There was a "Rap, Rap, Rap" on my front door about an hour ago, and there was Steve Mc Minn, the president and owner of Pacific Rim Tonewoods, with a big smile, and the custom cut curly maple that I had ordered on my visit to the mill last week. Artie, had called from the mill this morning to tell me that he had selected a nice curly plank and would cut it today. I told him I would drive up tomorrow to pick it up, (an hour each way), but Steve lives past Bellingham and was nice enough to come off the freeway and deliver- what great folks. Here is what I received
These are the book matched sides, ten inches wide, 38 inches high you can only see part of the figure. great great stuff.
Here is the book matched back, ten inches wide and 38 high and 3/4 inch thick. I will be carving an arched back with these. It is going to be really an interesting piece.
And finally this huge slab of maple that i will bandsaw into necks. This is the really showy piece of the plank and I will bandsaw out a neck and carve it in fancy form to utilize this lovely figure. Because Big leaf maple can be a little unstable I think I will install a carbon fiber rod under the fingerboard that you will never see but will keep what I hope will be a lovely neck, perfectly straight.
I can hardly wait to get started, but lots of design work first while I let this wood adapt to the humidity and temp in my workshop. I plan on taking my time and creating a lovely instrument with this great wood.
My sincere thanks to Erick, Artie and Steve the great guys at Pacific Rim Tonewood for their over the top help on my project. By the way, last week on my visit I was able to buy some terrific oversized Sitka Spruce which will be the tone wood for this new Bass.
I can hardly wait to get started, but lots of design work first while I let this wood adapt to the humidity and temp in my workshop. I plan on taking my time and creating a lovely instrument with this great wood.
My sincere thanks to Erick, Artie and Steve the great guys at Pacific Rim Tonewood for their over the top help on my project. By the way, last week on my visit I was able to buy some terrific oversized Sitka Spruce which will be the tone wood for this new Bass.