The gloves are off! Consider this your final warning! If someone does not buy or trade for my ivory, I will:
Build a huge BANJO, an Ultra-Super-Jumbo Banjo, and then I will take many many high resolution pictures of the USJ Banjo and I will post them constantly in OLF threads. And, I will post sound clips! Lots of USJ Banjo sound clips! I do not know how to play banjo, but I'm thinking about some experimental blend of opera, country & western, Hawaiian slack key, hip-hop, and bottleneck slide blues. I will tighten the banjo head to the limit, record as hot as possible, with the microphone 3" away from the bridge, and use lots of compression!
(You know, it's even painful typing out this threat. Can you imagine?)
So, there it is boys and girls. You have been warned.
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Well, as I mentioned on day one, "I will reduce prices by 10% on anything not already sold, on the last couple of days of the Swap Meet", and so I will. I really do not mind if I don't sell the Claro. I did see a number of nice Claro sets here at the swap meet, some priced lower and some priced higher, but for the the figure of this set (and what I paid for it), I still think it was priced correctly. And, then I reduced the price. And now I'm dropping that by 10%. (I think I have about 6 sets of Claro, plus 2 thick, figured back billets - that's the only reason I put this set in the Swap Meet.)
Actually, at this point, I'd rather swap something for the figured Claro Walnut set, and swap something for the Ivory lot. What do you have that is special, to trade? I would even consider a very nice parlor-sized set of something special.
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I will be painfully honest (and way too verbose) in describing my stuff, especially the wood. I don't want anyone to have any surprises, and the wood will be as good or better than I am describing or I will refund all of your money, minus shipping. I'll ship anything but the Ivory anywhere in the world - you pay the shipping. All wood was swabbed with naphtha for the photos. All of the images are thumbnail links (to be nice to those with slow connections.) Click on any image to see a larger image. Thanks for looking!
To buy an item: be the first person to post "I'll take the (name of item)" in this thread. I will accept PayPal (easiest), or your check for payment.
For barter items, contact me, and the first to commit to a transaction gets it.
Osage Orange Back & Side Sets
American Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) The lumber was expensive, and some hidden interior checking in some boards made for a bad yield. So, the sets are priced accordingly. I have been looking for American Osage Orange for a couple of years, and it just does not show up very frequently in luthier quality and sizes. I kept a few sets, and figured maybe someone else would like to try this relatively rare and highly regarded tonewood too. All Osage Orange was from the same tree. If you want to see what Osage Orange looks like once it has darkened a bit to the golden-orange color, this page shows a turned wood vase that gives a good representation of the color. (Of course, Osage isn't legendary for the grain or color; it's legendary for its taptone that some say makes it a "drop-in replacement for Brazilian Rosewood.) I think this Osage would look awesome with Cocobolo or Ebony bindings, or maybe some dark Claro Walnut if you wanted to keep it all North American.
Thanks to Grant Goltz for his expert and excellent resawing of the Osage Orange!
Osage Set # 1 (click each thumbnail image for larger image)
Notes: Osage Orange Set # 1. Dred size. Has a very small sound pin knot running skew on the outer upper bouts within the pattern. (With some fancy footwork, you may be able to get the pin knots on the left side outside of a pattern with a Venetian (curved) cutaway, depending on the shape of the cutaway "horn", and even more easily with a Florentine cutaway, depending on the shape.) Backs (8-1/4" lower bout, 7" upper bout x 22") are well quartersawn in lower bout, with prominent medullary rays evident, just a few degrees off the quarter in the upper bout. Backs are well-quarterted at the seam, and show very good symmetry in the grain lines. Sides are generous (4-15/16" x 33-1/8"), and are rift sawn. Sides contain several, very small, sound pin knots that are more like "birds eye" than knots.
Osage Orange Set # 1
Price: $104.25
Status: SOLD!
Sold to: Don Atwood
Osage Set # 2 (click each thumbnail image for larger image)
Notes: Osage Orange Set # 2. Dred size. Has a very small sound pin knot on the outer edge of the upper bouts just barely within the pattern, as sketched (the pattern sketched is 20-1/4" long and there is room to shift down so that pin knot is outside the pattern.) And, there is a knot shadow at the very tip of the lower bouts. Backs (7-7/8" lower bout - maybe 8" if you are careful, 6-1/4" upper bout x 23-1/4") are well quartersawn in lower bout, with a few medullary rays evident, just a few degrees off the quarter in the upper bout. Backs are well-quarterted at the seam, and show excellent symmetry in the grain lines. Sides are generous (4-15/16" x 33-1/8"), and are rift sawn. Sides contain several, very small, sound pin knots that are more like "birds eye" than knots.
Osage Orange Set # 2
Price: $124.67
Status: SOLD!
Sold to: Don Atwood
Osage Set # 4 (click each thumbnail image for larger image)
Notes: Osage Orange Set # 4. Dred size. Probably the best set to come out of the tree. I doubt you'll see another set of American Osage Orange this nice anywhere. Backs (8" lower bout, 7" upper bout x 23-1/4") are extremely well quartersawn in lower bout, with very prominent medullary rays covering the lower bouts, just a few degrees off the quarter in the upper bout. Backs have a pin knot shadow on the tips of the lower bouts - not hardly worth mentioning, but hey, I mentioned it. Backs are well-quarterted at the seam, and show excellent symmetry in the grain lines. Sides are generous (4-15/16" x 33-5/8"), and are rift sawn. Sides contain several, very small, sound pin knots that are more like "birds eye" than pin knots.
Osage Orange Set # 4
Price: $145
Status: SOLD!
Sold to: Ken Franklin
Bubinga Back & Side Set
Bubinga (Guibourtia spp.) This set was purchased at one of the previous OLF Swap Meets. It's not figured, but does have pretty interesting grain patterns. I think I have $45 in this set, and would like to get $40 for it. Or, better yet, offer something in trade.
Bubinga Back & Side Set
Bubinga Set (click each thumbnail image for larger image)
Notes: Bubinga Set. Dred size. Has a matching pair of sound knots in the lower bouts near the center, forming the eyes of a pointy-headed gnome or wood sprite. The knots will need a tiny bit of filling, but should be no trouble. Backs (8-1/2" x 22-1/2"), have easily avoidable cracks outside the pattern near the upper bouts. Sides (5" x 34"), are rift to quartersawn, and do show a bit of mottle pattern.
Bubinga Set
Price: $40 (or trade something of equal value)
Status: SOLD!
Sold to: Dave Rickard
Claro Walnut Back & Side Sets
Claro Walnut (Juglans californica)
One set plain, one set peanut.
Claro Set # 1 (click each thumbnail image for larger image)
Notes: Claro Walnut (unfigured) Set # 1. Dred size. Plain (unfigured), dark, striped Claro Walnut set. I think I paid $80 plus shipping. This set is perfect for the luthier who is tired of all the emphasis on "bling", and wants a simple set to build a dark, elegant Walnut guitar. Backs (7-7/8" x 23-1/2") are well quartersawn so there is good symmetry in the grain. Sides are generous (5-1/2" x 36", with 4-1/4" width clear of sapwood at the narrowest point), and are quartersawn to a few degrees off of quartersawn. Sides contain a defect (crack) within the sapwood but should be easy to avoid, by not using the sapwood.
Claro Walnut (unfigured) Set # 1
Price: $62.39 (or trade something of equal value)
Status: TRADED!
Sold to: Bob Connor
Figured Claro Walnut Set # 2 (click each thumbnail image for larger image)
Notes: Claro Walnut (figured) Set # 2. Dred size. Nicely figured set. Backs (8-1/4" lower bout, 6-1/4" upper bout without using any sap. The sapwood has defects (knots) and you'll want to avoid them - though a dred is still an easy fit. Backs are over 27" long, they are well quartersawn so there is good symmetry in the grain, and have a nice curl. (In case you prefer the curl lines to flow down and out from the center, this set will accommodate that orientation without using any sapwood - just cut the sapwood off and use that new edge as the seam. See the third photo.) Sides are generous (6-1/4" x 34-1/2", with 5-1/8" width clear of sapwood at the narrowest point), and are very well quartersawn and nicely figured from end to end. Sides do contain a defect, a skew knot/limb, at about 29-1/2" from one end (or, 5" from the other end.) Since Walnut bends so easily, I don't think it will be a problem on a lower bout near the butt, but it might not survive a cutaway bend.
Claro Walnut (figured) Set # 2
Price: $99 REDUCED, now $89 REDUCED!
Status: SOLD!
Sold to: Steve (WaldenWorx) for $85
Ivory
Ivory Nuts and Saddle (click thumbnail image for larger image)
I'm going to offer some legal elephant Ivory pieces that I bought about 25 years ago from LMI, (back before they became LMII.) I have a dozen pieces: 10 nut blanks + 1 extra wide/long nut blank, and 1 wide saddle blank. The nut sized pieces could be used for split (Somogyi-width) saddles too. This was purchased before there was any restriction on ivory, and back when I believed that ivory was *the best*, so I bought it. Now, I won't use it, but maybe you will, especially if you do restoration work. Shipped to US destinations only, due to Ivory export restrictions.
Ivory Wide Saddle Blank: 7/32+" x 7/16" x 3-1/8" ($15) barter takes priority
Ivory Extra-Wide Nut Blank 7/32+" x 3/8" x 2-3/8" ($12) barter takes priority
Ivory Nut Blanks 7/32+" x 3/8" x 1-7/8" ($10) (10 available) barter takes priority
I prefer to sell this as a lot or barter this away as a lot, and will wait a couple days to see if it sells as a lot or if I get barter offers. Hey, take all 11 nuts and the saddle blank, and offer me a nice back and side set or something else rare and interesting of equal value. If no one takes the lot, then I will look at offers to buy individual pieces in the order posted.
Ivory Nuts, and Saddle Blank (lot price)
Price: $99 REDUCED, now $89 REDUCED! (for the lot)
Status: Still Available, so... Ultra Super Jumbo Banjo to be shared with the entire OLF Forum Membership!
Brass Nuts
Brass Nuts (click thumbnail image for larger image)
I have 4 Brass Nut blanks for a couple of bucks or trade for?
Brass Nut Blank (each)
Price: $0.98 REDUCED, now $0.89 (each)
Status: Gone (Given away)
Given to: Steve (WaldenWorx
StewMac Fret Slotting Saw
StewMac Fret Slotting Saw (click each thumbnail image for larger image)
Hardly used? (That's what he said.) (About $24, new, from StewMac.) I just bought it used from a beginning luthier who said he tried it a couple of times, and then decided to get out of lutherie. I saw a little bit of rust on the blade, plus some gunk (tape residue?) So, I tried GooOff and scraped off some of the residue. Looks better in person - the camera seems to intensify defects. Maybe it just needs lacquer thinner and steel wool. Oh well, at $15 (which is what I just paid for it), it is still a good deal.
StewMac Fret Slotting Saw
Price: $14.95 (or trade for a yak hair poncho)
Status: TRADED!(for 3 EI RW Fingerboard Blanks)
Sold to: Ken Hodges
Thanks for looking!
-Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN 55811 USA
My TOTAL in sales and trades was: $576.26
Keeping your thread on top! 
