Blackwood is not Ebony

I’ve been making guitars for over 50 years, and buying timber from one particular supplier for nearly as long. We did a deal - he supplied the wood, and I built him a bouzouki and a guitar. The guitar is African Blackwood, the Bouzouki African Ebony, both with European Spruce tops and Ebony bindings. When they were nearly finished I realised that I had enough wood left over to make a mandolin as well.  I thought of sending the extra instrument as a surprise, but I couldn't keep my mouth shut (no surprise there then).

So - three matched instruments, a "suite".  The necks are laminated with Ebony, the head veneers and fingerboards are Ebony and Blackwood. I used black chrome tuners, and had the tailpieces specially plated black, although everything is so shiny that its difficult to see the color. 

There is one more picture that I asked Mike to take, basically, the back of all three but with very low light so all you can see is little bits of gleam.  You will notice that he hasn’t included it. I will have words.

I should say that everybody is exceedingly happy, the woods, and the tones are glorious, and it all worked out so neatly.