This is the name given to the figuring sometimes found in spruce, as it look like a bear "clawed" it.
Usually fully quartered tonewood and therefore a sign of high quality.
Strong fundamentals and complex overtones makes this a great timber for soundboards.
What is moon wood?
The encyclopaedia defines moon wood, as wood that, according to tradition, exhibits outstanding and unique characteristics when felled during certain phases of the moon.
For centuries lumber was cut exclusively in the winter and then only at certain times in accordance with the phases of the moon. Specific, moon-related felling guidelines passed down through generations have apparently proved useful for other professions in the timber industry.
General features and characteristics of Tonewood
Trunk wood free of any knots
Straight grain (free of twists)
Homogeneous wood (no tension wood)
A uniform structure with tight annual rings ranging from 1-2 (3) mm
Low ratio of latewood (less than 20-30% of the total growth ring.) This assures a light coloration of the wood.
Light in weight (a low or middle specific weight under 0.450g/cm3) without being soft
Stiffness: a high deformation resistance (elasticity model) very high in relation to weight
Sound velocity in high relation to weight and at the same time a high degree of damping.
Low resin content, no pitch pockets
Tone woods
I store all my tonewood in a humidity controlled room for at least 5 years before use. All woods used in my guitars are air-dryed and have a humidity level of less than 4%Rh .
Most of my Spruce Soundboard Tonewood comes from Switzerland and was grown at high altitude (1000 to 1500 Meters above Sea level).
Wood Grade: AAA or better only if wood is graded.
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Soundboards:
European Spruce ( Swiss, picea abies Moonwood )
Haselfichte Spruce ( Swiss, picea abies, Bearclaw )
European Spruce German ( picea abies)
European Spruce Italian (picea excelsa)
Engelmann Spruce ( picea engelmannii )
Caucasian Spruce ( picea orientalis )
Sitka Sruce Bearclaw ( Alaska, picea sitdrensis )
Western Red Cedar (Alaska, thuja plicata )
Neck:
Mahogany ( Honduras and Brazil, swietenia macrophylla )
Cedar ( Spain,Brazil, cedrela odorata )
Maple ( England, acer pseudoplatanus )
Back and Sides:
Santos Rosewood , Bolivia, (machaerium scleroxylon, jacaranda)
Pao Ferro (Bolivia, casealpinia ferrera ) sometimes called Bolivian Rosewood
Swartzia Wamara ( swartzia cubensis, Katalox, Mexican Ebony)
Madagascan Rosewood ( Madagascar, dalbergia baroni ) FSC certified
Malaysian Blackwood ( diospyros spp.- Malaysia )
Indian Rosewood ( East India ,dalbergia latifolia )
Cocobola (Africa, dalbergia retusa )
Ovangkol ( Africa, guirbourtia ehie )
Flamed Ovangkol (guirbourtia ehie)
Tasmanian Blackwood ( Tasmania, Acacia melanoxylon )
Flamed Maple ( England, acer pseudoplatanus )
Sapele ( Africa, entandrophragma cylindriani )
Black Cherry ( prunus cerontina )
Black Walnut flamed ( juglans nigra / regina/ French hinsii (Claro )
African Walnut ( lovoa trichilioides )
Silver Oak ( sycamore platanacaea )
Cypress, Spain, Turkey, Med. (cupressus semprevirens )
Tropical Walnut , South East Asia,( juglans fallax)
Vanuatu figured Walnut, (dracontomelum-dao)
Gaboon Ebony (diospyros crassiflora) FSC certified
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