something big planned for that set. I have ZERO sets left, just a few backs and the board.

The board is about 40 board ft. It's an inch thick with a good layout (best case) I could get around 40 sets. I won't do the the re-saw myself. Funny thing about boards though...you open them up and you can get big surprises! Beetles and borers alike enjoyed parts of this tree. I could more easily get only 20 sets out of the board, so we'll have to see. Here is a photo of my kitchen table after the last re saw...all of this is gone.
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I will say cutting these big boards is really difficult for me as I know I'll never see anything like them again. It's been argued that now a board this big is worth more in one piece than in guitar sets. If indeed people are getting $1350 a board foot...well this board would be worth $54,000 as a board, maybe more because of it's size. (Check your pockets!) I still have access to it's base for a conference table as well. 3 years ago this table did not sell for $90,000. But in the end it's worth what someone pays for it. I know what Taylor paid for the wood they had (have) and they sell the upgrade for $6000 or more. They are doing OK on that markup. Smaller builders take many more risks with the wood and have a lot less to makeup for it if something goes wrong, yet most I know mark it up less than Taylor. I know Breedlove still has a couple of sets left for a $4000+ upgrade.

It is a great sounding wood. I haven't heard a bad guitar from it and I've played more than most. It is a mahogany but it is atypical and has some of the mysteries of rosewoods. It's not JUST pretty, it has a tone that I think is unique. I bought my first set in 1992...then well I sort of obsessed...I would think around 300 guitars built is a good guess and I'm guessing there are 50 sets in the hands of Luthiers, but know one really knows for sure. It is not for the faint of heart to buy or bend. People like pretty guitars, sure, a few of us like them to sound as good as they look too.

Is it worth it...probably not! But being an idiot myself it was to me in 1992 and is to me in 2012. RioRider would agree, as would many on this board who own a guitar out of "The Tree". I would expect to pay the same price as good old growth Brazilian and it's going up because it's getting harder to find. My wife will have some in my shop when I die...that would be a good time to buy. :-) My next guitar will be one like the Steve Seville "The Tree" with a "Lucky Strike" Carter redwood top over in the Custom forum. That will cost me...sigh. Somebody buy some CD's or book me so I can get it...in 5 years.

Last edited by BBWW; 01-08-2012 at 02:46 PM.
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