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The remains of an 8-million year old cypress forest have been found in Hungary. Although the trees are referred to as "fossilized", the amazing thing is that they are not petrified, but are still...wood.
It's all a bit amusing in a way really, as Cypress outside of Flamenco guitars, and a few other odd areas has never been considered a good wood. It's pretty much considered "lumber", right alongside "cedar".
I'm thinking I ought to start stockpiling some good old knotty pine construction grade 2x4" for investment purposes .... Might make my great great great grandchildren rich someday ...
I just made a blanca from some of this 8 million year old fossilized cypress. This was taken from the tree on the right side of your photo. Take a look.
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Nice one, Tom! I'll bet it has that "sonido añejo"...!?
Estevan, this guitar is for you since you brought it up. Your going to love the top. It's a bit furry as it is from the skin of an ancient Wooly Mammoth. Bone and nut are from the finest Mammoth ivory and the tuner knobs are genuine Sabertooth tiger tusks.
Estevan, this guitar is for you since you brought it up.
[goes into late-night maudlin drunk mode:] Aw,Tom...I luv ya man...no, really...you're the best! [back to 'normal':] You say the top is skin? That's interesting...so it's related to the sarod, and the banjo; two instruments that I like a lot. It'll have a nice crisp rasgueado sound - as long as the fur's not too long!