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Here's another attempt. For the Pau Rosa, I'd build exactly what Tom asked me too! I'd see at as the ultimate challenge, and I''m sure he'd have plenty of time to advise me along the way! 😀I only live about an hour or two away from his workshop so could take it over for a full evaluation! Actually the thought this is now making me quite nervous, perhaps I wouldn't want to win it after all.........🤞 Also I'd bring a very nice s matched single malt to share a glass with him!

I've just finished a tele made with Padouk bariolle, flamed maple and indian rosewood five piece neck, with matching brown ebony (as maderas name it but is more yellow with black streaks) pickguard and fingerboard with some ebony binding. Looks amazing, never enjoyed watching a wood come to life more than that. I'd use the Padouk to make an L-00 size, matching on the headstock which would be slotted, pair it with a nice spruce top, ebony binding and fretboard, I'd probably go with flamed maple and rosewood neck again as it looked so good. Love your work, keep it up!!

Hi Tom, I would use the purple heart to build a multi-scale, 12 fret to the body guitar. It would include a cutaway and an offset sound hole in the upper left bout. I would couple it with an ancient cypress top as the colour contrast will look fabulous. A purple heart backstrap with a green accent veneer on a maple neck, with a matching white speckled ebony fingerboard, bridge and headstock veneer.

Ive built a guitar with two knots in the top just because that piece was extraordinary when tapped. Only cost me 10 euro because of the visual flaws but ended up being one of my best sounding builds. I love that most companys grade by look because it means i get to pick some not so good looking but great sounding soundboards that i would class mastergrade for sound from the a or aa pile.

Well, Tom said we could try for each of the four woods so I'm going for it! Feint heart never won fair 'timber'! 'You don't ask - you don't get' and other such cliches. The monkey pod would be great as a 00 12 fret short scale with a sitka spruce for my daughter who is only petite with small hands. Perhaps with wenge binding, fret board and bridge. I've never used wenge or monkey pod so it would be interesting and I think the chocolate browns and soft honey colours would work well together. If not, it sounds like something I could bake instead.

I have to say I was pretty diappointed with the sound, which lets be honest is the most important part of a guitar. In a blind test I would prefer a Brook, Lowden or certainly one of your guitars.

Awesome give away unfortunately for me I’m from Australia However just as a personal opinion and incase a change of heart lol I reckon the Padouk Bariole was my favourite tap tone I’m an aged care worker Worked through the Covid pandemic So it was very hard time Mentally and physically Still isn’t an easy job mentally or physically Also lost my workshop during that time So luthiery whether studying or building is my release Would’ve built a J45 with it maybe a cedar top Anywho just my 2 cents

OMG ... that Padouk is GORGEOUS!! I wish I was in the UK to enter your contest! If I were to win, I'd turn it over to my favorite luthier, Ben Wilborn, and have him make me an octave mandolin!

The padouk would make an amazing guitar, this may be blasphemous on this channel but I was thinking a thin line telecaster 😮

I would love the Monkey Pod, I am in the middle of my 1st guitar an electric multi scale baritone and would love to make an acoustic version

I live in the UK, my address just comes up wrong. I would like to build a guitar with the Padouk Bariole because I am a resident of the United Kingdom.

The Padauk has the best tap tone but I'd like to try and make a Dreadnought from the Monkey pod. Monkey Pod needs a rebrand. It's not a great name to try and convince people to buy into. Purpleheart would be my least favourite so maybe send me that one

Hiya Tom. Liverpool based imposter syndrome builder here. The monkeypod would look lovely on an octave mandolin or a cittern type instrument. Ebony bindings or mebbe use a padouk binding. Oooh I dunno. They’re all mad pretty though.

The padouk would make particularly pretty concert size curvy 000 type beastie. It looks like it’s on fire when the ‘magic fluid’ flowed over it. The guitar I would build would be for myself as I don’t think I could part with that wood.

Would make a 00 in the style of a old martin 17 with the purple heart it would look great on a wee 00

I just build for myself and friends and family and your channel as been very helpful, thank you. I"d love to build a large, MD or similar, with the Padouk Bariole, using the offcuts from the back for a headstock and rosette, I hate wasting any wood. Paired with a European spruce, ebony bindings (if I can ever find some in the UK!) so that it 'frames' the wood, bringing out it's stunning beauty. Ebony fingerboard and padouk bridge. I'd try a hybrid X/Lattice brace to bring out a big sound, complete with 650mm scale length, so good for alternate tunings too. Gold tuners and frets.

You should try and get some Vitex Cofassus, pretty plain and horrible to glue but the sound! I would love to see your reaction to the tap tone.

This is fantastic! You’ve earned a subscriber. Lots of great techniques that I am going to adopt. I’m a beginner, at about 7 or 8 instruments. I struggle with the neck to heel transition, though I genuinely love doing volutes! The tip about the big flat sanding board is brilliant, btw. Cheers!

First thing that comes to mind with the PADUK is a parlor. Alpine spruce top, trimmed with all MadRose. Evo gold fretwire with Gold Hardware. 12 fret. Unfortunately I live in the US, so I don’t qualify, but fun to think about it.

I would do a small jumbo with the pau Rosa. Probably do a German spruce top…

I'll pay for the postage if you are willing to send some Monkey Pod to Australia? The intent is to order a 5-string acoustic guitar, with lighter gauge strings and a bit thinner top, to offset for the chronic pain in hands and arms, which can't handle 6-strings of normal tension. A custom 5-strings guitar, with strings nicely spread, will help. Thanks Tom.

Hi Tom, I would use the Padouk Bariole to make a 12 fret custom parlour guitar (similar size to a Martin size 0), with an elevated fingerboard, a redwood top and mahogany neck, coming together to create a red/orange themed guitar.

luvvvvleeeeee!

Hi Tom, for me the Padouk Bariole would be the perfect wood I’ve been looking for, to make my own version of a Tim Kill style acoustic made for Xavier Rudd. It has a cutaway similar to a Taylor k26ce but without the sound hole and some sound holes in the comfort carve around the belly. I think this wood would really suit that style.

I am an aspiring luthier building in my kitchen and I would love an opportunity to build with beautiful exotic woods. Currently all I really use is African mahogany which isn’t really striking. Using exotic woods I know wood be challenging and really push my woodworking to the next level with me no doubt learning new skills. As for what I’d build… Four ukuleles soprano, concert, tenor and baritone and a parlour guitar. With a dream of a group of people playing them all together. I would like the pau Rosa please.

I am an aspiring luthier building in my kitchen and I would love an opportunity to build with beautiful exotic woods. Currently all I really use is African mahogany which isn’t really striking. Using exotic woods I know wood be challenging and really push my woodworking to the next level with me no doubt learning new skills. As for what I’d build… Four ukuleles soprano, concert, tenor and baritone and a parlour guitar. With a dream of a group of people playing them all together. I would like the padauk please.

I am an aspiring luthier building in my kitchen and I would love an opportunity to build with beautiful exotic woods. Currently all I really use is African mahogany which isn’t really striking. Using exotic woods I know wood be challenging and really push my woodworking to the next level with me no doubt learning new skills. As for what I’d build… Four ukuleles soprano, concert, tenor and baritone and a parlour guitar. With a dream of a group of people playing them all together. I would like the purple heart please.

recently started building guitars and just got done designing my first unique body shape. would love that monkey pod to try the shape on!

The Padouk being Red & White and Me being a Saints Fan.. I would build a promoted back to the Premiership commemorative OM. ;)

If I were to build with one of those and make something special it would be the monkey pod. The figure reminds me of my daughters eyes. She is also a little monkey 😊. A 12 fret non cutaway 00 called Iris. I think it would look so striking with a maple neck. The golden colour with green/blue purfling would be just the icing.

Interesting woods and nice video, shame I can't enter the giveaway so those woods would go back to Spain (Barcelona). 😂 MaderasBarber always has some nice stuff.

Tom- When you build a guitar out of the first set at 2:08, I feel like I am seeing Jupiter's bands up close. Therefore, you should name it Jupiter. Regarding purpleheart, I have had the pleasure of building one electric guitar about 22 years ago with the material, along with Bolivian Rosewood for the neck thru body configuration, and a walnut top dad gave me many years ago. To say it sustains quite well is an understatement, and the weight of the purpleheart balances the neck at a very comfortable position.

I would build a very small house in the U.K. where you could send me more free tonewood.

Well, where to start Tom ? Heres my pitch..... I'm now on my 11th guitar build - so far all electrics. I have 4 on the go at the moment - a Les Paul, a Tele style thing, a rather fancy DC Junior, and a 5 string Fretless. As I write this, I'm sitting in my little home studio surrounded by a mix of self-built Juniors, LPs, PRS-style double cuts and a few Teles. But only a little cheap Martin X Series for acoustic duties. I'm taking my building pretty seriously now... I've moved house to have a dedicated workspace, invested in tools and machinery, and resources. I've literally devoured the Cumpiano and Mottola books, and watched the whole of Ken's archtoppery series. I follow a mass of builders on IG and YT ( strangely mostly acoustics for some reason ) and spend far too much time playing, building, thinking about and screwing around generally with guitars. I just ordered the stuff to make a bending iron from scratch. I've just grabbed a load of MDF to make my first mould. I get excited about sharpening stuff! I want to put end grafts in solid bodies!! I've watched far too many braces being shaped with sharpened chisels... I can't help myself - its a disease and I love it. I can't claim that I will build the worlds greatest acoustic if I score some of this wood, but I can say that I will give it my best. I could build my first acoustic with something cheap and "disposable" in case I screw up - but I'd much rather build with good wood and owe it to you and the wood to do something excellent. Best of all, I know of a rather good local Luther who can assess the outcome and judge how well its been used. Its not going to be anything radical - probably one of the two designs in Cupiano's book - a benchmark, if you will, from which to learn and progress to more progressive builds. I think the Pau Rosa would be "right" for something like that - understated and classic. Oh and finally one really important point .........."Yorkshire"..... just saying.......

The padouk, a 12th fret steel string guitar is what I would build. I would keep it as well, in fact I might even look at it more than play as it is agonisingly aesthetically beyond beautiful.

I’m in Canada but anyways,Pau Rosa for the good tap tone and warm woody look combined with a creamy white spruce top from the Alps ,ebony binding with blood wood purflings . The size should be a modified dreadnought and build in the style of Tom Bills guitars .

Hi Tom! I'm a PhD student in engineering who turned to crafting musical instruments to cope with the stress of graduate school, and it quickly became a passion. I'm fascinated by unique and exotic instruments, and I would like to build a Puerto Rican cuatro from the Padouk Bariole or the Purple Heart. The cuatro is a traditional instrument with 5 pairs of steel strings, tuned similarly to a bass but at a higher octave. It has a violin-shaped body, 20 frets, and is about 3/4 the size of a guitar. I understand that your competition is open only to participants in the UK, but I'd be grateful if you could consider making an exception. I am willing to cover any additional shipping costs to the US. Thank you for your consideration.

Hello there. I've been meaning to build a Giannini Craviola guitar for a while. That Padouk Bariole would be amazing for it :)

Monkey Pod is nice, I agree! I'm not making a case for any of the wood - you wont sent to me anyways! Are one of those species on a CITES appendix? Noticed the Maderas packaging stated Cites wood inside. Thanks for the episode on the Lost Tunnel Redwood by the way and contact info. I was able to pick up a few sets at that time which was great because pricing has jumped up considerably. Entertaining content Tom.

There is a Hauser classical made out of Purple Heart around!

4:06 Whoaahh love me some purpleheart 💜

I've been wanting to make a nice parlor for a bit now, Monkey Pod would be sweet! Have a good one

Hey Tom!! You've helped me out on insta a few times, I'm on my 7th guitar now (4th acoustic). I've been working on a design where instead of a cutaway, the right side upper bout curls in to not-quite blend with the soundboard. It would look *amazing* in purpleheart. You gave me some tips on doing copper inlays but I'm actually using your tips to do natural stone inlays, I found a uk vendor that does these thin cut stone veneers. Loads of cool opportunities to pair with purpleheart.... I've also got a AAA euro spruce soundboard i've been aging that even at 6mm thick rings so loud that I'd love to pair with it! Would be a sick build ✨

If an S is equal to a K then I'm from the UK lol. And I would use that paduk for a om/d baritone 7 string fanfret.

I would use the Padouk Bariole to make a 12th fret F/S 12th Fret jointed guitar, however I would make a structured laminate back, with minimal/no bracing , similar to "Braceless" classical tops. I want to push the strength and tone of the wood itself. :) Fingers crossed ahaha

Hi Tom, I have been a fan of your channel since getting into guitar building during the pandemic when I had time on my hands and although I avoided Covid I did catch the ‘ Luthier Bug’ 😊. I have now built a few acoustics and always try to get hold of an unusual wood with nice figure, my last one was a classical with some lovely black limba, I have now retired and living in North East of England I had a few lessons from Sam MacClaren on the black art voicing ! so would love to build an OOO size guitar out of that Paduak or Monkey Pod, if I’m successful in my appeal 🤞 it would inspire me to try and lift my skills to match the quality of the tonewood. 😊. Thanks and keep the tonewood talk coming , nice to see someone with as much enthusiasm over splashing magic spray as me 🙄 👍, (I could even collect it to save postage as I’m not far away) 😉. Mal

Gorgeous set of tone woods. I have used Purple Heart on a number of occasions but not for instrument making. I am keen to make my first acoustic guitar having just retired. I have just purchased my first guitar after 45 years of not playing and so I figure I learn to play again whilst building the guitar. I would be happy to receive any of the wood on offer, but all 4 would be excessive and I would not wish to deprive your other subscribers. I have learnt so much from your channel.

Not a guitar maker but would love these for some furniture pieces. These would make amazing veneers for show piece end or entry tables.

Do you think you'll plant a redwood grove, or is the climate not right for it? (Giants need about the climate that prevails in most of England, Wales and Scotland, and coastal has the potential to become invasive in the Celtic rainforest, which has a similar climate to that which it knows and loves back in California and Oregon, where it's starting to suffer due to climate change)

What a beautiful guitar. The sounds remind me of number 7 ;)