News

Sacha Rosewood by luthier Gustav Fredell!

More about Gustav and his sacha Guitars at the Acoustic Music Company

A sample of book matched sets for solid Body drop tops now in stock!

Monte Pittman playing his Bourgeois 12-fret acoustic during “Masterpiece” build with Sacha Rosewood back/sides.

The gorgeous back of the Bourgeois 12-Fret OM in “Sacha Rosewood” from Terra Tonewoods.

“This Bourgeois Vintage D pairs Adirondack Spruce top with Sacha Rosewood back and sides. Adirondack spruce, also known as Eastern Red Spruce, was the legendary topwood used on most pre-war American-made guitars. Properly sawn, Adirondack is much stiffer than Sitka and Engelmann spruce, both along and across the grain. This allows builders to make thinner, lighter tops, resulting in lightning-quick response with power to spare.

The scientific name for Sacha Rosewood or “Higuerilla” is Micandra spruceana. Sacha Rosewood is an excellent wood for acoustic guitar backs and sides. It’s appearance is very reminiscent of traditional old world Madagascar Rosewood with rich colors ranging from light coffee to mid orange brown with dark brown stripes. The sapwood is strong and stable with a light-beige color, so there is no jarring contrast, and it looks fantastic on the sides of the instrument. When book matched, Sacha Rosewood presents a strong and colorful linear figure for backboards.

Tonally, Sacha Rosewood reminds us of Palo Escrito (the Rosewood from Mexico known for making great sounding instruments), Madagascar Rosewood with a bold glassy tap tone that belies the low weight of the wood. While the overall tonal palette settles in tones midway between mahogany and rosewood, it delivers an immensely satisfying richer overtones akin to Brazilian Rosewood. When coupled with an Adirondack Spruce top Sacha Rosewood brings the guitar strong fundamentals, a lightning quick response, clear trebles, well defined mid-range, and a solid bass register – or in other words, simply wild (*) !!”

For full article go to: http://artisanguitars.com/bourgeois-vintage-d-adirondack-and-sacha-rosewood/

Collings Forum:

http://collingsforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/74760485/m/9170025356

Lance Peck, co-owner Terra Tonewoods, in the Peruvian rainforest sourcing new tone woods. July 2012

Collings New D1A using Spanish Cedar from Terra Tonewoods.

Our Red Mountain Spanish Cedar comes from Peru and are exclusively offered in acoustic sets by Terra Tonewoods. It is dense and solid and has all the qualities of traditional Spanish Cedar but, unlike it’s cousin, this cedar specie does not ooozz sap from it’s pores. We found this high elevation species a dream to work with.

Spectacular color, quality and stability. Collings Guitars, they understand great wood!

Terra Tonewoods, we are out sourcing for you!

D1A for sale: GRYPHON

Check it out!

Lance Peck marking out back and side sets on Spanish Cedar in Peru.

“Terra Tonewoods (terratonewoods.com) is a company that specializes in sourcing a variety of responsibly harvested woods from Peru. In some cases, these woods come from forests that the Peruvian government has designated to be cleared for mining or agriculture. In other instances, Terra sources its materials from sustainably managed forests. Some of the species the company offers include familiar woods like mahogany and members of the rosewood family, but there are also types such as Peruvian walnut, ishpingo, higuerilla, and moena, that, while not yet well known, are beautiful and exceptional sounding. “I started working with [Terra Tonewoods’] Lance and Belinda Peck as they were local to me and had some amazing wood that was never considered for guitars,” says California luthier Mike Baranik (baranikguitars.com). “I made some guitars out of these woods, and we have now partnered up to help get the woods into the hands of luthiers.” Baranik’s partnership in Terra Tonewoods has helped get individual builders such as Michael Greenfield and Michi Matsuda, as well as larger companies like Bourgeois and Collings, using the woods.”

To read the full article click here.

This article also appears in Acoustic Guitar, August 2012

http://artisanguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/images/Collings-D2HA-18965-Sacha.mp3

Instrument builders are continually searching for alternative woods that can match the tonal qualities that Brazilian Rosewood brings to the table, as well as the aesthetic beauty of this wood .  In this custom D2H, Collings has chosen to present a new species of custom wood for use on their instruments – introducing, Sacha Rosewood.

“Sacha Rosewood” is available in matched back & side sets for acoustic guitar builds exclusively through Terra Tonewoods, luthier division of Forgotten Woods LLC, California. Order online at www.terratonewoods.co

Here is a blog thread posted July 6th on CollingsGuitars blog about their new D2HA with Sacha Rosewood.

“Had the opportunity to visit Artisan Guitars today and witness another step in the evolution of Collings’ rosewood dreadnaught build process.

The somewhat blonde in color cousin of madagascar rosewood was a delight to play, and if this guitar is a prototype of sorts if you will experiment by Collings, then there will be many of these instruments to come. The standard neck and 1 11/16 nut width of this guitar was very comfortable, even in my 6’6 hands, which again, demonstrates that not all nut widths/neck shape combinations are created equal, and in the end you just have to play the guitars for yourself. That being said, for a guy who prefers the D18GE/Merrill C18/Martin D18 Authentic chunky baseball neck shapes, this guitar fit the bill anyway, and was a fast playing joy all the way up the neck.

Let’s discuss this business of tone with the sacha rosewood. Huge, controlled chunks of punch await the player. CONTROLLED..PRECISE..POWERFUL..BRUISE YOUR STERNUM PUNCH, PEOPLE. Yep, this is one for the ages, and even in what I see as an experiment by Collings (Bill, Ellie, W.T., Adam, correct me if I’m wrong)this one is pushing the punch and precise, articulated, in your face out front tone and volume to the next level. As usual, the balance is all there, and the craftsmanship is flawless, maybe better than in the past, if that’s possible. A piece of coffee table art with strings. Think Robert Bowlin Six String Soliloquy album with just a tad more of everything..punch (did I really use that word again? Yes, I did), power, balanced pop with each note, again, laying the sternum to waste.”

To read the full thread history copy this link to your browser:

http://collingsforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/74760485/m/8140014156?r=8140014156#8140014156