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Hey there, does anyone know of or be willing to reveal a source for good Spanish Cedar?
I just went to my usual supplier with the intention of getting a batch of neck wood and I picked through 480 board feet of absolute useless wood. Mainly flat sawn, but all of it so soft you could nail mark it like it was balsa. It seemed to have some from very young trees and was rubbery as well as soft and pithy. The Red Gum wood next to it was harder.
I'm in Northern CA looking for something up here. Thanks. You can write me an email or post here.
estebanana--if you need a small supply in a hurry you might try rockler as they usually have some in their store. short of that i do not know. i am not sure if they have a location near you but go to their website to see.
It's not place to order from, it's a local walk in lumber dealer. Mc Beath Hardwoods. In the past I've bought lots of Spanish cedar there, but I was lucky the wood stocks were good. They used to stock Spanish cedar in 4 quarter, 8 quarter and thicker dimensions and a great majority of the wood was good, with about 20% being ideal for necks.
They only stock 3/4" finished both sides and the quality is abysmal now. Since they are not a guitar wood dealer specifically they don't really care or frankly understand what I'm looking for. Consequently the beautiful old dried for ten years stocks are gone and the new has arrived, and it's total ****. They did not have the foresight to replenish the stocks or insist on continuing to stock various dimensions.
They also used to stock this fantastic dyed Poplar which was a velvety black and I used it on dozens of guitars as purfling and rosette lines. I asked for some six months ago and they said they cut their connection with the guy who made it.
They are so off the game these days when I ask for Spanish cedar the yard guys tell me they have Alaskan Yellow cedar and Western Red Cedar as a replacement if I would like those woods. Not even close chum.
The problem with suppliers these days is that they can't and won't stock specialty stuff to cater to minor industries like ours. I'll probably have to buy it from a guitar wood dealer now, which means it takes the processing part out of my hands. I can't pick my boards and saw them up myself and store them to dry. Which frankly makes me feel like some **** hobbyist beholden to a hobby materials supplier.
So if anyone knows of a place I can walk in and pick my Spanish Cedar I would really appreciate the phone number. I have lots of business to give them.
Stephen, have you tried Handloggers on Cutting Bvd in Richmond? They were the best supplier in the bay area with a warehouse full of exotic woods including Spanish Cedar, you could spend all day there. Prices way better than McBeath too. Don't let the storefront flooring display fool you, theve got a big warehouse in the back. At least they used to, I havn't been there in a few years. Put on your bullet proof vest for the drive over...
The problem with suppliers these days is that they can't and won't stock specialty stuff to cater to minor industries like ours. I'll probably have to buy it from a guitar wood dealer now, which means it takes the processing part out of my hands. I can't pick my boards and saw them up myself and store them to dry. Which frankly makes me feel like some **** hobbyist beholden to a hobby materials supplier.
Thats what everyone does here, but I guess builders in Spain are just hobby builders. You could go to Brazil, buy a tree and cut it all down yourself if you dont want that hobby label on you. I wish I had so much money that I could build guitars as a hobby. I would then change my name to Happy Hobby Donny.
The problem with suppliers these days is that they can't and won't stock specialty stuff to cater to minor industries like ours. I'll probably have to buy it from a guitar wood dealer now, which means it takes the processing part out of my hands. I can't pick my boards and saw them up myself and store them to dry. Which frankly makes me feel like some **** hobbyist beholden to a hobby materials supplier.
I know how you feel Stephen. I used to be able to walk into Miles Gilmer Hardwoods and buy nice big planks of Spanish Cedar and many other really nice exotic hardwoods...even Madagascar Ebony in logs. Then Miles hired a new guy to handle the guitar woods and he wouldn't sell lumber anymore. Their prices are now so high and quality so poor that I've switched to importing from Spain. I've been happy with the Spanish Cedar from Maderas Barber.
I know how you feel Stephen. I used to be able to walk into Miles Gilmer Hardwoods and buy nice big planks of Spanish Cedar and many other really nice exotic hardwoods...even Madagascar Ebony in logs. Then Miles hired a new guy to handle the guitar woods and he wouldn't sell lumber anymore. Their prices are now so high and quality so poor that I've switched to importing from Spain. I've been happy with the Spanish Cedar from Maderas Barber.
That guys has been there for a number of years now if he's who I'm thinking of. I had a good interaction with him in 2000 or so when I bought a large amount of Madagascar rosewood. Sent him a handmade japanese chisel as a thank you present. Then a little bit later ordered a set of Macassar ebony which was being billed as the greatest most beautiful set ever. It looked like plantation Indian. When I asked about returning it he took it as a personal insult. It did not leave a good taste in my mouth as it were.
Hibdon Hardwoods (google) usually has lots of good Spanish Cedar if you are willing to purchase processed neck blanks. They sell them in long enough lengths to do the whole heel stack.
I've tried cutting my own from lumberyard boards (Hearne's is closest to here), but there is too much wastage. I feel like it's more efficient just to buy them from Hibdon.
In the US we have a different way of thinking about this supply. It's not a slight to European ways of supplying.
What I'm really saying in an backhanded way is that is it sad that our state of manufacturing is such that small industry is not supplied at a local level like it used to be. In part because the internet has changed the way supply works and also due to American manufacturing being sent overseas we don't have hardware stores we used to have.
Hardware stores are chains now and the goods are pretty much the same at each chain. In the old days, and I'm probably of the last generation that gets this, hardware stores were better at serving specialty industry and the goods were better quality. There was a time you could walk into a hardware store in your town and buy the best chisels and the guy selling them would know what he was selling.
Two weeks ago I bought a small gouge in a hardware store here and it was only there because it was left over stock from many, many years ago, it was the last one. They were not restocking this tool. I brought it up to the cash register and the young woman who rang it up asked me what it was. I said it's a chisel. She said Oh Ok and proceeded to type it out on the computer screen:
SHIZZLE $8.00
I laughed and said thank you for my chisel. She really had no idea what a chisel was or how it was spelled. I walked out and thanked Snoop Dogg for such an interesting afternoon.
She said Oh Ok and proceeded to type it out on the computer screen:
SHIZZLE $8.00
I laughed and said thank you for my chisel. She really had no idea what a chisel was or how it was spelled. I walked out and thanked Snoop Dogg for such an interesting afternoon.
Stephen, I used to buy Brazilian Rosewood (among other things) from Emerson hardwoods in Portland Oregon. It was stored in an open ended giant building. You could spend hours sorting through the piles of lumber selecting the best boards all Emerson asked is that you restack the wood neatly for the next customer. Then one day the slimebag politicians and lawyers decided that it was too dangerous for ordinary human beings to be allowed to sort and re-stack wood and Emerson was forced to deny access to the wood stocks. They opened a subsidiary called Crosscut Hardwoods which had pretty much garbage stock and charged 3 times the price. Another hardwood supplier whose name escapes me opened to compete with Crosscut. When another luthier and I went in to check their stock shortly after they opened we were hounded by a young attractive female salesperson. She finally exposed her total ignorance of woodworking by directing us to the osagee orangee (hard g sound). It took a couple of seconds for us to realise she was referring to Osage Orange. Good for many laughs.
How I miss the wonderful old hardware stores and lumber yards. You're right in saying the current generation is missing out on a better time for woodworkers.
That guys has been there for a number of years now if he's who I'm thinking of. I had a good interaction with him in 2000 or so when I bought a large amount of Madagascar rosewood. Sent him a handmade japanese chisel as a thank you present. Then a little bit later ordered a set of Macassar ebony which was being billed as the greatest most beautiful set ever. It looked like plantation Indian. When I asked about returning it he took it as a personal insult. It did not leave a good taste in my mouth as it were.
Aaron, I started buying from Miles when he had a little shop in his backyard with small stocks of mahogany etc. He's a really nice guy if a little eccentric (aren't we all). I told him that I liked to saw my own wood and he seemed to understand and always allowed me to buy wood in big dimensions, even ordered it special for me from time to time. He offered me the job that that new guy has. I declined since I didn't think he could afford my price. It's a real disappointment that I can't deal with Gilmer Hardwoods anymore since I really liked and respected Miles. Unfortunately I can't say the same for his obnoxious employee.
Its like that all over the world and not only in Hardware or wood. Its in everything.
Go to France. A small picturesque village that 30 years ago had a handfull of shops and bars, an always something to look at. Now its dead and you have to go intermarché or another supermarket in outside. Spain is still different and its the last place in western Europe with a lot of small shops in all places, but its just a matter of time. During my 11 years here, half of the shops have disappeared and most of the rest will disappear soon. Andalucia will be the last place where it´ll happen. Northern Spain is already half dead.
I can understand that it must be a special feeling to cut your own woods just like it might have been a special feeling to kill your local beef before eating it. But guys, we are all part of the changes in the world.
Its like that all over the world and not only in Hardware or wood. Its in everything.
Go to France. A small picturesque village that 30 years ago had a handfull of shops and bars, an always something to look at. Now its dead and you have to go intermarché or another supermarket in outside. Spain is still different and its the last place in western Europe with a lot of small shops in all places, but its just a matter of time. During my 11 years here, half of the shops have disappeared and most of the rest will disappear soon. Andalucia will be the last place where it´ll happen. Northern Spain is already half dead.
I can understand that it must be a special feeling to cut your own woods just like it might have been a special feeling to kill your local beef before eating it. But guys, we are all part of the changes in the world.
This is the most depressing -- and probably true -- comment I've read on the Foro. Though, I suspect, Anders is right. How sad...
I could not get Handloggers to answer the phone last week, so I was in Richmond this morning by chance on my way back from San Raphael. I stopped in and they said they no longer carry lumber, just composite wood flooring now. I suspected so much, but thanks for the try.
All leads have so far turned up only pithy 3/4 material in the local yards.
Edit: I may have talked my way into a wholesale supplier in the Central Valley. They said I could come over even though they don't sell to the public.
I deleted my reply when I realized you wanted a local source, but since you're having trouble: I get mine on ebay from a place in Massachusetts that advertises 25 bf packs of 16/4. For some reason they always send me 20 bf (and charge me for 20). It comes in one plank by UPS. I think it is very nice material. There are wormholes, but it is not lifeless looking like the wastefully cut stuff from LMII.
Ahh so Estebanna ran away to Japan because of Home Depot and Ace hardware.
Necroposting here because I was on a mission to find some cedar from a local supplier vs buying from LMI. I found only 1 good 5/4 10’ board out of 50. And after jointing and planing the thing i might be able to get a whopping 1 neck blank because there are so many knots in it. Not sure it was worth it but I needed brace wood anyway. Now if I could just find a source to hand pick soundboards...
I kind of jumped the gun when I posted because when I surfaced the other half of the board it revealed some nice wood. Even with some flame striping in one side. Still have to cut and plane out around the knots but I should be able to get some nice necks out of this half.
The 5 Spanish cedar neck blanks, 1X3X36 inches came in and he did his best to accommodate me with quarter cut pieces. All in all I have no complaints and the total cost with delivery was $113.00
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