Official Luthiers Forum!

I just got a very small taste of a portion of what the tonewood vendors go through to sell tonewood - from acquiring material through shipping. (For me, the manufacturing steps of resawing and sanding were done by others.)

Not even counting all the manufacturing steps, there is a lot of work in photographing, measuring, and describing sets, and finally in packing sets for safe shipment.

Those that resaw and sand their own are also charged with the task of finding and buying suitable material, optimizing and roughing out billets, resawing (and sometimes finding nasty surprises within the billet), sanding, matching, grading, storing...

Anyway, my point is that the job of being a tonewood vendor is tough. I offered just 6 sets at the Swap Meet (and again, I didn't do the manufacturing steps), and spent quite a bit of time and energy doing it.

Hat's off to the real tonewood vendors! Just like the relative lack of substantial financial rewards of lutherie, the tonewood vendors have to have a passion for this beautiful wood and a commitment to manage and process the material that exceeds the financial incentive. Lucky for us the tonewood vendors are passionate wood junkies as well.

Let's all be patient with the tonewood vendors that we swamped during the Swap Meet (which isn't over yet!)

And, let's have a round of applause for the real tonewood vendors!



Dennis

_________________
Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Dennis, I couldn't agree more. I cut a little more than half of my backs/sides/necks/fretboards myself. The only reason I cut some myself is that I find it a fun part of the building process, and it does give you a little more control to be able to match grain and colour.

Doing a little of this yourself certainly gives you an appreciation for how much work is required. If you really add up your time - purchasing the billets, processing, photos, dealing with the customer, shipping, etc to say nothing of the risk of finding the wood to be unsuitable once cut up - you would realise how much of a bargain a lot of the wood really is.

_________________
David White, Toronto

"All my favourite singers can't sing."

HEAR, HEAR,
I'll put our vendors, for service, assistance, honesty, and of course QUALITY OF THE INCREDIBLE PLETHORA OF INCREDIBLE WOODS-INCLUDING RE-SAW AND SHIPPING, against any and all comers, world-wide, country-wide, state, city wide-down to block-wide, ANY PLACE, ANY TIME--COME ON, COME ON--any takers. Put 'um up, put 'um up.

OUR BOYS RULE!!

I couldn't agree with you more Dennis. A few years ago I did sell wood as a business(although I still maintained my regular job, so it was not full time). After a couple years I had to close up shop, as I just could not keep up. I can tell you that you will not get rich selling wood, but there were many side benifits for me. I met many very cool people and still keep in touch with many of them.

I really enjoy looking for good bits of wood. I enjoy processing it(kinda like treasure hunting). I try to source wood for fellas(be they hobbiests, venders, professionals) that could use something that may become available to me locally, but is difficult to find in their area. I can say the two things I don't care for are dealing with money(which my wife Darci takes care of), and packing and shipping. I have done my best to make packaging less painful, I bought boxes and nice packing tools that have simplified the task, but it is still not much fun. I do hate overseas shipping fees also, as I can go out of my way to find amazing wood at good prices, then the shipping companies jab you for $4+ per. pound(work that out for say Cocobolo, the shipping is more $$ than the wood ).

So I figure I also have a fair idea as to what our outstanding venders go through, and yes, they manage to do what I just could not handle as a full time business. They are an amazing group of people. I can only imagine what guys like Larry(gallery) goes through when he also has to do events and show. Cheers to that dedicated bunch .

Peace,Rich

P.S. On a side note; When I was selling wood as a business, I looked to our very own Bob C. as the model of a perfect dealer. His web site, quality, service is amazing. I believe the way he set up his site was unique to any other dealers I recall at the time, and the look, feel, and organization just plain ROCKS

P.S.,
I HUMBLY APPOLOGIZE TO ALL VENDERS THAT SUPPLY OTHER ITEMS OR SERVICES OR SUPLY IN ADDITION TO WOODS. All I have expressed toward Wood Venders, I vociferously apply to all I have mistakenly ommited.
Sorry,