This old Big Leaf Maple stood for many years in the triangular fountain plaza in a Bellingham small business district. Old and ill, the City cut it down. Nik Seifter and a friend secured the trunk and sawed it into many slabs discovering that that old trunk harbored beautiful spalted wood. They have shared that wood hoping that it could be used to make ukuleles.
This Google image shows the dead branches and the ill health of the old tree.
But the old tree will live on. It's beautiful wood will be used for furniture by Nik and his friend and I think I have enough of it to build eight tenor ukuleles. I inventoried my stash today.
The first experimental uke is being built for Nik, an accomplished ukulele player.
He selected this wood and a Western Red Cedar soundboard. It ought to be outstanding