What is veneer? Veneer is simply a thin layer of real wood displaying excellent figure or grain that is glued to another surface. In this case, the layers of veneer are glued to one another and bent into the form of a catenary curve (see the 'ABOUT' page to learn about the design of the guitar stand). Although manmade veneers are available, I use only real, hardwood veneers in creating each guitar stand.
HAVEN Guitar Stands are available in just about any domestic or exotic hardwood veneer. If a particlular species of veneer can be successfully bent into a catenary curve, I can create a guitar stand from that veneer. Some of our more popular veneers to date are: Brazilian rosewood, Cocobolo, East Indian rosewood, Figured walnut, Koa, Macassar ebony, Pau Ferro, Pommele sapele, and Quilted maple. If you are interested in a particular species of wood, but aren't sure if it can be used to make a guitar stand, send me an email and let me know what wood species you are interested in, and I'll let you know if it's doable. You can find my email address by clicking here or on the 'CONTACT' link above.
All veneer used in creating the guitar stands is purchased from Certainly Wood, located just six miles from the shop. I will personally hand-select the finest veneer for your stand from Certainly Wood's current stock and if necessary, mail you samples for your approval so that you are sure to get the best figure possible for your guitar stand.
Below you will find sample images and a brief description of our most popluar woods. These images are examples only of what that particular veneer typically looks like. If you were to order a guitar stand, the figure of the veneer used in your guitar stand will depend on what is available from Certainly Wood at that time.
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Origin: Brazil
Botanical name: Dalbergia nigra
Common names: jacaranda, Bahia rosewood, Rio rosewood, palissander
Description: A beautiful, hard and heavy wood, with medium texture. Usually straight-grained, it is highly figured, with rich brown to violet-brown color streaked with black markings. The wood is oily and gets its name from the slightly perfumed aroma it gives off. It is strong and naturally durable. One of the most prized furniture and tone woods of all time, Brazilian rosewood is now rare and tightly controlled on the world market.
Origin: Mexico, Central America and areas of northern South America
Botanical name: Dalbergia retusa
Common names: granadillo, palo negro, cocobola , Cocobolo rosewood
Description: Hard and heavy, it is a naturally durable wood with irregular grain and medium-fine uniform texture. The heartwood has an attractive varigated color, from purple-red to yellow, with black markings. The color turns to deep orange-red on exposure. Used for furniture, musical instruments, turnery and cutlery handles.
Origin: India
Botanical name: Dalbergia latifolia
Common names: Indian rosewood, Bombay rosewood, Bombay blackwood, shisham
Description: A hard, heavy, moderately coarse wood, with uniform texture. It has a subtle ribbon-grain figure due to interlocked narrow bands. The color is golden brown to purple-brown, with streaks of dark purple or black. It is a naturally durable wood. Considered a tonewood for its consistent acoustic qualities. East Indian rosewood is a tonal alternative to Brazilian rosewood. Used for furniture, musical instruments, turnery and boatbuilding.
Origin: North America
Botanical name: Juglans nigra
Common names: American walnut, Black walnut, Black American walnut, Eastern Black walnut, Virginia walnut, Canaletto, Black hickory nut
Description: A tough wood with even but rather coarse texture, usually straight-grained but can be wavy. The sapwood is light in color, contrasting with the rich dark brown to purplish-black heartwood. The standard for gunstocks in the U.S. Universally esteemed for superb technical properties, including stability, and generally regarded as the most beautiful and most valuable cabinet wood in North America.
Origin: Hawaiian Islands
Botanical name: Acacia koa
Description: Koa is a hard and strong wood, wildly variable in color and figure. The heartwood is light to dark brown with a distinct golden luster; sometimes with irregular darker streaks. The grain is wavy and often exhibits splendid fiddleback figure and color. Used for instrument making and furniture.
Origin: Africa
Botanical name: Diospyros celebica
Common names: Indian ebony, Coromandel, Calamander wood, Tendu, Temru, Timbruni, Tunki
Description: The heartwood is dark brown to black, streaked throughout with bands of greyish-brown, yellow-brown or pale brown. The grain is mostly straight, but may sometimes be irregular or wavy. This is an exceptionally heavy, dense, hard wood. The black heart tends to be brittle, and this species is used mostly for decorative purposes, where strength properties are of minor importance. Selected pieces are used for cabinet work, brush backs, walking sticks, and the sapwood is used for tool handles. Also used for inlay, musical instruments, billiard cues and is excellent for turning.
Origin: Brazil and Bolivia
Botanical name: Machaerium scleroxylon
Common names: pao ferro, morado, palo santos, caviuna, Brazilian ironwood, Brazilwood, Bolivian rosewood, Santos rosewood, pernumbuco
Description: The color of Pau Ferro ranges from chocolate or violet-brown to violet streaked with black, often with variegated streaks of golden brown. In guitar making, Pao Ferro is not only used for fingerboards or bridges but also can be used for the back and sides of the acoustic guitar. It has a similar feel and similar tonal attributes to rosewood, but is harder and has a slightly lighter color. Pau Ferro may also be used for flooring, fancy furniture, and handgun grips.
Origin: Africa
Botanical name: Entandrophragma cylindricum
Common names: Sapele, sapelewood, aboudikrou, aboudikro. sapelli, sipo, sapele mahogany, tiama, Gold Coast cedar, penkwa, libuyu, muyovu
Description: Pommele is the French term for dappled. Pommele sapele is slightly more reddish than mahogany, with dark tones and purple-brown hues. Highly sought after for its similarity to mahogany for guitar making, furnitue making and now for flooring, decking and paneling applications. Also used for decorative veneers, staircases, musical instruments, and artistic carpentry.
Origin: North American Pacific coast from California to southern British Columbia
Botanical name: Acer macrophyllum
Common names: Oregon maple, Bigleaf maple
Description: The largest maple in North America, the bigleaf maple is also one of the most dramatic. Its lumber ranges from bland to highly figured, with variations such as quilt and blister that can be quite intense. The basic wood color is similar to eastern maple species, but it is usually highly variegated, with streaks and swirls of other colors including a range of browns and blacks. Used for furniture, turnery, and musical instruments.