Some time between 1955-1964, massive Sitka Spruce logs were cut and lashed together to form a floating home for some Alaskan loggers and their families. For a few of our lucky clients, some of this wood we call "The Lucky 12" may become a critical part of your next "Dream Guitar."

Fine Guitar Consultants has purchased all of the remaining 12 feet of wood from a particularly special log that is wildly "double-figured," light and very stiff soundboard material. Though almost all of it is for steel string flattop guitars, there are 2 archtop sets and some ukulele or flattop mandolin sets, as well. A number of luthiers examined the wood and the reaction on their faces was fun to watch! Every one of them lucky enough to be involved is excited about using this material.

While limited supplies remain, we offer you the opportunity to upgrade to this wood. Your custom guitar project, when ordered through us, can have a soundboard set from "The Lucky 12."

Our source for the wood, Brent Cole, owner of Alaska Specialty Woods, sent us this email and the photos at the left. Here are the facts we know, in Brent's own words:


Rich,

These are the only 2 photos I could find of that float. ...The float was part of a floating log camp that were once numerous in SE Alaska. They averaged in size of 60' X 80'. Up to 20 or more of theses size floats where lashed together to make a floating town, where as many as 50 men and some of thier families lived as they logged in various locations around Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. The last Big camp (Gildersleeve Logging) was dismantled in 2001.
It's hard to say with certainty, but the logs that made up the older of the 2 floats in the photo, that the curly bearclaw tops are from, were cut [somewhere in time] between 1955 and 1965.
The 3rd photo is [of] myself ripping an 8' section of float log in two. It shows the teredos holes in the bottom.
Hope this helps,

Brent

[Note from Richard: Teredos, commonly referred to as "shipworms," are actually mollusks that bore through submerged wood pilings and bridge supports quite rapidly. Finding some of these holes is evidence of "ponding," meaning that the wood was at least partially submerged. That is a good thing! There won't be any of these extra, unwanted holes in your guitar from "The Lucky 12!"]

About this unusual "double-figured" Sitka Spruce:
Many guitar players and player/collectors have seen Bear Claw figure in wood in finer guitars. When Bear Claw figuring is present, it can typically look like a 3-Dimensional claw mark or two in the wood top--usually an anomalie (annoying pain-in-the-butt) that occurs in about one out of every 10 logs. When there is a lot of it and the figuring occurs evenly throughout the top, it is a thing of beauty! Roughly one in several hundred logs exhibits this grain, which some feel contributes to better tone. Whether this is true or a myth is still open to discussion. It certainly doesn't hurt the tone! More unusual in Sitka Spruce is 3-Dimensional curly figure. Brent estimates that maybe one in five hundred logs show this figure to the extent that the wood is workable for an instrument maker while exhibiting this natural curly figure.

"The Lucky 12" has, to some degree or another, both bear claw and curly figure present on the same soundboard! This is the first known discovery of this combination of figure. [Note: A few soundboards from this 12 feet of wood were sold to guitar makers before we knew about its discovery. Reports have come back to Brent that the guitars are stunning in looks and sound--beyond prior experience.]

At Fine Guitar Consultants, tone is king . Knowing where this wood came from and knowing of its rare physical beauty is very cool...but that is all secondary to the tone! This wood has deep resonant qualities. Its tap tone (literally tapping the wood while holding it to your ear in certain ways) rings like a church bell. The longitudinal stiffness (along the grain) is superior.

There will be some sample guitars made from "The Lucky 12" for us here at FGC. Other custom orders involving "The Lucky 12" are just beginning.

Call Richard for a quote or to discuss other special old, seasoned woods available from FGC for your custom guitar. If it is true that "Life is Short"...make the most of it. Go for the pleasures that satisfy you as a guitarist--casual or otherwise! My dear Dad, Jack R. Glick, used to say to me as a child, "You only get to go around once, Richie. If you play your cards right--once is enough."

LUCKY 12 UPDATE Blog:

10/27/04
The first Lucky 12 guitar of many coming in, arrives at Fine Guitar Consultants. It is a wonderful Michael Bashkin Placencia model. It is incredible to see the moving figure on the top as it moves in the light! Though new, and challenged by the dampening effects of the heavy rains, my ear tells me that this is another truly great instrument by Michael Bashkin.

10/30/04
Today, the "Lucky 12" Michael Bashkin "Placencia" is delivered to our client, attorney Jason Kerckhoff (name mentioned with permission!). Jason is thrilled. The guitar begins to open up sonically since I have carefully begun to play it over the last few days.

11/2/04
Major News!! I feel that I can share with you all what has been going on for the past week as the telephone lines from San Diego to Alaska have been buzzing. Brent Cole, from Alaska Specialty Woods, told me that he was going through a pile of 7 bearclaw logs in his drying room, re-surfacing the ends of the logs that had become oxidized over time. The bottom log in the pile, when re-surfaced, had the double figure of the Lucky 12! Brent found that he had discovered the last 17-foot section of the same "Lucky 12" log. He called us right away, offering us the additional find. After discussing the enormous looming investment seriously, we agreed to take it on. There are now 29 feet of "Lucky 12" wood. The only place for this wood to be found is Fine Guitar Consultants. We are proud to have this golden resource that can translate into an extra special result on your custom guitar order here.

11/14/04
The first "Lucky 12" ad is prepared for the magazines. (We will put a link here soon to a copy of that ad...watch this spot.) This is our first general announcement to the world and we are excitied. With the soundboard of the guitar responible for roughly 80 per cent of the guitar's voice, the high quality of these soundboards will allow our guitar makers to do some of their best work possible.



tel (619) 265-5900 fax 619 265-2527 email: rglick@fineguitarconsultants.com