Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Return After Long Hiatus
After about a 6 month hiatus from my last blog post, I will be returning back to posting more on kantele related subjects. Between starting and working at my new dream job, and other instrument builds (2 hardwood driftwood didgeridoo, erhu restoration, and planning for a new Chinese guqin I will start building shortly), I haven't focused very much on the kantele lately, however I have recently started to get back into more kantele playing and making. I have also just recently finished a new kantele in the past few days that I will be posting about in upcoming posts. It was a prototype and experimental kantele exploring a unique open back kantele design utilizing a live-edge redwood slab. I wanted a very unique looking design, which incorporated both the natural and raw aspects of the piece of wood alongside carved and shaped features. It has become my favorite sounding kantele yet, and I love the sound and look of redwood for the tonewood for kantele. I will definitely be making more of these live edge redwood kantele in the future, and will work on a kind of hybrid/fusion design between the kantele, natural wood instruments, and aspects of the Chinese guqin. Check out the next post in a few days for pics of the new kantele!
Friday, March 27, 2015
23rd Woodworkers Showcase This Weekend!
Well I am pretty pumped to go attend the 23rd Woodworkers Showcase presented by the Northeast Woodworkers Association this weekend. I missed the one last year, but this March I am definitely ready to check out some amazing woodwork from local and regional craftsmen and women. For those of you in Upstate NY area, it will be located in the Saratoga Springs City Center, 522 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY. It will go both Saturday March 28th and Sunday March 29th, from 10am until 5pm. So what will be there? Everything wood related! From wood turning, scroll saw, carving, furniture, musical instruments, and everything in between. From what I have heard, it is supposed to be a very big woodworking show. There will also be vendors, talks, demonstrations, and workshops as well. Definitely a must-see event to attend for amateur and professional woodworkers alike. The cool thing too is that anyone, both hobbyist and professional, can enter their work in the show, either for just showcasing or in the judged competition, which covers pretty much all areas and categories of woodworking. The submissions have to be turned in before the deadline, and I hope to enter some pieces for next year's show, both in the general showcase and in the judged competition. I will try to take a bunch of pictures while I am there tomorrow, and will upload them in the next post or two depending on what I can get to. Looking forward to this great show and learning experience!
Monday, March 23, 2015
New Kantele Sheet Music! Melody #3
Just another kantele sheet music update for a newly added kantele sheet music composition. Titled Melody #3, this song is a simple composition for the five string kantele in D major. Like my other posted sheet music pieces, it includes staff notation and tabs for the strings, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. The song is available as PDF for download either in the link below or in the Kantele Sheet Music page at the top.
This particular piece is one that I wrote last year on my Kantele #001. It is a simpler melody, but one of my favorites to play. When I wrote it in sheet music form I wanted to simplify it with a repeat bar, but the timing and note placement did not work out cleanly for it to be implemented. It has a nice, upbeat and calming feel to it, and is a piece I play often, whether practicing or just plucking the strings. Have fun and enjoy, and check back for more sheet music and updates!
Melody #3
This particular piece is one that I wrote last year on my Kantele #001. It is a simpler melody, but one of my favorites to play. When I wrote it in sheet music form I wanted to simplify it with a repeat bar, but the timing and note placement did not work out cleanly for it to be implemented. It has a nice, upbeat and calming feel to it, and is a piece I play often, whether practicing or just plucking the strings. Have fun and enjoy, and check back for more sheet music and updates!
Melody #3
Thursday, March 19, 2015
New Kantele Sheet Music! Melody #2
Just a quick update for a new available kantele sheet music! This composition, titled Melody #2, can be found on the Kantele Sheet Music page or in the provided link below. This melody is a composition for the five string kantele in D major. Like my previously uploaded sheet music pieces, the sheet music includes both staff notation and tabs, and is available as a PDF file for download. This is a fun but slightly challenging song which has overtones inserted into the phrasing of the melody, and requires smooth change in alternation between the overtones and the normal plucking technique. I will definitely need to upload a video for this song at some point for reference for the technique to make it easier to visualize and learn. In addition with the normal notes and overtone tabs as discussed in previous sheet music updates, this song includes a simple 2 note chord, which in the staff notation, consists of the stacked notes, and right underneath in the tabs are the two rows corresponding numbers representing the plucked string for the chord - in this case, the chord used consists of a "3" (marking the middle string on a 5 string kantele, or the F# note when tuned to the D major scale), and a "1" right under it (marking the lowest string, or the D note). All this means is to pluck both strings simultaneously when playing. Have fun and enjoy, and remember, practice makes perfect!
Melody #2
Melody #2
Sunday, March 15, 2015
New Kantele Sheet Music! Melody #1 - Overtone Ending
Just an update for a new piece of kantele sheet music. This sheet music can be found in the Kantele Sheet Music Page tab located at the top, or in the link provided. This sheet music, as mentioned in my prior post, is the full version of Melody #1, with the overtone ending. I have just posted them separately since the overtone ending can be difficult to do quickly, but again, the music can be interpreted as fast or as slow as you want. Just as a reference, the octave overtone notes in the sheet music are
marked with the string number followed by an "o", which is the format I
will stick with for now for the tabs in the sheet music. So the octave
overtone for string 1 (the longest string on the kantele) is marked as
"1o" on the sheet music under the staff notation. I will try to post some videos at some point, both fast and slow versions of the song for reference and tutorial material. The music is in PDF form and is available for download. Check back for more sheet music to come, and enjoy!
Melody #1 - Overtone Ending
Melody #1 - Overtone Ending
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
New Page Added! Kantele Sheet Music!
As promised in my last post, I have uploaded a dedicated resource page for kantele sheet music that I post, the Kantele Sheet Music page. This will make it easier to find and browse the sheet music that I add, in one convenient location. Right now the page only includes Melody #1, however, I have many more to add, and will continue to add them as I finalize pieces. As also mentioned in my previous post, my next post for this coming Sunday will include the original and full version of Melody #1, which has a short overtone section in the end. I decided to provide the sheet music separately because the overtone section can be a bit tricky if you want to play it faster. I do however plan on starting to upload videos and sound files as well, for not only the sheet music I post, but improvisations too. So check back for more updates in upcoming posts!
Saturday, March 7, 2015
New Kantele Sheet Music! Melody #1
I have finally gotten around to preparing and uploading sheet music for the kantele that I have written, and is the first of many sheet music pieces I will be uploading for the kantele. I have never been good at naming things, and since it was the first piece I composed, named it as Melody #1. The piece is available in a link as a pdf at the bottom of this post.
This particular piece is a simple repetitive melody I wrote last year after completing my first kantele. At the time I was just starting to play around with the kantele, and this little melody arose, like most melodies, from improvising on the kantele. The song stuck, and serves as a simple practice piece. These kind of numbered melody pieces, as you will find, will generally share the same structure of a repeated first section intro, followed by a repeated second section, and third section ending which is a repeat of the first section. The sheet music is good reference, but the song can be proportionally played faster or slower depending on playing style. For myself, I tend to play rather rapidly, so the repeated sections go by fast for me when I play.
The melody is written for the 5 string kantele in D major, though any kantele can play it in the correct tuning. Since I use slightly thicker strings, I originally composed my songs in the key of C, since I tuned my kantele a whole step lower, but because just about all 5 string kantele are tuned to either a standard of D major or minor, I decided to transpose the final released piece in D for ease for the majority of kantele players. However, under each note is also a kind of "tab" notation for the kantele, so it can be played in any major scale regardless of tuning. The numbers go from 1-5, and correspond to the strings, with 1 being the longest and lowest string and 5 being the shortest and highest pitch string. The original melody was written with a short overtone section at the end that repeats the first and third parts, but for simplicity I left it out of this version. I will however release the full version in the next coming posts in about a week.
I wrote the song using MuseScore, which is an excellent and very powerful free music composition and notation program. When I write pieces for the kantele I choose the harp instrument setting and just delete the bass staff. MuseScore allows you to not only compose a multitude of instruments, but has many useful features such as playback which is very handy. I will probably post a basic tutorial for MuseScore at some point in the future.
In addition, I will also be adding a Kantele Sheet Music page dedicated to listing all of the sheet music I post, as further reference and resources to make it easier to find these pieces. From my posting schedule, which I have decided to keep at a post every four days, I will be posting this page with Melody #1 listed, this coming Wednesday for my next post. I definitely encourage you to check back for more material, and have fun playing! Many more songs and information to come, so happy plucking!
Melody #1
This particular piece is a simple repetitive melody I wrote last year after completing my first kantele. At the time I was just starting to play around with the kantele, and this little melody arose, like most melodies, from improvising on the kantele. The song stuck, and serves as a simple practice piece. These kind of numbered melody pieces, as you will find, will generally share the same structure of a repeated first section intro, followed by a repeated second section, and third section ending which is a repeat of the first section. The sheet music is good reference, but the song can be proportionally played faster or slower depending on playing style. For myself, I tend to play rather rapidly, so the repeated sections go by fast for me when I play.
The melody is written for the 5 string kantele in D major, though any kantele can play it in the correct tuning. Since I use slightly thicker strings, I originally composed my songs in the key of C, since I tuned my kantele a whole step lower, but because just about all 5 string kantele are tuned to either a standard of D major or minor, I decided to transpose the final released piece in D for ease for the majority of kantele players. However, under each note is also a kind of "tab" notation for the kantele, so it can be played in any major scale regardless of tuning. The numbers go from 1-5, and correspond to the strings, with 1 being the longest and lowest string and 5 being the shortest and highest pitch string. The original melody was written with a short overtone section at the end that repeats the first and third parts, but for simplicity I left it out of this version. I will however release the full version in the next coming posts in about a week.
I wrote the song using MuseScore, which is an excellent and very powerful free music composition and notation program. When I write pieces for the kantele I choose the harp instrument setting and just delete the bass staff. MuseScore allows you to not only compose a multitude of instruments, but has many useful features such as playback which is very handy. I will probably post a basic tutorial for MuseScore at some point in the future.
In addition, I will also be adding a Kantele Sheet Music page dedicated to listing all of the sheet music I post, as further reference and resources to make it easier to find these pieces. From my posting schedule, which I have decided to keep at a post every four days, I will be posting this page with Melody #1 listed, this coming Wednesday for my next post. I definitely encourage you to check back for more material, and have fun playing! Many more songs and information to come, so happy plucking!
Melody #1
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
New Page Update - Terms and Conditions
Just a heads up to a new page that I have recently added involving the terms and conditions of the material provided here on this blog. I have, and will post, much of my own work, whether pictures, sheet music, or sound clips. Having spent a great deal of time arranging these original sources of information to share freely, I feel that it is at least appropriate and modest to request that users of such materials please provide credit/citation to where it is due - in the cases of pictures, sheet music, and sound clips, to myself as the original author. Anything else that I have re-posted or shared from other sources I have cited and linked to the original source and author to the best of my abilities, and would hope you do the same as well. I have posted and shared these materials with hopes of contributing to the community of this instrument and related topics, and as such is free to use for personal use and references, but again if you do, or share with others (which I strongly encourage), to please credit the author of this blog and material. I am always willing to help and make suggestions, so any questions just comment or send me a message and I'd be more than happy to help!
Friday, February 27, 2015
New Page Added! Kantele Build Logs!
Just another update regarding a new page added to the blog! The Kantele Build Logs page, located at the top or in the bolded link provided, like some of my other previously published pages, is a way to organize and collect information and posts regarding build logs I have written. This will make it easier to find and look up information regarding either my pseudo-build logs or completed build logs for the kantele I have made so far. Like my other pages, I will update them when new material is added. Right now the page contains the pseudo-build logs of my kanteles #001, #002, #003, and #004, with the last being broken up into three parts. Kind of as a sneak peak for future work, I am currently compiling information for two additional and more complete build logs for two new kantele that I am working on. They will most likely be completed in the upcoming months, with complete information and details. These next two kanteles, #009 and #010 (I have to set aside working on #005 - #008 for now), are definitely unique builds, certainly different than my previous kanteles but still reflecting my own style of kantele making. Kantele #010 in particular is an uber-budget model, made from a free and very unlikely but challenging source of wood, while kantele #009 is a radically different and epic style kantele inspired from mythology and a desire to have a kantele with a more natural and raw construction while combining hand carved and shaped features. So browse around and enjoy, and check back for more updates!
Monday, February 23, 2015
New Page Added! Completed Kanteles!
Just a quick update on a new kantele page for the blog! The Completed Kanteles page, located at the top above or in the bolded link provided, is a page dedicated to my ever growing list of kanteles that I have completed. This page should make it easier to navigate to information regarding each of the completed kantele builds. As I build more kanteles in the future, I will continue to add and update the page. I definitely have some unique kanteles on the way I will be working on in the next coming months, with complete information and build logs, so stay tuned for updates! And if you haven't already viewed the completed kanteles, I encourage you to take a look! Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Pseudo-Build Log of Kantele #004 - Part III
Welcome to the third and final part of this series of build logs for my kantele #004! The last two parts showed the basic construction and preparation of the frame of the kantele. This last portion includes a few shots of the finished frame and different angles of different features. From here on out, my future kantele build logs will try to include the entire and complete documented process for each kantele. Like the other posts, just hover your mouse over the picture for a description or click to enlarge.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Pseudo-Build Log of Kantele #004 - Part II
Welcome back to Part II of this kantele build log for kantele #004. The previous part showed a few of the beginning stages with the raw bubinga turning blanks and gluing of the sides. Below are more pictures showing the gluing and construction of the frame. Just hover your mouse over the pictures for a description or click to enlarge. Part III to come shortly, enjoy!
Extra Sources and Info:
1.) Pseudo-Build log of Kantele #004 - Part I
2.) Completed Kantele #004 Info
Extra Sources and Info:
1.) Pseudo-Build log of Kantele #004 - Part I
2.) Completed Kantele #004 Info
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Pseudo-Build Log of Kantele #004 - Part I
Welcome to the fourth installment of my kantele pseudo-build logs! This log will show some of the details of kantele #004, which happens to be my favorite to date. Like my previous build logs, I kind of dropped the ball on documenting the later portions of the build, so I really only have some of the early parts documented. I will however be taking a more complete documentation of my future kantele builds now that I have gotten more involved in posting and sharing this work. Because there are a lot more pictures with this build log, I will break it up into three parts so that this post isn't overloaded with pictures. Just hover your mouse over the pictures for a description or click to enlarge. Below I have included links to the pages of the completed kantele #004, as well as additional resources for upcoming builds and reviews of suppliers I commonly buy my woods from to create my kantele. Stay tuned for Part II in the coming week!
Extra Sources and Info:
1.) Completed Kantele #004 Info
2.) Some Future Kantele Wood Choices
3.) Suggested Wood Sources
4.) Raw Materials Resources
Friday, February 6, 2015
New Page Added! Kantele Resources!
I have just recently added a new page dedicated to kantele related resources. This page, either accessed at the top with the other pages or in the link below, includes links to many sites and sources, from groups, to general information, to kantele makers, to playing guides, sheet music and other kantele related blogs and research. There is definitely a lot of information available, and having it all in one place makes it easier (since it can be a bit difficult to find information on the kantele sometimes.) I encourage you to explore these additional sources, whether new or old, as much can be learned by many kantele enthusiasts, players, and makers out there. I will add more as I find more sources, but it should provide for a very good start for anyone interested in finding out more about many aspects of this instrument. And if anyone has suggestions for other sources that I may have missed then please send me a message or comment and I will add the suggested site!
Kantele Resources
Kantele Resources
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Pseudo-Build Log of Kantele #003
A third installment of my rather impromptu kantele pseudo-build logs, this time giving an overview of kantele #003. A little more detail is given of the basic cutting and roughing of the front and the ponsi. Again, when I was building this, I was more excited to finish the instrument than to document progress, so these are the photos that I obtained early in the process. As always I am more than willing to give suggestions for aspiring kantele builders. Below is a link to the completed kantele page, as well as additional sources of wood I commonly use here in the U.S.
1.) Kantele #003 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/11/kantele-003.html
2.) Suggested Sources of Wood for DIY Kantele: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2015/01/suggested-wood-sources-for-kantele-or.html
Extra Sources and Info:
1.) Kantele #003 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/11/kantele-003.html
2.) Suggested Sources of Wood for DIY Kantele: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2015/01/suggested-wood-sources-for-kantele-or.html
Monday, February 2, 2015
New Page Added! Suppliers and Materials Resources List!
I finally have gotten around to adding a dedicated page for suppliers of various materials and resources for kantele building, and woodworking in general. I will continue to add to the list, but for now it includes a bunch of sources to get started with. I will only add sources that I have purchased from and would recommend myself. I don't have everything up yet, but again I will continue to add as I go along. I will also be adding pages for kantele groups and resources, sheet music, and videos, so check back for more material!
Raw Materials Resources Page
Suggested Wood Sources and Reviews
Raw Materials Resources Page
Suggested Wood Sources and Reviews
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Pseudo-Build Log of Kantele #002
Here is the second of my pseudo-build logs, with an overview of kantele #002. I didn't take as many pictures of the later processes again, but it should provide a little more reference for building frames for anyone interested in making their own. These kantele are again of my own style, one that I have developed myself, and are not traditional, but it should give some background on basic construction techniques for those who are interested. The thumbnails can be opened as larger pictures, and I am always more than happy to answer questions about kantele making, provide feedback, or suggestions if needed. Information on the completed kantele can be found in the link below.
1.) Kantele #002 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/11/kantele-002.html
2.) Suggested Sources of Wood for DIY Kantele: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2015/01/suggested-wood-sources-for-kantele-or.html
Extra Sources and Info:
1.) Kantele #002 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/11/kantele-002.html
2.) Suggested Sources of Wood for DIY Kantele: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2015/01/suggested-wood-sources-for-kantele-or.html
Pseudo-Build Log of Kantele #001
When I first started making my kantele, I had intended on creating a detailed build log with all the steps. However, I got too caught up in making the kantele and as a result, got rather lazy on documenting my progress. Though this isn't a true build log, It does give a kind of general flow of how this kantele was built. I didn't include all of the details such as the backboard, decorative headplate, or ponsi, but this gives the rough basics of building the frame as a general reference. You can click on the thumbnails for a larger picture. To see the completed kantele just click on the first link below at the bottom of the page.
1.) Kantele #001 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/10/kantele-001.html
Extra Sources and Info:
1.) Kantele #001 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/10/kantele-001.html
2.) Future Wood Choices: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2015/01/some-future-kantele-wood-choices.html
3.) Suggested Sources of Wood for DIY Kantele: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2015/01/suggested-wood-sources-for-kantele-or.html
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Suggested Wood Sources for DIY Kantele (or Other Woodworking Projects) in the U.S.
In my previous post I described some future woods and combinations I have lined up for my next set of kanteles. One of the difficult parts of instrument building is sourcing quality woods, and for a DIYer, quality exotic woods can cost a lot if you do not know where to look. Below are some places that I have ordered from, either regularly or a few times for some specialty pieces, and are some of the best sources I have found for my projects. There are always other places I have checked, and I will post a page sometime in the future dedicated to materials sources.
1.) D&D Hardwoods
http://www.dndhardwoodsonline.com/
- exotic/regular thin cut woods for soundboards, backboards, ponsi, accents, frames, and general projects
This place has to be one of my all time favorite sources for wood, period. D&D Hardwoods has an excellent selection of woods. And what makes them unique and stand out from other places is that they carry a huge variety of thin cut woods. Anywhere from 3/4" all the way down to 1/16" thick, which are perfect for many parts of my kantele, and other projects in general. The great thing too is they also carry these woods from 4" wide all the way up to 9" wide for some of more common woods. And can be ordered in increments from 1' to 4' long. This is my default go-to place for foods for soundboards, backboards, side accents, ponsi, and decorative headplates for my smaller sized kantele. And the other great thing is that there is no minimum order, which I have found very difficult to find elsewhere for such a great stock of small sized thin-cut lumber. I have ordered from them many times and I have never had a problem. Their service is phenomenal, and their shipping is very fast. And the woods are always excellent quality. The only thing, which isn't a problem at all for me, and that they state on their website, is that the edges along the long sides of the wood are rough cut. But the top, bottom, and ends are sanded flat and very well. All of my completed kantele so far have woods from here, with kanteles #001-#004 having the majority of woods from this source, which includes the soundboard, backboard, decorative headplate, and ponsi.
2.) Westpenn Hardwoods
https://www.westpennhardwoods.com/default.aspx
- exotic turning blanks for sides, frame, ponsi, and general projects
Also another one of my all-time favorite sources for woods. Westpenn hardwoods has an incredible array and supply of many, many exotic woods. Here you will find turning blanks for any project you can think of. Another place with excellent products, service, quality, prices, and shipping. I have ordered from here as well countless of times and have never been disappointed. The kanteles that use woods from here (or will use woods from here) include:
- kantele #002 and #003 for the tuning peg shelf - african mahogany
- kantele #004 for the frame - bubinga
- kantele #005 for the frame - cocobolo (previous post)
- kantele #006 for the frame - bocote (previous post)
- kantele #008 for the frame - east indian rosewood (previous post)
Now this place is excellent for exotic woods for kantele frames, but a little creativity and patience is needed. First off, these woods are sold as turning blanks. Sometimes they are offered kiln dried and ready to go, but most often are air dried or in the process of drying. I have never had a problem, but care should be taken sometimes. To use these woods for the sides, I buy a 1.5"x1.5" by either 24" long for my smaller kanteles or above 24" long for my larger kanteles, and get these ripped in half with a table saw to get two matching sets of 1.5" wide x 0.75" thick x whatever length I have chosen. This way you can use exceptionally beautiful, rare, and exotic woods for the frames. For the tuning peg shelf I buy a 1.5"x1.5"x12" or 18" long turning blank, and for the front part of the frame I usually get a 2"x2"x3" turning blank and cut to shape for my smaller kantele, or a wider piece for larger kanteles. If you do rip the pieces for the sides, there will probably be a little bit of warping later due to the natural processes of the wood. This again has not been too much of a problem for me, but can sometimes be tricky to deal with. However, if you are careful, you will end up with some beautiful and unique pieces of wood for the frame that would cost a fraction of the price anywhere else.
3.) The Walnut Place
http://www.thewalnutplace.com/
- specialty pieces of curly and figured walnut and other woods
I have only ordered from here once before, but the service and prices for what I got was excellent. If you want cheaper woods from here though you will need to check the discount lumber section, which is always the place I go when browsing for woods from here. This place can be a but more pricey than others on the list depending on what you are looking for, but has a beautiful selection of curly walnut for very good prices that is hard to find elsewhere. All of the other sources do not carry curly walnut, and I still think it is the best source for exceptional pieces of walnut that I have been able to find yet. The other really great thing about here was that I was able to get the woods cut to size for a very small fee. I ordered the curly claro walnut strips and the paradox walnut blocks for my kantele #007 (see previous post for details). I got a great deal on these pieces, and was even able to get the original board for the sides ripped and cut to size, which was a tremendous help. I definitely plan on ordering more wood here for future projects, as sources for curly walnut at these prices is hard to find. The owner, Robert Beauchamp, is extremely friendly and helpful, and was a pleasure to work with.
4.) Kettle Moraine Hardwoods
http://www.kmhardwoods.com/
- general and exotic pieces for small and large kantele
I have also only ordered from here once, but like The Walnut Place, I was provided with excellent service, great prices, and some beautiful boards. I got my two butternut boards, (which I haven't posted pictures of yet but will sometime in the future), from here. Butternut, as mentioned earlier, is becoming more scarce, especially for larger boards. One of the plus sides to KM Hardwoods is the custom cutting services for woods. While talking with them, they even sent me pictures of the pieces they had that fit my description of what I was looking for before I went ahead and purchased anything, which was a real plus, as not many places do this. The boards were in perfect condition and exactly what I was looking for. I will definitely be ordering from here again for larger width boards for larger kanteles and other projects.
5.) Kencraft Company
http://www.kencraftcompany.com/index.htm
- general and exotic pieces for small and large kantele
I have ordered from here a couple of times, and have been very happy with the results. This is yet another great source of custom cut lumber and thin boards of both domestic and exotic species of woods at great prices. Shipping and services are very good, and the several very large custom pieces I ordered from them were of excellent quality. Shipping might be a little bit slower from here due to how they schedule custom cutting and shipping, but I have not had problems with it. Like KM Hardwoods, this is a great source for larger custom pieces of wood at very good prices which is often quite difficult to find.
Extra Sources and Info:
1.) Kantele #001 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/10/kantele-001.html
2.) Kantele #002 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/11/kantele-002.html
3.) Kantele #003 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/11/kantele-003.html
4.) Kantele #004 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2015/01/kantele-004.html
5.) Future Wood Choices: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2015/01/some-future-kantele-wood-choices.html
1.) D&D Hardwoods
http://www.dndhardwoodsonline.com/
- exotic/regular thin cut woods for soundboards, backboards, ponsi, accents, frames, and general projects
This place has to be one of my all time favorite sources for wood, period. D&D Hardwoods has an excellent selection of woods. And what makes them unique and stand out from other places is that they carry a huge variety of thin cut woods. Anywhere from 3/4" all the way down to 1/16" thick, which are perfect for many parts of my kantele, and other projects in general. The great thing too is they also carry these woods from 4" wide all the way up to 9" wide for some of more common woods. And can be ordered in increments from 1' to 4' long. This is my default go-to place for foods for soundboards, backboards, side accents, ponsi, and decorative headplates for my smaller sized kantele. And the other great thing is that there is no minimum order, which I have found very difficult to find elsewhere for such a great stock of small sized thin-cut lumber. I have ordered from them many times and I have never had a problem. Their service is phenomenal, and their shipping is very fast. And the woods are always excellent quality. The only thing, which isn't a problem at all for me, and that they state on their website, is that the edges along the long sides of the wood are rough cut. But the top, bottom, and ends are sanded flat and very well. All of my completed kantele so far have woods from here, with kanteles #001-#004 having the majority of woods from this source, which includes the soundboard, backboard, decorative headplate, and ponsi.
2.) Westpenn Hardwoods
https://www.westpennhardwoods.com/default.aspx
- exotic turning blanks for sides, frame, ponsi, and general projects
Also another one of my all-time favorite sources for woods. Westpenn hardwoods has an incredible array and supply of many, many exotic woods. Here you will find turning blanks for any project you can think of. Another place with excellent products, service, quality, prices, and shipping. I have ordered from here as well countless of times and have never been disappointed. The kanteles that use woods from here (or will use woods from here) include:
- kantele #002 and #003 for the tuning peg shelf - african mahogany
- kantele #004 for the frame - bubinga
- kantele #005 for the frame - cocobolo (previous post)
- kantele #006 for the frame - bocote (previous post)
- kantele #008 for the frame - east indian rosewood (previous post)
Now this place is excellent for exotic woods for kantele frames, but a little creativity and patience is needed. First off, these woods are sold as turning blanks. Sometimes they are offered kiln dried and ready to go, but most often are air dried or in the process of drying. I have never had a problem, but care should be taken sometimes. To use these woods for the sides, I buy a 1.5"x1.5" by either 24" long for my smaller kanteles or above 24" long for my larger kanteles, and get these ripped in half with a table saw to get two matching sets of 1.5" wide x 0.75" thick x whatever length I have chosen. This way you can use exceptionally beautiful, rare, and exotic woods for the frames. For the tuning peg shelf I buy a 1.5"x1.5"x12" or 18" long turning blank, and for the front part of the frame I usually get a 2"x2"x3" turning blank and cut to shape for my smaller kantele, or a wider piece for larger kanteles. If you do rip the pieces for the sides, there will probably be a little bit of warping later due to the natural processes of the wood. This again has not been too much of a problem for me, but can sometimes be tricky to deal with. However, if you are careful, you will end up with some beautiful and unique pieces of wood for the frame that would cost a fraction of the price anywhere else.
3.) The Walnut Place
http://www.thewalnutplace.com/
- specialty pieces of curly and figured walnut and other woods
I have only ordered from here once before, but the service and prices for what I got was excellent. If you want cheaper woods from here though you will need to check the discount lumber section, which is always the place I go when browsing for woods from here. This place can be a but more pricey than others on the list depending on what you are looking for, but has a beautiful selection of curly walnut for very good prices that is hard to find elsewhere. All of the other sources do not carry curly walnut, and I still think it is the best source for exceptional pieces of walnut that I have been able to find yet. The other really great thing about here was that I was able to get the woods cut to size for a very small fee. I ordered the curly claro walnut strips and the paradox walnut blocks for my kantele #007 (see previous post for details). I got a great deal on these pieces, and was even able to get the original board for the sides ripped and cut to size, which was a tremendous help. I definitely plan on ordering more wood here for future projects, as sources for curly walnut at these prices is hard to find. The owner, Robert Beauchamp, is extremely friendly and helpful, and was a pleasure to work with.
4.) Kettle Moraine Hardwoods
http://www.kmhardwoods.com/
- general and exotic pieces for small and large kantele
I have also only ordered from here once, but like The Walnut Place, I was provided with excellent service, great prices, and some beautiful boards. I got my two butternut boards, (which I haven't posted pictures of yet but will sometime in the future), from here. Butternut, as mentioned earlier, is becoming more scarce, especially for larger boards. One of the plus sides to KM Hardwoods is the custom cutting services for woods. While talking with them, they even sent me pictures of the pieces they had that fit my description of what I was looking for before I went ahead and purchased anything, which was a real plus, as not many places do this. The boards were in perfect condition and exactly what I was looking for. I will definitely be ordering from here again for larger width boards for larger kanteles and other projects.
5.) Kencraft Company
http://www.kencraftcompany.com/index.htm
- general and exotic pieces for small and large kantele
I have ordered from here a couple of times, and have been very happy with the results. This is yet another great source of custom cut lumber and thin boards of both domestic and exotic species of woods at great prices. Shipping and services are very good, and the several very large custom pieces I ordered from them were of excellent quality. Shipping might be a little bit slower from here due to how they schedule custom cutting and shipping, but I have not had problems with it. Like KM Hardwoods, this is a great source for larger custom pieces of wood at very good prices which is often quite difficult to find.
Extra Sources and Info:
1.) Kantele #001 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/10/kantele-001.html
2.) Kantele #002 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/11/kantele-002.html
3.) Kantele #003 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2014/11/kantele-003.html
4.) Kantele #004 Info: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2015/01/kantele-004.html
5.) Future Wood Choices: http://oertheeternalstrings.blogspot.com/2015/01/some-future-kantele-wood-choices.html
Some Future Kantele Wood Choices
Having designed, built, and played kantele for a little over a year now, I have given a great deal of thought for new kantele, future woods, accents, and combinations. Part of the fun of building them yourself is being able to customize every aspect of the instrument, adding woods and features that would otherwise cost a small fortune if custom built by a professional luthier. And if you know where to look, you can get some exquisite woods for very, very cheap. Here are some examples of the nicer sets of wood I have been saving for future kantele builds that I hope to be starting very soon. Originally I bought these woods many years ago for making Native American flutes, but it never panned out past the trial ones and have been just sitting around all these years. But they are perfect for kantele sides.
The first on the left is set of cocobolo, each piece 24"x1.5"x.75". Cocobolo is one of the most famous and beautiful of the rosewoods, and is lined up for my next build of kantele #005. As soon as I sat down to think of the wood combinations I almost immediately knew what accents I wanted with it: very thin veneers of cherry with thicker stripes of purpeheart on the sides, with a cherry and purpleheart decorative headplate and carved ponsi, and a purpleheart backboard. I have worked with purpleheart recently, and it has turned out to be a very beautiful wood, one of my favorites now. For the soundboard I want to try something different and unique, and have decided to pair this kantele with an aromatic cedar soundboard. It should make a truly fine 5 string kantele, one I look forward to completing and using.
The second set, reserved for kantele #006, and my personal favorite of all the sets I have, is an exquisite book-matched pair of bocote wood, one of my absolute favorite woods. It is characterized with a very striking swirling grain of blackish-brown stripes on a golden yellow background. I have been saving this set for quite some time, and am looking to make this my most exquisite 5 string kantele. I will also be saving up to use much more exotic and expensive woods for this one, and haven't quite decided on the combination yet. I do know I would like to use exotic burls for the ponsi and decorative headplate, but I haven't quite got a good combination for side stripes and backboard yet. As for the soundboard, I will most likely try to go with something along the lines of a heavily curly redwood soundboard, possibly look at sources of ukulele or guitar soundboard suppliers. I also plan on attempting some more ornate carving and adding extra details using horn/bone, mother of pearl, and possibly crushed stone. I aim to make this my own personal kantele and as a template for what I would like to consider as "master-class" kantele.
The third set for kantele #007 is a very nice set of custom cut curly claro walnut. These pieces are longer, and I aim to use them for either an 11, 12, or 15 string kantele. I will probably make this one an open backed kantele. I will definitely be using bloodwood for the side accents and decorative headplate, and for the ponsi will be using a stunning block of curly paradox walnut, which has to be one of the nicest blocks of wood I have had in my collection yet. The soundboard will also use a beautifully custom cut piece of butternut. Butternut, especially of larger sizes, has become increasingly difficult to find, and took me a while to source a place for it. It took me a great deal of thought and comparison of soundboard woods to decide on the pairing for this kantele. Butternut is an excellent soundboard material, with a warm and rich tone like walnut (also known as "white walnut", which is one of the reasons for choosing it for this kantele, as a contrast to the darker walnut woods used). It has the benefit of being much softer than walnut though, making it more responsive as a topwood while still retaining a walnut-like quality. It is also known for its beautiful cream color and grain, extra bonuses for a topwood.
And finally, for kantele #008, is a beautiful set of east indian rosewood. This kantele will also use the curly paradox walnut block for the carved ponsi and a butternut soundboard like #007 as described above. This too will be a large kantele, most likely a 15 string possibly with drone strings. It will use zebrawood accents, as well as zebrawood for the decorative headplate.
In my next post I will share the sources where I get these woods, some of which being my absolute favorite places to order exotic woods for not only kantele projects, but other woodworking projects as well. Excellent selections, excellent prices, excellent services and shipping - these places are the places to go for some high end wood on a budget!
Kantele woods left to right: cocobolo, bocote, curly claro walnut, east indian rosewood
The first on the left is set of cocobolo, each piece 24"x1.5"x.75". Cocobolo is one of the most famous and beautiful of the rosewoods, and is lined up for my next build of kantele #005. As soon as I sat down to think of the wood combinations I almost immediately knew what accents I wanted with it: very thin veneers of cherry with thicker stripes of purpeheart on the sides, with a cherry and purpleheart decorative headplate and carved ponsi, and a purpleheart backboard. I have worked with purpleheart recently, and it has turned out to be a very beautiful wood, one of my favorites now. For the soundboard I want to try something different and unique, and have decided to pair this kantele with an aromatic cedar soundboard. It should make a truly fine 5 string kantele, one I look forward to completing and using.
The second set, reserved for kantele #006, and my personal favorite of all the sets I have, is an exquisite book-matched pair of bocote wood, one of my absolute favorite woods. It is characterized with a very striking swirling grain of blackish-brown stripes on a golden yellow background. I have been saving this set for quite some time, and am looking to make this my most exquisite 5 string kantele. I will also be saving up to use much more exotic and expensive woods for this one, and haven't quite decided on the combination yet. I do know I would like to use exotic burls for the ponsi and decorative headplate, but I haven't quite got a good combination for side stripes and backboard yet. As for the soundboard, I will most likely try to go with something along the lines of a heavily curly redwood soundboard, possibly look at sources of ukulele or guitar soundboard suppliers. I also plan on attempting some more ornate carving and adding extra details using horn/bone, mother of pearl, and possibly crushed stone. I aim to make this my own personal kantele and as a template for what I would like to consider as "master-class" kantele.
The third set for kantele #007 is a very nice set of custom cut curly claro walnut. These pieces are longer, and I aim to use them for either an 11, 12, or 15 string kantele. I will probably make this one an open backed kantele. I will definitely be using bloodwood for the side accents and decorative headplate, and for the ponsi will be using a stunning block of curly paradox walnut, which has to be one of the nicest blocks of wood I have had in my collection yet. The soundboard will also use a beautifully custom cut piece of butternut. Butternut, especially of larger sizes, has become increasingly difficult to find, and took me a while to source a place for it. It took me a great deal of thought and comparison of soundboard woods to decide on the pairing for this kantele. Butternut is an excellent soundboard material, with a warm and rich tone like walnut (also known as "white walnut", which is one of the reasons for choosing it for this kantele, as a contrast to the darker walnut woods used). It has the benefit of being much softer than walnut though, making it more responsive as a topwood while still retaining a walnut-like quality. It is also known for its beautiful cream color and grain, extra bonuses for a topwood.
An exceptional block of curly paradox walnut
And finally, for kantele #008, is a beautiful set of east indian rosewood. This kantele will also use the curly paradox walnut block for the carved ponsi and a butternut soundboard like #007 as described above. This too will be a large kantele, most likely a 15 string possibly with drone strings. It will use zebrawood accents, as well as zebrawood for the decorative headplate.
In my next post I will share the sources where I get these woods, some of which being my absolute favorite places to order exotic woods for not only kantele projects, but other woodworking projects as well. Excellent selections, excellent prices, excellent services and shipping - these places are the places to go for some high end wood on a budget!
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