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Peru. Quinilla dry forest plot at Picota, Área de Conservación Municipal de Pïcota.  We found crude roads leading to illegal lumbering plots where many recently fell Quinillas (Manilkara bidentata) were discovered.

Photo: Lance Peck, owner of Terra Tonewoods, with Rainer Schulte at one such site inside the conservation area. Photo by Belinda Peck.

Quinilla Dry Forest

The new generation of tonewoods is not to be found in the commercial lumberyards.

The forests of Peru are basically unexplored for new musical species. Here Lance Peck, owner of Terra Tonewoods, in Peru looking through a standing stack of fresh cut lumber. This wood was probably cut for local domestic use and without proper permits. This unidentified wood may be a new species of Dalbergia, also known as “Rosewood”, which is a species that is very popular and important in the building of musical stringed instruments such as the acoustic guitar, harp guitar, mandolin, and the ukulele.

Sacha Rosewood. Acoustic Guitar Back/Side Set.

These very highly figured wild mango top sets are just a few examples from Terra Tonewoods most recent cuts.

As always, the outline is only a suggestion. Each set can be reversed, flip flopped, or used just like you see them. Thats up to each and every luthier to decide.

We simply supply the ”canvas” for the masterpiece. Or in this case, the fruit for the dessert.

Cachimbo is a small-pore hardwood of a medium tan color. Weighing approximately 39 pounds per cubic, Cachimbo is a relatively stiff wood with similar tonal and structural properties to red maple. Cachimbo lends itself to those instruments where tonal brightness is more important than elaborate figure or grain.

Higuerilla is a richly colored hardwood ranging from light coffee to mid orange brown with dark brown stripes. When book matched, Higuerilla presents a strong and colorful linear figure for backboards. Higuerilla weighs 45 pounds per cubic foot and has moderate stiffness similar to Koa. When used for backboard and ribs, Higuerilla imparts a generally bright tone with good clarity. The long open pores will require moderate filling prior to finishing.

Our highest grade Higuerilla is called “Sacha Rosewood”. This tropical hardwood from Peru is not a rosewood species but closely resembles a rosewood in color, density, and lutherie quality.