Snakewood Box - 173
Measures 8" x 6" x 3" $75
Snakewood body - Snakewood is so called for its characteristic snakeskin patterns. The wood is typically a reddish brown, with contrasting darker brown or black patches. The figuring can be so pronounced that it has been compared to the writing of hieroglyphics, and is sometimes called Letterwood. In addition to its colorful figure, Snakewood is also among the densest and hardest of all wood species worldwide. Among woodworkers, it vies with Lignum Vitae as the heaviest wood in the world. It grows in coastal regions of northeast South America.
Flame maple (tiger maple) top - A lso known as flamed maple , curly maple , ripple maple , fiddleback or tiger stripe , is a feature of maple in which the growth of the wood fibers is distorted in an undulating chatoyant pattern, producing wavy lines known as "flames". This effect is often mistakenly said to be part of the grain of the wood; it is more accurately called "figure", as the distortion is perpendicular to the grain direction. Prized for its beautiful appearance, it is used frequently in the manufacturing of musical instruments, such as violins and bassoons, and fine furniture. Another well-known use of the material is its use in guitars, especially the venerated Gibson Les Paul. The Gibson Les Paul "Standard", initially manufactured from 1958 to 1960, sported a flame maple top finished in a cherry-red sunburst on a mahogany body. Today, these instruments are some of the most prized on the vintage guitar market, and as such are unaffordable to most musicians.