please help me in identifying this wood

[Sijos1]

hello all,

I picked up a fine, fine sounding dread today in a local shop. It is made by Paul S Buskirk who used to work for Martin and dates back to late 60s/early 70s I think.

I am sure it is rosewood just not sure which type. It is fairly pale in colour with orangey type hue in places.

Your help would be appreciated

[BGS]

Could be Brazilian, could be EIR. Looks like more EIR to me.

[GuitarLight]

Looks like Rosewood to me. Very nice.

[John Arnold]

That is the holy grail.....QS old growth BR from the Martin factory.
I have been able to acquire a few sets, and I place a minimum value of $2500 per set.



I built this D-45 style guitar from some of it:

[Sijos1]

Wow. Thanks. I did think it was potentially something special when I saw and played it yesterday. I had to go back today.

[Sijos1]

Thank you for your comments.

[Mark80]

It looks Madagascar rosewood to me.

Based on when it was made, there's just no possibility that it's MRW. I'm confident that it is BRW, just as John Arnold said. The landscaping on the back and the context nearly guarantee it to be BRW.

[Sijos1]

Thanks chaps. I am quite excited at this find. I have a letter stating that the chap worked at martin guitars in this timeframe so I feel reasonably confident this is an employee guitar. Any idea of value??

[markjent]

A good friend of mine had Paul make a guitar in 1974. He had a small shop in Ft. Lonesome, Florida, a crossroad with a country store. He had working at Martin before moving to Florida. I bought my friend's guitar a few months ago and was stunned at how great it sounded. I played it a lot when it was new and it was a fine guitar. But with 40 years of aging it sounds incredible. Mine has the serial number 100. It is a D-35 copy and looks like Brazilian rosewood.

Mr. Buskirk passed away in 1984 at 57. He had returned to Pennsylvania. He was a very nice man and built a great guitar. He had worked with Paul Berger at Martin. Berger still hand makes guitars in Jacksonville.

Maybe too much info but there you have it.

[usmclight]

Paul Berger still makes guitars in Florida. He has an incredible stash of Braz RW, still. Cut and cured dating back to pre-war era. He purchased the wood from Martin before he left in 1972. Since then he has made 210 guitars. I bought the D35 he made this year and it is serial numbered as 210 (out of 210 made). He is old and in bad health. However, the D35 I bought from him is perfect in playability and tone. The BRW is incredible. There are some finish "flaws" here and there due to his age and health but the fact that he made the guitar in his tiny house in his living room is a testament to his skill. I will thane the occasional drip of laquer and shaky binding alignment over a factory dread any day. I am a lucky dude to know Paul. BTW, I asked to buy some of his BRW stock and he said "there is no way in hell I will sell my wood"- hahaha-

If I can figure out how to post pics I will. Im new to this forum.

[usmclight]

Paul Berger still makes guitars in Florida. He has an incredible stash of Braz RW, still. Cut and cured dating back to pre-war era. He purchased the wood from Martin before he left in 1972. Since then he has made 210 guitars. I bought the D35 he made this year and it is serial numbered as 210 (out of 210 made). He is old and in bad health. However, the D35 I bought from him is perfect in playability and tone. The BRW is incredible. There are some finish "flaws" here and there due to his age and health but the fact that he made the guitar in his tiny house in his living room is a testament to his skill. I will thane the occasional drip of laquer and shaky binding alignment over a factory dread any day. I am a lucky dude to know Paul. BTW, I asked to buy some of his BRW stock and he said "there is no way in hell I will sell my wood"- hahaha-

If I can figure out how to post pics I will. Im new to this forum.

[CoolerKing]

The other dead giveaway that this back is likely BRZ from Martin is the 50s backstrip. You'll not infrequently see these strips on dreds from Stuart Mossman, who bought a bunch of prejoined sets from Martin in the late 60s.

Edit: Realized this was an old thread.

[usmclight]

That is most likely a Paul Berger model. He has made 210 guitars since leaving Martin in 1972- I have one numbered 210- he told me he has made 210 so far and Peter Rowan and Todd Scheaffer own a few of them. I have the serial #210 aka The Orange Blossom Special- the wood shown above is BRW for sure definitely not Madagascar RW- no way in hell!!