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Hello. I am not a builder, but I was hoping one of you may be able to help me with a project I am working on.

I need up to about a handful of wood shavings from many different tonewoods. I was hoping that if I sent one of you a self-addressed stamped envelope you would be willing to fill it up with some of your shavings and send it back to me. It would help me out and reduce the waste at the same time.

I am looking for as many of the following as I can get:

- Maple
- Spruce
- Cedar
- Mahogany
- Rosewood
- alder
- ash
- ebony

PM if you think you can help. Thanks a lot.

Why?

Nothing mysterious. I love the smell of new guitars and I want to see if I can duplicate it.

Name the guitar you like the smell of, and we can get to the exact wood you want. Most of the woods you listed have very little aroma....

Well, the point is to learn the smells of different woods. So if you have some other ideas send them on.

I am eventually going to have a guitar built and one of my criteria is the way it will smell.

I am just thinlking of someone taking some of the stuff you sweep up and sending it to me instead of throwing it away.

I just thought this would be an interesting way to do it. There is a tonewood supplier a couple of hours from here and I may just go up there and check the different woods out, too.

Might try going to a Woodcraft store. They have a variety of woods for sale.

Much of the distinctive smell of a wood can leave the dust rather quickly. I think it has something to do with the oils and whatnot oxidizing or drying up in the smaller particles. I tried collecting a load of Brazilian rosewood dust after my last big resawing session and the magical smell was gone in just a couple days. I was hoping to make air fresheners out of the stuff

If you want a guitar to smell good, get some Port Orford or Spanish cedar on it somewhere. The PO is absurdly aromatic, the Spanish is a bit less so but still quite strong. Spruce smells nice but doesn't really hold smell as well as the cedars do and isn't nearly as strong. Maple is boring smelling to me. Most rosewoods smell good while being cut and often keep some of that when made into a guitar. Ebony smells and tastes like pepper mixed with puke...but it sure looks and feels nice!

I can get you all the ebony dust you want, anyhow. I cut most of the others, but not as regularly.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Smell should not be a criteria.

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Instagram: @jfrenchluthier
Web: https://www.jfrenchguitars.com/

Thirtyone likes the smell of his Guild, when it comes out of the case. So PM me Thirty one and I'll give you my addy and send what i can to you.. I'm not sure I have any ebony in my stash but the rest should not be a problem.

MK

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I'm outside looking in, just farther from the window than most.

No, it should not... but I do love the smell of spanish cedar!! And I do understand the question, if not the rationale. Suggestion: Have the builder use SC kerfing and SC back braces (I asked about the back braces earlier, but never heard back regarding their viability).

Don't some Spanish Classicals use SC tops?

SC is one of the most wonderfully aromatic woods. Go to a GOOD cigar shop and step into their humidor. If that strikes you as what you are looking for, take it from there.

Mike (who believes the customer is always right).

If you are looking for a nice aroma or smell, get some Port Orford Cedar in there and you'll have a smell to last....

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com