African Blackwood Instrument Billets

The heartwood is purplish to brownish-black with dark gray streaks giving an overall impression of being black. Lustrous with an attractive inner chatoyance. Very hard, heavy, close-grained, and virtually free from pores. Its stability and lovely tonal qualities make it an excellent instrument wood.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

These African Blackwood billets are cut from logs in Africa in 2023. To prevent cracking while in transit to the US, they were completely dipped in hot paraffin wax before being palletized and shipped.
Since they cannot season fully encased in wax, we remove the wax and apply several coats of clear shellac. This seals the wood and protects it from spikes in temperature or drops in humidity but has some porosity which allows the wood to dry and season. We recommend you keep it wrapped in the shrink wrap we applied before shipping. It is best stored in a cool climate (65-70° F) and with relative humidity around 35%.
When you are milling this wood, keep watch and if it starts developing small air checks, put a coat of shellac or paste wax on it. These large, mostly clear boards are incredibly rare in African Blackwood so please take pains to prevent degradation.

These are absolutely gorgeous pieces of wood. Straight grained and as close to perfect as you can get in blackwood. They are ridiculously hard to photograph and capture the grain, plus we have put several coats of shellac on them for protection, but in the sunlight you can see the beautiful grain.

Item Number: IW36584

$414.70

B 2 3/8 x 3 3/16 x 39 7/16"

$589.60

C 3 1/8 x 4 5/16 x 31 1/2"

$603.80

D 3 3/16 x 4 5/16 x 31 5/8"

West African Ebony Turning Squares

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.

Item Number: W42335

Ziricote

Ziricote is another timber we get from the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. It is a lovely wood with a very pronounced ray fleck on radial surfaces sometimes producing a "landscape" effect much like picture jasper.

Item Number: W42334

Ziricote Turning Squares

Ziricote is another timber we get from the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. It is a lovely wood with a very pronounced ray fleck on radial surfaces sometimes producing a "landscape" effect much like picture jasper.

Item Number: W42333

Wenge Turning Squares

Most Wenge comes from the interior of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), and is floated to market on the Congo river. It is fairly hard and heavy with a medium to coarse texture. The heartwood is very dark brown with fine, nearly parallel black veining. Very rich looking when finished.

Item Number: W42332

Honduras Rosewood

A true rosewood, most of our stock comes from Belize. Smelling like stored apples, it is a lovely wood to turn and takes a fantastic polish. Getting scarce on the world market.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: W42331

German Lime Carving Blocks

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.

Item Number: W42330

Pink Ivory Charcuterie Board Blanks

A fairly rare wood from Southern Africa ranging in color from light pink to watermelon red. At one time it was described as being "rarer than diamonds". It is very dense, hard and heavy and takes a very high polish. Beautiful for turnery, inlays and other precious items.

Item Number: W42329

$50.00

C 15/16 x 6 1/2-9 1/2 x 20 1/2"

Guatemalan Rosewood

This Rosewood species has a reddish-brown to dark brown colored heartwood contrasting the almost white sapwood. The dust has a sweet odor. It is an excellent furniture/case works/jewelry box wood and even though it has a medium texture it does take a nice polish. We also offer it as a musical instrument wood (see guitar fingerboards and backs & sides elsewhere on the site). It has a very "crisp" tap tone with good sustain.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: W42328

European Pearwood Carving Blocks

Almost all Pearwood imported into the U.S.A. has been steamed to bring out a more pinkish-red color and to prevent drying stresses. Formerly the wood was used for carving, turning, drawing instruments, wood engravings, textile printing blocks, and tool handles. Stained black it is an excellent substitute for Ebony. Contemporary uses include woodwinds such as recorders, furniture, kitchen accessories, jewelry and other boxes, and architectural uses such as paneling and doors.

Item Number: W42326

Snakewood Guitar Bridge Blanks

Also called Letterwood and Leopardwood. Color: dark red to reddish brown with irregular black speckles or stripes. Fine textured and highly lustrous. Very hard and heavy, 75-84 lbs/cu ft. Takes a beautiful finish. Very rare and very expensive. Guyana and Surinam.

Item Number: IW36583

$55.00

D 1/2 x 1 3/4 x 10"

American Holly Guitar Peghead Veneers

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.

Item Number: IW36582

West African Ebony Guitar Bridge Blanks

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.

Item Number: IW36581

West African Ebony Guitar Peghead Veneers

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.

Item Number: IW36580

$10.00

G 1/8 x 4 x 8 5/16"

West African Ebony Guitar Peghead Veneers

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.

Item Number: IW36579

West African Ebony Guitar Peghead Veneers

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.

Item Number: IW36578

$10.00

C 1/8 x 4 x 8 1/2"

$10.00

E 1/8 x 4 x 8 1/2"

$10.00

F 1/8 x 4 x 8 1/2"

West African Ebony 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.

Item Number: IW36577

$40.00

B 3/8 x 2 15/16 x 20 3/8"

$40.00

C 3/8 x 2 15/16 x 20 3/8"

$40.00

D 3/8 x 2 15/16 x 20 3/8"

$40.00

H 3/8 x 2 15/16 x 20 3/8"

West African Ebony 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.

Item Number: IW36576

$40.00

B 3/8 x 2 9/16 x 22 1/8"

West African Ebony 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.

Item Number: IW36575

$40.00

F 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 21 3/16"

African Blackwood Guitar Pick Guard Blanks

The heartwood is purplish to brownish-black with dark gray streaks giving an overall impression of being black. Lustrous with an attractive inner chatoyance. Very hard, heavy, close-grained, and virtually free from pores. Its stability and lovely tonal qualities make it an excellent instrument wood.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36574

Curly Big Leaf Maple Violin/Mandolin Back & Rib Billets

This tree is native to the Pacific Northwest. It has the distinction of having the largest leaf of the Maples-up to 15" in diameter. This is a soft Maple. The tree can produce many different types of figure, including quilted (tubular, popcorn, & cloud), curly (fiddleback, broken, & basketweave), and burl.

These are decades old pieces. Dry and have a wonderful tap tone.

Item Number: IW36573

Snakewood Guitar Finger Boards

Also called Letterwood and Leopardwood. Color: dark red to reddish brown with irregular black speckles or stripes. Fine textured and highly lustrous. Very hard and heavy, 75-84 lbs/cu ft. Takes a beautiful finish. Very rare and very expensive. Guyana and Surinam.

Item Number: IW36572

Malagasy Rosewood Guitar Finger Boards

This rare Brazilian Tulipwood look-a-like is a true Dalbergia species and like many others in the genus it has flashy color, an aromatic smell, is fairly hard and heavy, and is very stable in use. These pieces were originally cut as bass guitar fingerboards, for which they are excellent, but they can also be used for box sides, drawer fronts, etc.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36571

$50.00

A 5/16 x 2 9/16 x 20 13/16"

$50.00

B 5/16 x 2 13/16 x 20 7/8"

Malagasy Rosewood Guitar Finger Boards

This rare Brazilian Tulipwood look-a-like is a true Dalbergia species and like many others in the genus it has flashy color, an aromatic smell, is fairly hard and heavy, and is very stable in use. These pieces were originally cut as bass guitar fingerboards, for which they are excellent, but they can also be used for box sides, drawer fronts, etc.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

These boards are tapered.

Item Number: IW36570

$50.00

D 5/16 x 2 3/8-2 3/4 x 20 3/16-20 5/16"

$50.00

E 5/16 x 2 3/8-2 3/4 x 20 3/16-20 5/16"

Honduras Rosewood Guitar Neck Blanks

A true rosewood, most of our stock comes from Belize. Smelling like stored apples, it is a lovely wood to turn and takes a fantastic polish. Getting scarce on the world market.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36569

Guatemalan Rosewood Guitar Finger Boards

This Rosewood species has a reddish-brown to dark brown colored heartwood contrasting the almost white sapwood. The dust has a sweet odor. It is an excellent furniture/case works/jewelry box wood and even though it has a medium texture it does take a nice polish. We also offer it as a musical instrument wood (see guitar fingerboards and backs & sides elsewhere on the site). It has a very "crisp" tap tone with good sustain.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36568

Guatemalan Rosewood Guitar Finger Boards

This Rosewood species has a reddish-brown to dark brown colored heartwood contrasting the almost white sapwood. The dust has a sweet odor. It is an excellent furniture/case works/jewelry box wood and even though it has a medium texture it does take a nice polish. We also offer it as a musical instrument wood (see guitar fingerboards and backs & sides elsewhere on the site). It has a very "crisp" tap tone with good sustain.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36567

Guatemalan Rosewood Guitar Finger Boards

This Rosewood species has a reddish-brown to dark brown colored heartwood contrasting the almost white sapwood. The dust has a sweet odor. It is an excellent furniture/case works/jewelry box wood and even though it has a medium texture it does take a nice polish. We also offer it as a musical instrument wood (see guitar fingerboards and backs & sides elsewhere on the site). It has a very "crisp" tap tone with good sustain.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36566

$20.00

C 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 20 1/8"

$20.00

D 3/8 x 2 3/4 x 20 1/16"

Curly Hard Maple 3 piece Guitar Neck Sets

The heartwood is white or cream to light brown or reddish brown. Because of the generally small size of available logs, most sawmills produce flatsawn boards which will show a broken curl on the surface and a fiddleback curl on the quartersawn edge. Hard and heavy, 45 lbs/cu ft. Easy to work and takes a smooth polish. U.S.A.

Item Number: IW36565

Curly European Sycamore Instrument Billet

This European Maple is native to central Europe and west Asia. It is a tough, white or cream colored, fine-grained timber. It reminds me of vanilla ice cream because it is so even-colored. It works well in any grain direction. It is used for musical instruments, furniture, cabinetry, and because it is non-staining it is used for kitchen utensils, wooden spoons, rolling pins, and cutting boards. The figure is fiddleback on the quartersawn surface and more of a broken curl on the flatsawn surface. Select, quartersawn material is used for violin backs and sides and necks. Dry.

Item Number: IW36564

Honduras Rosewood Guitar Lam Top Set

A true rosewood, most of our stock comes from Belize. Smelling like stored apples, it is a lovely wood to turn and takes a fantastic polish. Getting scarce on the world market.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36563

African Blackwood Guitar Lam Top Sets

The heartwood is purplish to brownish-black with dark gray streaks giving an overall impression of being black. Lustrous with an attractive inner chatoyance. Very hard, heavy, close-grained, and virtually free from pores. Its stability and lovely tonal qualities make it an excellent instrument wood.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: IW36562

Mediterranean Olivewood Turning Squares

A wood of biblical importance, no wood is more closely associated with history and the development of civilization than Olivewood. A beautifully variegated timber. Partially air-dried.

Item Number: W42325

$40.00

B 3 1/8 x 3 1/8 x 12 3/4"

Bois de Rose

Bois de Rose is a true rosewood from Madagascar and is little known on the world timber market. It is a deep burgundy color, sometimes with darker striping and darkens on exposure. It is hard and heavy and takes a high, glassy- smooth polish. This wood has a tap tone more like old Brazilian Rosewood than any other species we have cut. Bois de Rose is one of the rarest in the rosewood family. We have a very limited stock of this beautiful wood and when it is gone we will not be able to replace it. Air dried.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: W42323

$30.00

E 1/2-5/8 x 2 x 12-12 5/8"

$30.00

F 1/2-5/8 x 2 x 12-12 5/8"

Bois de Rose

Bois de Rose is a true rosewood from Madagascar and is little known on the world timber market. It is a deep burgundy color, sometimes with darker striping and darkens on exposure. It is hard and heavy and takes a high, glassy- smooth polish. This wood has a tap tone more like old Brazilian Rosewood than any other species we have cut. Bois de Rose is one of the rarest in the rosewood family. We have a very limited stock of this beautiful wood and when it is gone we will not be able to replace it. Air dried.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: W42322

$30.00

D 5/8 x 2 x 12 5/16"

$30.00

F 5/8 x 2 x 12 1/8"

Malagasy Ebony

This Ebony is unsurpassed for its beauty and blackness. It is fairly fine-textured and takes a high polish. Finest ebony in the world. Rare.

This species has been newly added to the CITES list and as a consequence, we are limiting sales to the United States only.

Item Number: W42321

$25.00

A 1 1/16 x 2 1/16 x 12 1/4"

$25.00

B 1 x 2 1/16 x 12 1/8"

$25.00

C 1 x 2 x 12 1/8"

Malagasy Ebony

This Ebony is unsurpassed for its beauty and blackness. It is fairly fine-textured and takes a high polish. Finest ebony in the world. Rare.

This species has been newly added to the CITES list and as a consequence, we are limiting sales to the United States only.

Item Number: W42320

$25.00

A 1 1/16 x 2 1/16 x 12 1/8"

$25.00

C 1 x 2 x 12 1/8"

$25.00

D 1 x 2 1/16 x 12 1/8"

$25.00

E 1 x 2 x 12 1/8"

Malagasy Ebony

This Ebony is unsurpassed for its beauty and blackness. It is fairly fine-textured and takes a high polish. Finest ebony in the world. Rare.

This species has been newly added to the CITES list and as a consequence, we are limiting sales to the United States only.

Item Number: W42319

$25.00

B 1 x 2 x 12 5/16"

$25.00

C 1 1/16 x 2 x 12 5/16"

$25.00

D 1 1/16 x 2 x 12 1/4"

Malagasy Ebony

This Ebony is unsurpassed for its beauty and blackness. It is fairly fine-textured and takes a high polish. Finest ebony in the world. Rare.

This species has been newly added to the CITES list and as a consequence, we are limiting sales to the United States only.

Item Number: W42318

$25.00

A 1 x 2 x 12 3/16"

$25.00

C 1 x 2 x 12 5/16"

$25.00

E 1 x 2 1/16 x 12 1/8"

New Guinea Striped Ebony Turning Squares

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.

Item Number: W42309

$55.00

C 2 5/16 x 2 5/16 x 18"

$55.00

E 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 x 18"

$55.00

F 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 x 18 1/4"

$55.00

G 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 x 17 15/16"

West African Ebony Bargain Box

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.

Our bargain boxes contain the mill ends and cut offs from producing the other products that are on our website. The pieces in this box are all mostly sound, but a couple do have cracks.

Net weight is 4.25 lbs.
Box size is 4 x 6 x 12".
13 pieces.

Item Number: SP3660

Panama Redwood

Item Number: W42308

Figured Bubinga

Called by some woodworkers African Rosewood, Bubinga is a deep, lustrous, brownish-red color with a fine, darker striping. The figure makes the wood doubly beautiful. It is very hard and heavy and takes a glassy, smooth finish.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: W42307

Figured Bubinga

Called by some woodworkers African Rosewood, Bubinga is a deep, lustrous, brownish-red color with a fine, darker striping. The figure makes the wood doubly beautiful. It is very hard and heavy and takes a glassy, smooth finish.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: W42306

Tambootie

Also called African Sandalwood, this is a very aromatic wood, hard and heavy and takes a high polish.

Item Number: W42305

$60.75

A 7/8 x 5 7/16 x 30 5/8"

$57.70

D 3/4 x 5 5/8 x 32 13/16"

East Indian Rosewood

One of the classic Rosewoods, traditionally used for furniture, turnery, jewelry boxes and furniture accessories. Richly colored and capable of a fine finish, it is dimensionally stable in service.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: W42303

Macassar Ebony

A classically striped Ebony from Asia. Quartersawn.

Item Number: W42302

$47.35

A 15/16 x 2 3/8 x 36"

$58.85

C 15/16 x 2 11/16 x 39 9/16"

Macassar Ebony

A classically striped Ebony from Asia. Quartersawn.

Item Number: W42301

Honduras Rosewood

A true rosewood, most of our stock comes from Belize. Smelling like stored apples, it is a lovely wood to turn and takes a fantastic polish. Getting scarce on the world market.

Due to CITES regulations, we can only ship this species to customers in the United States.

Item Number: W42299

Shihauhauco Bowl Blanks

Item Number: W42297

$28.00

C 3 3/4 x 6 7/8 x 6 7/8"