THESE THREE TENORS are beginning to look glorious, and I just have a suspicion that they will sound that way too. I am going to hate to part with them. Yesterday I wet sanded them using 400 grit wet and dry dipping it into a saucer of water with a drop of detergent to clean the paper from time to time. Now I have put two applications of dilute shellac on, and they are really looking lovely.
The beauty of this "water tank" Redwood just takes my breath away. Tight, regular grain, perhaps 60 to the inch. It has been holding water atop a New York City building for perhaps 80 years, and now it will sing beautiful music. In this build I have paired this beautiful tonewood with backs and sides of three different species of Rosewood. I can hardly wait to discover which will sound the best.
 |  |
This is the East Indian Rosewood, #80. I have made three with this wood and they have been spectacular. I know this will be a good one.
 |  |
This is the Honduran Rosewood, #81, It is reputed to be great instrument wood, but I have never used it for other than fretboards and bridges. It is heavy, dense and tough, It could create wonderful sound, but I already love its look. warm and woody and very beautiful wood that takes a super finish. If you love beautiful wood, this is surely one of them.
 |  |
This is the Brazilian Rosewood instrument #82. This wood has long been considered the "holy Grail" of acoustic instrument wood. I have only made one tenor with it previously. It had a cedar top and lovely tone. I am expecting this one to be even better.
So the reality is I will soon be stringing these beauties up and hearing their song. Each one of these rosewood beauties is committed to a buyer, one in Bellingham, one in California and one back east. How do I decide who gets which, and what if one of them is so superior that I cannot bear to part with it. Ah the problems of being surrounded with beauty. Another week or two and I will be hearing their song.
