Where to buy Yew for a ukulele?

Matt Clara

Matt Clara

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I tried to search the forum on this topic, and the search engine said "Yew" was too small a word to search for, so I came up with nada. From what I can tell looking on the web, Pacific Yew is scarce, or endangered, but I wondered if there were other sustainable sources of yew...
Anyone?
 
I have about 20 sets... it is a very problematic wood in that it grows in a very weird way with buttress trunk lots of twisting and turning, is susceptible to thunder shakes. If you are costing there is a 300% wastage factor with the stuff we have here in the UK...

This is the only US supplier I know...
 
Last edited:
Pete Howlett said:
I have about 20 sets... it is a very problematic wood in that it grows in a very weird way with buttress trunk lots of twisting and turning, is susceptible to thunder shakes. If you are costing there is a 300% wastage factor with the stuff we have here in the UK...
Click to expand...

Thanks Pete. And by costing you mean...it costs a lot? Or, that I'll waste a lot?
 
A google search yielded this:

Pacific Select Wood, Inc.
PO Box 1456
Longview, WA 98632
360/577-8050
fax: 360/577-0858
Spruce and Quilted Maple, Yew, Myrtlewood, Port Orford Cedar, Alaskan Yellow Cedar

Looking to build a Yewkoolele?
 
Believe me - it's a great wood but ends up costing a lot because 'clear' yew is almost unheard of. Try American Cherry... that's a real good choice if you can get it quartersawn.
 
I had great success with English cherry - it straddles the same tone spectrum as koa and mahogany. It bends well. The English Cherry I use is a warm yellow color - American tends to be a little into the red tones. Also Oregon Myrtle is great. If you want some yew pm me and I'll ship to you...
 
Pete Howlett said:
I had great success with English cherry - it straddles the same tone spectrum as koa and mahogany. It bends well. The English Cherry I use is a warm yellow color - American tends to be a little into the red tones. Also Oregon Myrtle is great. If you want some yew pm me and I'll ship to you...
Click to expand...

Thanks, but I think I'll take your advice and try the Cherry or the Myrtle. I've seen reasonable prices on both. Yew is intriguing to me, as it's out of the ordinary these days, while, as I understand it, it was once a fairly common wood used in dulcimers and other stringed instruments, so it has an historic angle, as well.
Appreciate the help, and the same goes to Ron and Will for offering the links.
 
Yew trees were very common in europe..up to the middle ages..and then the invention of the "Long Bow" caused most of them to be felled to make these excellent weapons, so that we could shoot arrow's at each other...I blame the French.:eek:
 
Pete Howlett said:
Believe me - it's a great wood but ends up costing a lot because 'clear' yew is almost unheard of. Try American Cherry... that's a real good choice if you can get it quartersawn.
Click to expand...

We are talking about Prunus Serotina right?
 
Most Yew trees in the Uk are now found in old Churchyards they can live to real old age..One in Scotland is believed to be over 5000 years old.
EnglishYewTree-1.jpg
 
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