Greg Brouelette's Hand Made Dulcimers: Woods

Dulcimer Wood

The backs and sides of my dulcimers are made from various hardwoods.
Here are a few photographic examples taken from my personal wood supply. Click on each image for more pictures.

Paduak Paduak is one of my favorite woods. It's a beautiful wood which starts out orange when cut and oxidizes to a deep reddish brown.

Lacewood

What a beautiful wood! One look at it's grain pattern and you can see how it got it's name.

Purple Heart

Yes, it really is purple! Talk about a stunning wood! Unlike many brightly colored woods purple heart actually looks better as it oxidizes.

Bird's Eye Maple

99% of Maple is not figured at all. But when nature makes that 1% exception it's stunning. This maple has hundreds of tiny dots or "bird eyes" that give this amazing wood it's name.

Quilted Maple

As beautiful as bird's eye maple looks, quilted maple looks even better. The 3D effect is almost magical. You have to touch it to believe that the surface isn't wavy. As you turn the wood the grain seems to move and shimmer.

Cocobolo

Cocobolo is my absolute favorite wood. Dalbergia retusa is a true rosewood and is even denser than Brazillian rosewood which is no longer being harvested. It's oily, difficult to work and difficult to glue (why are my favorite woods always so tough to work with?) but it makes an amazing looking and sounding instrument.

Bocote

Bocote is another highly figured wood. It's very hard and I usually use it for fingerboards because I don't often see pieces wide enough to make an instrument. There is no premium for an instrument with a bocote fingerboard. But building the backs and sides from this wood would require an additional cost.

Walnut

Walnut is plentiful and not too expensive here in California. It's a traditional wood for building dulcimers. It's a pleasure to work with. Sharp tools will cut it like you're scooping ice cream.

Indian Rosewood

Indian Rosewood, Dalbergia latifolia, is another true rosewood that is traditionally used on acoustic guitars. It's visual beauty and tonal clarity make it the first choice for the high end guitars of Martin and Taylor.

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	The backs and sides of my dulcimers are made from various hardwoods. Here are a few photographic examples taken from my personal wood supply. Click on each image for more pictures.
	Paduak		Paduak is one of my favorite woods. It's a beautiful wood which starts out orange when cut and oxidizes to a deep reddish brown.
	Lacewood		What a beautiful wood! One look at it's grain pattern and you can see how it got it's name.
	Purple Heart		Yes, it really is purple! Talk about a stunning wood! Unlike many brightly colored woods purple heart actually looks better as it oxidizes.
	Bird's Eye Maple		99% of Maple is not figured at all. But when nature makes that 1% exception it's stunning. This maple has hundreds of tiny dots or "bird eyes" that give this amazing wood it's name.
	Quilted Maple		As beautiful as bird's eye maple looks, quilted maple looks even better. The 3D effect is almost magical. You have to touch it to believe that the surface isn't wavy. As you turn the wood the grain seems to move and shimmer.
	Cocobolo		Cocobolo is my absolute favorite wood. Dalbergia retusa is a true rosewood and is even denser than Brazillian rosewood which is no longer being harvested. It's oily, difficult to work and difficult to glue (why are my favorite woods always so tough to work with?) but it makes an amazing looking and sounding instrument.
	Bocote		Bocote is another highly figured wood. It's very hard and I usually use it for fingerboards because I don't often see pieces wide enough to make an instrument. There is no premium for an instrument with a bocote fingerboard. But building the backs and sides from this wood would require an additional cost.
	Walnut		Walnut is plentiful and not too expensive here in California. It's a traditional wood for building dulcimers. It's a pleasure to work with. Sharp tools will cut it like you're scooping ice cream.
	Indian Rosewood		Indian Rosewood, Dalbergia latifolia, is another true rosewood that is traditionally used on acoustic guitars. It's visual beauty and tonal clarity make it the first choice for the high end guitars of Martin and Taylor.
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