'Ancient wood lives again in musical instruments. Here is California Redwood that has been part of a New York 'City water tank for probably 100 years, It will now be re-purposed as marvelous sound boards for many of my future ukuleles. Just received these pieces from my friend Jon on the East Coast. Traded for some nice Maple and Spruce.
Count the growth rings, each one marks a year of growth and imagine this tree might have been ten feet wide.
How old was it when it was felled and sawn into water tank staves?
How old was it when it was felled and sawn into water tank staves?
Bill's soundboard is Western Red Cedar that I cut from a log floating in Lake Whatcom fifty years ago. The log was about five feet wide. I counted the growth rings. 320 years in 8 3/4 inches. The tree must have been 1,000 years old when it was felled.
But the glory is that both of these woods sing the most beautiful song. They ring like bells when tapped and produce the best ukuleles that I have made. The wood still lives.
Here is Olga's tenor with is curly Koa binding now installed.
And here is Bill's tenor with fiddleback maple binding.