Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
Posts: 1706
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA
Akustik Wood
I just received my first order from Akustik Wood and I am very pleased. I ordered three sets each of cypress and Santos rosewood, all #2 of four grades, which presumably has more figure than #1. It took several weeks to place the order and several more for it to get here, but the quality seems at least as good as the wood I have received from LMII and it is about half as expensive, including shipping.
It was well packed with bubble wrap on the outside--transparent so customs could see what it was without opening it--and sticky tape holding the stacks together on the inside. There was a throwaway side protecting the ordered sides and a throwaway knotty soundboard half protecting the back pieces.
In addition they sent me three bridge blanks that I didn't order, presumably samples, which are very nice Santos rosewood, and a piece of spruce about 6"x 10" suitable for bridge plates or similar things. (I can actually use that and the throwaway soundboard half for making soundhole donuts.)
So I will be ordering from them again and I highly recommend them if you are able to plan ahead a month or two.
Don, I see your laughing face, so I think you are joking. Nevertheless, for anyone else who might be reading, that possibility is highly unlikely. (Why do people say I'm too serious?)
Santos is a municipality in the São Paulo state of Brazil, so I suspect that the wood is called Santos because it first came from around there.
This seems to be exactly the same as the Santos rosewood (aka Bolivian rosewood) that I have gotten from LMII and from my local lumber yard. It has much smaller pores than the Brazillian rosewood I have used and doesn't require a separate filling step in finishing, which is really nice. It is also somewhat denser and the color is more brown as opposed to the purple-black that the Brazillian turns on finishing. Moreover, I have found that Brazillian bleeds color like crazy when treated with alcohol-based shellac, which is a real hassle. The Santos bleeds much less. I seal all bridges before gluing them on (and then French polish the soundboard) but with Brazillian I have still had some bleed problems, and also with Brazillian bindings bleeding across the purfling onto the soundboard. I never have those problems with Santos.
Oh, you may be interested in sound. I find that Santos gives a more bell-like sound, generally--I presume because it is denser--though this can be modified by thinning the back.
I haven't tried to contact them lately, but I was wondering about the chances of ordering from them since the attempted coup. As you probably know, they don't answer a lot of emails anyway.
That's good to hear, Vahe. Last time I ordered from them they even accepted PayPal.
Ethan, their prices are pretty good but they have a hefty shipping charge (got spoiled by Akustik) and no flamed Maple. Here's their website: http://store.octopus.com.tr/
That's great that they are accepting Paypal. Last time I paid them I had to make three trips to the bank, because they (the bank) kept thinking of more things I needed to sign for the transfer.
Emailed them about 3 weeks back and.........I got a reply. Akif who deals on line was fine and promised to send a new price list. New prices I presume as they have not changed for the last 3 years. Still waiting for this mind you, so a bit irattic. I'm going to go for it - they said they were ok where they were and the latest upsets had not affected them. Let you know the latest when I get a reply or order through.
As soon as I get something through, I'll paste it up. Akif did say to use the old one as a guide, so I think he was hinting at an adjustment rather than a radical price shift. Lets see.
Ok, new price list has arrived. There has been a jump in prices. I just tried to paste up but the system is not letting me. So a quick fix - main differences: - Soundboards up by about 12 Euros 1st grade Most of the premium boards are up by a similar amount - less so on the lower grades. Main difference is minimum order which has gone from 250 Euro's to 350 That last one will make me think and see how Madinter compares. I think that provided the quality remains it will still be a good option. Like I say, I'm sorry at this stage that I cannot post the new one up right now. Maybe I can print off and scan on my own system. I did ask about fingerboards too but they said they were only for "Local People" ;-)
Thanks for the info. So that is the 2016 price list? I have one from 2014 (but sent to me in 2015). Spruce was 27, cypress 57 - both 1st grade. With 12 euros on top of that and a minimum order of 350 I feel tempted to try octopus instead - no minimum order and 37 for 1st grade spruce, 60 for cypress. Grades can vary a lot between different sellers, of course. I've bought just one spruce top from octopus many moons ago - rather nice looking and with nice tap but on the heavy side. Still haven't used it because of that.
hey all, i just got the new pricelist from akif. premium cypress is 72 euro, a-grade cost 52, caucasian spruce in premium quality costs 37, a-grade 24 euros, santos premium: 67, a-grade: 52 euros. the also have caribean rosewood. does anyone know, what that is? has anyone tried it? greetings, ben
Good, it seems like responses are beginning to roll in from Mr. Tasatan. He still has not replied to my numerous emails. I already had to go somewhere else for Cypress But if I can still get some Maple and Spruce from Akustik I will be happy.
My order should arrive today, so the local post office tells me. If it helps, I sent my order in English and Turkish using google translate just incase. Akif also told me that they have just had a huge public holiday so are just catching up with emails.