Wenge: the "new Brazilian Rosewood"?

by Jim · Leave a Comment 

A few months ago I was talking to Ervin Somogyi. We were discussing woods and geeking out. Following a tip off, he had produced a guitar body out of Wenge

Koa is my favourite wood

by Jim · 1 Comment 

Koa is beautiful. It is full of rich colours, and the figure that can be found in it is as good as I’ve seen in any wood.

I built this bass in 2005. The koa top has a subtle flame and a rich, brown colour.
Koa (acacia koa) is a hardwood native to Hawai’i, and [...]

My latest acoustic build – progress

by Jim · 7 Comments 

As satisfying as it is to build a guitar, there are certain moments that really stand out.  The obvious one comes at the end: when you string it up, and hear the first notes from the newly-made instrument.  Another great moment is when you apply the first coats of finish; at that moment, you get [...]