Wood Info
Douglas Fir Mandolin Wood - Douglas fir is an amazingly resonant tonewood, with outstanding projection, sustain and harmonic development. It’s extremely stable and takes a great finish. These characteristics can greatly improve the sound your next Mandolin. Builders using Douglas fir tonewood claim it makes the finest sounding Mandolins they’ve ever heard.
Available Sets: Flat Top Soundboards | Archtop Soundboard Sets | Flat Top Back & Side Sets | Archtop Back and Side Sets
Port Orford Cedar Mandolin Wood (POC) - (actually a Pseudo-Cypress), is lightweight, hard, amazingly stable, easily worked and takes a glass-like finish. Most important, it’s highly resonant with fabulous projection, sustain and rich harmonic development. POC is a stellar choice for both Mandolin arch top and flattop soundboards, backs, sides & necks.
Available Sets: Flat Top Soundboards | Archtop Soundboard Sets | Flat Top Back and Side Sets | Archtop Back & Side Sets
Ancient Redwood - Curly & Straight Grain Mandolin Wood - Salvaged from stumps and remnants of 1000 to 2000+ year old trees abandoned in the forest a century ago, California Coastal Redwood is an amazingly resonant species. Redwood Mandolin tonewood generates superior sound projection, sustain and brilliant harmonic development, and a gorgeous appearance.
Available Sets - Straight Grain Redwood: Flat Top Soundboard Sets | Archtop Soundboards
Available Sets - Curly Redwood: Flat Top Soundboard Sets | Archtop Soundboards
Western Redcedar (WRC) Mandolin Wood - is extremely resonant with brilliant full harmonic development, and amazing projection and sustain. At 360 hardness, a little extra care is required in fabrication, but the results will be well worth the effort. WRC tonewood is an excellent choice for either arch top or flattop Mandolins.
Available Sets: Flat Top Soundboard Sets | Archtop Soundboards
Myrtlewood Mandolin Wood - is a stellar choice for flat top Mandolin back & side sets and necks. It yields magnificent sound, with some of the sweetest harmonic development to be heard. Easily fashioned to a lustrous finish, Myrtlewood Mandolins look as sweet as they sound. This rare deciduous evergreen is also known as California Laurel.
Available Sets: Flat Top Back & Side Sets | Archtop Back and Side Sets
Black Locust Mandolin Wood - At roughly 1700 hardness, Black Locust Tonewood is a very hard, durable, stable, and tonally superior species. Projection and sustain are excellent with better than average bass response. Finishes to a fine smooth surface with beautiful honey colors. This species is also referred to as false Acacia and provides a unique tonewood option for your next flat top Mandolin.
Grafted Walnut Mandolin Wood - Salvaged from commercial Walnut groves, Grafted Claro/Franquette Walnut tonewood is a unique option for your next flat top Mandolin. Rich warm sound, bold and clear, with superb harmonics best describe Walnuts’ tonal qualities. We air dry all of our stock to achieve the best colors, and structural and tonal characteristics, to yield superior instruments.
Available Sets: Flat Top Back & Side Sets | Archtop Back and Side Sets
Claro Walnut Mandolin Wood - is a great option for flat top Mandolin back & side sets and necks. Rich warm sound, bold and clear, with superb harmonics best describe Walnuts’ tonal qualities. We air dry all of our stock to achieve the best colors, structural and tonal characteristics. Easily fashioned, Claro Walnut will yield visually stunning Mandolins.
Available Sets: Flat Top Back and Side Sets | Archtop Back & Side Sets | Flat Top Soundboard Sets | Archtop Soundboards
Pistachio Mandolin Wood - You know Pistachio nuts and ice cream, but wait till you see and hear a Pistachio mandolin..! The wood is very dense and hard, with a bright, crisp sound. The colors include a kaleidoscope of green, red, white, and tan to dark brown. Due to the small size of these trees, instrument size stock will always be very limited and provides a unique tonewood option for your next flat top Mandolin.
Available Sets: Flat Top Back and Side Sets | Archtop Back & Side Sets
Alaska Yellow Cedar Mandolin Wood - Alaska Yellow Cedar, (AKA Alaska Cypress and Yellow Cypress), is very similar to Port Orford Cedar (Lawson Cypress) in many ways. It is very stable and stiff, has a soft velvety look and takes a beautiful finish. It is also one of the more resonant tonewoods, again similar to POC, but a bit warmer sound in the low end. We think you will enjoy this species.
Available Sets: Flat Top Soundboard Sets | Archtop Soundboards
Maple Mandolin Wood - Western Bigleaf Maple is the preferred mandolin tonewood for back and side sets by many luthiers and players seeking traditional mandolin sound. The curly (fiddleback) and somewhat rarer quilted figure yield beautiful instruments. Janka hardness is approximately 850 and it is known to take a nice finish.
Available Sets: Flat Top B&S Sets | Archtop B&S Sets