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First off before I tell my sad tell, I found some awesome plywood. Some really nice 3/4x48x96 book-matched figured English Walnut veneer (both sides) on 8 ply Birch core. But I have to tell you, “you need an accountant to tally up the bill” $165 per sheet

I went to only high end lumber supplier (I use that term very loosely for this vendor, but they are the best we have) in our area a couple weeks ago. I spoke to them about ordering in some B/BB grade ?” Baltic Birch plywood. He agreed that grade should be “internal patches allowed. no voids, veneered both sides”. He called his suppliers and confirmed the grade and placed an order. At the time we were told that it would be 6 weeks and would require payment in advance. I said no problem, as I just want to stock up some high-grade ply for some future jigs.

Well I got a call yesterday informing me that my ply was in. So I headed out there last night to pick it up. Oh was I hot when I got there they shipped some nice looking Russian Birch but grade B/DD. The outer veneer is very nice but every edge of every sheet had voids of ?” and longer, about one void every 6”, but not on every layer of course.

The proprietor of the lumber yard called his supplier to inform of the error and was told that they showed the order requested cabinet grade ply not B/BB Baltic Birch.

I spoke with the mill manager and assured him that I was standing next to the lumber yard manager when he ordered the ply and he ordered B/BB Baltic Birch and confirmed the grading specs. I refused the shipment and requested a credit be added to my credit card account.

As it has turned out I am keeping the order alive and have now been told 10 weeks delivery from the mill.

Man!! it is getting hard to find good ply out here in the west.

Hang in there Michael, i understand the frustration totally, hope everything turns out all right for you.

Don't get too upset Michael, you can't build guitars with that stuff anyway....

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Wow! And I thought it was hard to get stuff in Montana!

Actually I am pretty fortunate in Helena - we have a very competent and friendly wood supplier, who just thinks it is the coolest thing in the world that I build guitars. Always has 3/4 and 1/2 baltic in stock, and has an amazing amount of exotics. Not much in the way of guitar wood, but he special orders planks of Mahogany for necks, and saves me a ton of $$$! Comes out to about $10 a neck! Then I can afford more zoot!

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

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