Official Luthiers Forum!

Looking for about a dozen Master or AAA grade Engleman wedges for archtop guitars. Anyone know of a good supplier?
Thanks
Nelson

Nelson,

Contact Larry Stamm in McBride, BC. If he don't have 'em he can tell you has. Googleing his name will get you his website and contact info. He is sometimes hard to get a hold of. If you have trouble, let me know and I will get a hold of him for you.

Shane

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Canada

I also seem to recall Ed Dicks (AC Tonewood) has archtop tops on his site... and you might try Larry @ Gallery.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I did talk to Larry Stamm and he can supply part of the need. Ed has the hybrid spruce but no Engleman.
Seems like plenty of Sitka around but Engleman doesn't seem to be as plentiful.
Didn't see any spruce on Larry's Gallery site.
Nelson

Anyone do business with Old Standard Woods in Fullerton MO? Not sure whether they ever stocked Engleman but used to get some maple there.
Nelson

[QUOTE=npalen] I did talk to Larry Stamm and he can supply part of the need. Ed has the hybrid spruce but no Engleman.
Seems like plenty of Sitka around but Engleman doesn't seem to be as plentiful.
Didn't see any spruce on Larry's Gallery site.
Nelson
[/QUOTE]

Contact Larry Davis directly; what he's got listed on the website is only a fraction of what he's got available.

Looks like Ed Dicks DOES have englemann in stock. At $45 per top.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

John--I'm only seeing AA Engleman archtop on Ed Dick's site. Could be as good as other's AAA depending on his grading system?
Mattia--I'll check with Larry Davis.
Thanks
Nelson

http://www.acousticwoods.ca/products.asp?cat=41

Top left... AAA grade.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Regarding Ed's grading system -- I have an Englemann top set of his (flat top) that I bought from him last year, on which he had marked AAA. It is uniformly white, has straight and reasonably tight grain (about 20 grain lines per inch), and no apparent runout. The tap tone of this set is outstanding.

My sense is that Ed grades somewhat conservatively. Based on the set I have, I wouldn't be overly concerned about buying a AA set from him -- but to me, tap tone always takes precedence over appearance anyway.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

John--Looks like those are flat tops, or am I not seeing?
Michael--May have to try a couple of Ed's AA.
Thanks, guys.
Nelson

man I'm such a bozo... I was thinking flat top. I should have read better. My bad.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Nelson, too bad about Larry Stamm's availability of AAA and Master Grade. I've one archtop completed out of Larry's AA, and two in the works using AAA and Master Grade. To my ear the AAA has a better tap tone than the Master Grade despite the lines per inch not being as consistent. The AA sounds every bit as good but isn't as uniformly white (which adds some character). Larry is a great guy to deal with.

Have you built an Archtop using Engelmann before? The reason I ask is to forewarn that you may not get the consistent tight line count you are used to from Sitka. Engelmann I don't think grows as large or the stuff being harvested isn't as large as Sitka. (Shane or Brad will hopefully correct me if I am wrong).

Another place to check out for Engelmann (including European Spruce and Maple) is at the following URL
http://www.guitarwood.ca:8080/guitarwood.jsp

The proprieter is a fellow by the name of Sam Scappani and is located in Mississauga (suburb of Toronto).

Another vendor is the fellow we've all seen on eBay - Spruce Tonewoods (I glaze over everytime I see his grading scale).

Last but not least, my favourite - Don Barnes in Okotoks, Alberta (who I've previously put you onto). Speaking of whom I never did hear what you thought of his spruce and maple.

[ONE TYPO CAUGHT AND CORRECTED    }Anthony Z38700.5537384259

Seven incorrect spellings of "Engelmann" and counting...

I wouldn't worry about it though. One major supplier of the species didn't
get it right for at least 15 years....   

Try to get ahold of Gordon Carson in Valemont, B.C., Canada...
In addition to the fine suppliers already mentioned, he should be able to
help you out.

Luck!

Anthony--Englemann (sp?) has been my wood of choice for the last several years.
I notice the dimensions on the archtop spruce at guitarwood.ca is only 8 1/2" width. Not sure if it would clean up at 17" width. Guess I could always glue on some "wings" using the dropoff.
The maple from Don that I tried was very gnarly. Beautiful in my eyes but never sure about the customer's perception.
Maybe need to try some of the hybrid spruce one of these days.

Nelson

Nelson,

If you are stuck, I do have a few nice sets of archtop wood, but it is not Engelmann it's Lutz. The sets I have are 1.125" x 9" x 22". I have a couple that are fairly white, but not as white as Engelmann. By the way, most Engelmann, at least the Rocky Mountain stuff, is White/Engelmann hybrid. Lutz is White/Sitka (and Engelmann at high elevation) hybrid.

Shane

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Canada

Nelson you could always email Sam at Guitarwood.ca and see if he has your dimensions. (His website doesn't list everything he has). I find his pricing to be quite competitive and delivery is quick. I've purchased a couple of billets of maple from him and have been happy with them. Linda Manzer for one purchases from him from time to time.

Sorry to hear Don's maple turned out to be "gnarly". I am not sure what gnarly means in guitar building context. I've got several Sitka and Maple billets from him that look marvelous and assumed you'd be equally pleased.

Nelson I hope you didn't take my question about whether you've used Engelmann before the wrong way as I thought you were a Sitka guy.

Shane -- I'll bet your Lutz spruce would be nice -- honestly I've never seen an Archtop built from one (or if I've seen one -- just didn't recognize it). Does Lutz spruce yield a nice billet with a fairly even grain line per inch count?

I think it does Anthony, I will take a picture in a bit and post it. I have instructions to get the lights on the christmas tree first! A spruce by the way

Shane

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Canada

We don't have any here either.. Just Sitka and Cedar.

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CVT Inc.
A tour of our shop (Somewhat outdated)
My Personal eBay profile. BCWoodBug

Thanks Shane (and not trying to highjack your thread Nelson).

I've been using Engelmann almost exclusively and want to try a few in Sitka. I like the warmer sound from Engelmann but man is it frustrating how easy it is to mark. How's Lutz? Is it as soft as Engelmann?

Nelson, check out "simeonchambers" on ebay. I know nothing about his tops but he does have about a dozen up now. I have bought a couple of shipments of brace wood from him and it is very good.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Here is a picture of Lutz Archtop set. The pieces are 1.125" x 9" x 22"



I only have a few sets right now but will be cutting more in this size soon.

Anthony.

Lutz is no where near as soft as Engelmann but, in my opinion, does not have that course patina that sitka can have. Jim Watts (a fellow OLF'er) did some deflection testing on some of this brace wood and stated that it was similiar to sitka but that the wood weighed less. Almost the best of both spruces. If you are interested the risk to you low is low. I don't like unhappy customers and will ensure that you are happy with your woods.

Anyway, just another option.

Thanks

ShaneShane Neifer38700.9830324074

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Canada

"Lutz is no where near as soft as Engelmann but"

Engelmann can be as hard as spruce gets...
I've seen it as hard as the hardest Red...

It varies a lot in that regard...

My friend who makes double basses buys his Engelmann from Gordon Carson.
Gorgeous stuff.
The pieces are each 14" wide x 48" tall x 2" thick at center.
I would think an archtop guitar top would be a walk in the park for this guy!

Wow Bruce,

I have heard and seen engelmann as 'stiff' as any other spruce, but this is the first that I have heard that it is as 'hard'! I don't dispute it though. But it is not me experience.

Shane

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Canada