“Guitars made from The Tree routinely sell for $30,000 - $40,000”. I came into a piece. Need builder

Man that tree in the pic looks a lot bigger than 10’ in diameter as they state in the article!

 

I certainly would be researching local luthiers to craft an acoustic guitar. I'd be debating what shape.

 

Congratulations! It's not very often that one has the ability to knowingly create an heirloom.

 

Wow, congratulations! Definitely make an acoustic guitar from the wood. It will surely become a family heirloom which you can hand down to future generations.

If it were me I'd make a Gibson J-200 style Jumbo with an Adirondak spruce top. I have some nice mahogany and spruce in my own shop that I plan to use for such a project someday (probably when I retire!).

 

If it was my wood, and if I had the coin to afford them, and if they'd take it on, I'd contact TDPRI members Gil Yaron for an electric and Freeman Keller for an acoustic.

 

Is that Mordechai Jones BS, CS, DD?

 

That's pretty amazing. I hang out some on the Acoustic Guitar Forum and that tree is legendary. There's a guy over there who built a really gorgeous box for accessories like picks and capos and such from a specimen from the tree, haven't heard much about full guitar builds. If you have a big enough piece for a full build, you really have something of value.

Are you looking to have an electric built, or an acoustic? I'd definitely never use that for a solid-body or semi-hollow. I'd probably built an ultimate acoustic guitar from it, with a pickup if you really want to play it plugged in, but I'd go purist and just do a straight acoustic. If I were you I'd go talk to a couple of custom acoustic luthiers. Goodall, Bourgeois, (edit - Froggy Bottom - good suggestion from next post) there are several other really good ones. Tell them what kind of guitar you're interested in, dread, OM, 00, parlor, whatever you like. And you'd have to decide if you'd want an ALL mahogany guitar, or just a guitar with mahogany back and sides and neck, but maybe find a great piece of spruce for the top. I personally love all-hog acoustics, but I'm not sure if the top wood is generally sourced from the same type of mahogany as the back and sides are, but a good builder could work through the options with you.

It's yours to do what you want with, but I personally think it would be a small tragedy to build a solid body out of that wood - I just don't believe wood makes a significant difference in a solid body or semi-hollow, and even a hollow jazz box can kind of overwhelm any wood-tone with the pickup.

Sounds like a hell of a wonderful project!

-Ray

 

I would commission Michael Millard at Froggy Bottom to build an acoustic guitar for me with that wood.

 

Is it quarter sawn ?

 

I’m skeptical about the actual worth of the wood from this tree over all others, but it’s a great story.

 

You father-in-law should know if he is a woodworker . If it is not quarter sawn , there will be an even greater risk of delaminating or cracking wood when bent for an acoustic . Highly figured wood is problematic in that way to begin with . Sides are far more prone to cracking/delaminating than backs because of the bends . Fortunately , mahogany tends to bend nicely . Good luck with your good fortune in having some of this wood to use . Bruce Sexauer is in Petaluma , CA . He will be able to assess your wood for viability as an acoustic . Bruces is a top notch luthier . Try to understand that there are many luthiers that will not build with wood supplied by customers . Check the roster of the Guild of American Luthiers for some more leads in your area . There are a number of qualified luthiers out where you are located .

 

I just looked and the GAL convention in 2020 is in Tacoma . Take your wood there for opinions and evaluation . Don't hurry in this decision , please . Good luck .

 

Laurent Brondel can build you a superb acoustic. He also builds electrics. I have one of each.
http://lblutherie.blogspot.com/

 

Agree with those recommending an acoustic. Don't know any luthiers in your neck of the woods (see what I did...), but might be really cool to watch the progress. Depending on how much is available, well then maybe a thinline with mahogany cap. But first, and also as a surprise, maybe build or have someone build a jewelry box for the Mrs. with some of this mahogany.

 

I have a Sinker Mahogany from Gruhn’s. It sounds fantastic. If this wood is that much better it should be a fantastic guitar.