There is a wide variety of timbers that can be used for the back and sides of musical instruments. It is the one area where luthiers are free to experiment to good effect, and with increasing pressure on some of the more traditional species like rosewood, it makes a great deal of sense.

I have always been interested in building with the local species I find in my New Zealand environment and have put many to good use at one time or other.

One of the most uniquely beautiful, not to mention oldest ( possibly up to 50,000 years), is what we in the Far North call Ancient Kauri. However, Ancient Kauri varies in colour, grain, density and strength from one log to the next in alarming degrees, far exceeding any other timber I have ever known. This makes selection tricky but by a stroke of good fortune the more highly figured samples tend, on average, to have a higher density and aside from the associated increase in difficulties bending and working figured woods, it is easily adapted for service as back and sides for musical instruments. Indeed, the best I have is my "williams whitebait " grade which is the densest of all the different grades I have in my personal cache. It is extremely rare and I hold the only stock of it in the world.

I have been building with this timber for over a decade now and have been adding to my collection of the most highly figured examples during this time. Please check out Ancient Cache for an idea of what is currently available.