Gilmer Wood Company

Macassar Ebony Guitar Finger Boards
A classically striped Ebony from Asia. Quartersawn.
South American Rosewood Acoustic Guitar Back & Sides Set
This is not a true Rosewood (Dalbergia sp.) but is closely related. It is fine grained, hard, heavy, dimensionally stable, and takes a very fine polish. Seldom seen on the American market.
German Lime
Also called European Basswood, this species grows throughout Europe. It was the favorite wood of the English carver Grinling Gibbons and the German Gothic sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider. Pale in color, it has a straight grain and fine, even texture. It is easy to work and can easily be carved with, against, and cross the grain. It is recognized as one of the classic carving woods. Air-dried.
Striped Ebony Over-sized Guitar Peghead Veneers
This wood originated from a small, sparsely inhabited island off the east coast of New Guinea. Some of these trees grow to enormous dimensions. One of the first logs we received from here was 3 1/2 feet in diameter, 18 feet long, and weighed 7 tons. It is fine-grained and takes a glassy smooth finish. Most of these pieces have a "marble-cake" look to the end grain that is outstanding.
Striped Ebony Guitar Peghead Veneers
This wood originated from a small, sparsely inhabited island off the east coast of New Guinea. Some of these trees grow to enormous dimensions. One of the first logs we received from here was 3 1/2 feet in diameter, 18 feet long, and weighed 7 tons. It is fine-grained and takes a glassy smooth finish. Most of these pieces have a "marble-cake" look to the end grain that is outstanding.
Spindle Turning Blank Assortment
The species we have included in this assortment were all chosen for their ease in turning. This is the perfect sampling of species for a beginning turner interested in imported woods. Species listed below are shown left to right in the photograph. Mesquite - 3 x 3 x 5 1/2-6" African Blackwood - 1 3/8-1 1/2 x 1 3/8-1 1/2 x 7 1/2 and longer Cocobolo - 1 1/4 x 1 1/4 x 12" Striped Ebony - 13/8-1 1/2 x 1 3/8-1 1/2 x 12" Mexican Bocote - 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 12". Muhuhu - 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 12" East Indian Rosewood - 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 12-14" The first image shows how you will receive these pieces. In the second photograph, we have surfaced all the pieces to show what the wood looks like in a more finished form. The pieces show in this photograph are representative of the pieces you will receive. Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.
West African Ebony
Sometimes called Gabon or Gaboon, this Ebony is sometimes jet black but oftentimes has grayish streaks that mostly disappear when finished or after the made object has been put into service. This Ebony has a marked resistance to checking that is characteristic of some of the Indian and Asian species. It has a wonderful texture and is easily carved, planed, turned, and milled. It is fairly fine-grained and takes a high polish. This Ebony usually originates in either Cameroon or Nigeria and the logs are rough hewn in the forest and oftentimes brought to the nearest road by human porters. With the disappearance of other species of black Ebony this species is fast becoming the Ebony of choice.
Black Limba Instrument Billets
Beautifully variegated and colored, Black Limba is easy to work and finish. This wood is found in the equatorial forests of West Africa. Black Limba has wonderful tonal properties and is suitable for both solid-body guitars and acoustic guitars. Easy to work and takes a nice polish. Kiln-dried.
Lebanese Cedar
This is one of the true Cedars. There are more than 50 references to Lebanese Cedar in the Bible. Psalms 92:12-"The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a Cedar of Lebanon". Because of its durability the Egyptians used it for making mummy cases. Carvings of Cedar have been unearthed in ancient tombs still in excellent condition. These boards are from a tree grown as an ornamental in England. The wood has a crisp texture and a lovely, aromatic scent that is very long lasting.
Figured Hawaiian Koa
This is a large tree 2-4' diameter, by up to 120' tall from Mexico & Central America. The wood is very dense and fairly fine-grained. Because of its hardness it can be difficult to work but it takes a fine polish. Its dark color leads some to call it Mexican Ebano and very dark pieces can be used as a substitute for true black Ebony, especially in laminations and inlays. Straight-grained wood can be used for musical instrument fingerboards and bridge blanks.
Palisander Turning Squares/Cane Blanks
One of several rosewood species from Madagascar. It has beautiful color and grain, a sweet smell, and is very easy to work and stable in use. It is a very close match to true Rio or Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) and as such is much in demand for musical instruments, especially guitars. Due to this item being on the CITES list, we are only shipping this species to addresses in the United States.
Lignum Vitae
One of the world's densest and oiliest woods. The green to greenish-brown heartwood weighs between 80 to 90 lbs/cubic foot. Long used for its self-lubricating qualities in marine applications such as propeller shaft and rudder shaft bearings, it is also thought to have medicinal and healing properties. Its oily nature makes it difficult to glue but makes it a fantastic turning wood. Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.
Lignum Vitae
One of the world's densest and oiliest woods. The green to greenish-brown heartwood weighs between 80 to 90 lbs/cubic foot. Long used for its self-lubricating qualities in marine applications such as propeller shaft and rudder shaft bearings, it is also thought to have medicinal and healing properties. Its oily nature makes it difficult to glue but makes it a fantastic turning wood. Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.
Prima Vera
Also called Palo Blanco, this Mexican & Central American species is yellow-white in color with a medium texture. Almost always shows a ribbon-stripe figure on the radial surface. Very lustrous. Used for fine furniture and cabinetry, musical instruments, jewelry boxes, and turnery.
Tasmanian Tiger Myrtle Bowl Blanks
Native to southern Australia and Tasmania. Yellowish-pink to reddish-pink in color, it is fine-grained, stable in service, and easy to work for both turnery and cabinetry. Takes a very nice, high finish.
Figured Hawaiian Koa
This species is found almost exclusively in the Hawaiian Islands. It ranges in color from a pale brown to a reddish brown to a very dark, almost chocolate brown. It has a texture similar to Walnut but is easier to work. Can be highly chatoyant or lustrous. Highly sought after for use in musical instruments, especially guitars and ukuleles. Koa is becoming rare.
American Holly
Holly is the whitest wood commercially available. Our stock was cut during the winter and quickly dried in a vacuum kiln to prevent discoloration. The result is very white wood without gray or bluish staining. The wood is fine-grained and is excellent for turnery, inlays, musical instrument edge bandings, etc. The grade is common and better which means that there can be some defects, mainly knots.
Lebanese Cedar
Also called Cigar Box Cedar because of its aromatic scent and its wide use in tobacco humidors. It resembles the wood of South American Mahogany to which it is related. Heartwood color varies from a light pinkish brown to reddish brown. It is fairly light in weight. Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.
West African Ebony Bass Guitar Finger Boards
Sometimes called Gabon or Gaboon, this Ebony is sometimes jet black but oftentimes has grayish streaks that mostly disappear when finished or after the made object has been put into service. This Ebony has a marked resistance to checking that is characteristic of some of the Indian and Asian species. It has a wonderful texture and is easily carved, planed, turned, and milled. It is fairly fine-grained and takes a high polish. This Ebony usually originates in either Cameroon or Nigeria and the logs are rough hewn in the forest and oftentimes brought to the nearest road by human porters. With the disappearance of other species of black Ebony this species is fast becoming the Ebony of choice.
West African Ebony Bass Guitar Finger Boards
Sometimes called Gabon or Gaboon, this Ebony is sometimes jet black but oftentimes has grayish streaks that mostly disappear when finished or after the made object has been put into service. This Ebony has a marked resistance to checking that is characteristic of some of the Indian and Asian species. It has a wonderful texture and is easily carved, planed, turned, and milled. It is fairly fine-grained and takes a high polish. This Ebony usually originates in either Cameroon or Nigeria and the logs are rough hewn in the forest and oftentimes brought to the nearest road by human porters. With the disappearance of other species of black Ebony this species is fast becoming the Ebony of choice.