Small tonewood parts needed.

My first post to UU about 2 years ago was my disbelief in tonewoods because I didn't know any better. After 2 years of buying and playing, I now know more about tonewoods - at least the different sounds on the ukes I've bought.

Anyways, I have always wanted to couple my uke playing with my harmonica playing.

I have ordered a special harmonica holder that also holds a mic for the harmonica; but, the supplier is sick and we don't know if he'll recover to make what I ordered so.... I now plan to make my own - only better.

I want to design a harmonica holder/microphone using tonewood. As I live in the Middle East, I don't have access to small pieces of tonewood that I can cut and plane to fit into the setup.

Can anybody help me to find a source that I can buy and pay the shipping for. If need be, we can arrange to ship to my family in Colorado and then they can ship to me (my brother in law and sister are US Postal clerks) if sending wood overseas is not what you want to do.

What is "tonewood"?

I've got a bunch of bits and pieces of various woods filling up boxes in the shop and would be happy to help you out, if I can. What sorts of sizes, dimensions and species are you looking for?

two dogs plucking said:

I've got a bunch of bits and pieces of various woods filling up boxes in the shop and would be happy to help you out, if I can. What sorts of sizes, dimensions and species are you looking for?

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Excellent. This is exactly what I'm looking for. I am really planning to experiment so if you can imagine the standard 10 hole diatonic harmonica (I'll post pictures) I'm thinking then I make a microphone out of the wood portion of a 4" or 5" painting brush. I will then drill a hole and a path to a microphone (or a piezo because why not just try it??!!) . I will have to find a way to secure the harmonica to the receiver and seal it to limit feedback.

So, that's when the fun stuff comes in. Harmonicas have a range of 3 octaves so I am open to all tonewoods but am really anxious to see how those harsh sounding high notes can be altered with tonewoods so - I've decided any size can be considered as the 3rd ocatave is usually only 1/2" in length. I may look at bulding a chamber in between the harmonica and receiver and hence tonewoods 4-5" in length by any thickness (I am shooting for soundboard thickness or thinner so all thicknesses can be considered as it will likely be tinkering that nails what thickness I need to plane it to) . Thickness may also mean the chamber walls can be thick for the connections to the harmonica and mic receiver and I'll then use baffles for other tonewoods inside the chamber.

I have sourced a wood shop (that needs some repair) and I'm gonna go hit the hardware stores for other ideas.

If you can pm me a picture of your pieces and I'll pm you a picture of the rough design I'm considering.

Thanks

oh FYI, I have over 70 harmonicas of different builds (Hohner, Suzuki, Seidel, & Tombo Lee Oskars) I'm looking at possibly building a multiple harmonica platform on a mic stand so its another reason I need lots of parts besides prototyping/tinkering.

Rick Turner said:

What is "tonewood"?

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haha. unhh. That's what I thought too

OK, I'm sure I can find a little variety of woods for you to play around with. I'll take some pics tomorrow.

Steve