For well over a decade we’ve been building instruments from a large delivery of Pacific Northwest lumber – a single tree trunk in particular is responsible for some of the most striking spalted grain patterns we’ve ever featured! As we get towards the end of this wood stock, here’s a gallery of just a few of the amazing basses we’ve produced with it – click through the pics for more galleries and info..
A “spalted” woodgrain is one where the first traces of fungi in decomposing lumber has painted outlines into the woodgrain. With certain Maple logs this staining can appear in wood before it suffers from structural degradation. Apply a lightning strike or even a bullet wound to a remarkably huge trunk of old-growth Pacific Northwest Acer, and you have the raw ingredients for some stunning double bass backs!
Working spalted wood can be a challenge – Eric says, “You really need to be able to read the wood as you select, shape and carve it. You can have a beautiful piece of wood that’s just unworkable. Finding that balance takes a lot of hands-on feel and experience.”
If you’re hoping for a build with what remains of this remarkable spalted Maple, call us at +1 (860) 535-9399 or fill out an Instrument Inquiry