New Zealand Kauri

[Gordon Steeves]

Has anyone used or is familiar with New Zealand Kauri, David Freeman over in Saskatchewan has a few side and back sets for sale, and I am thinking about getting a set, but first, yes Ken, I am going to get a KMG success kit and have a go at putting that together first, (the sucess kit will be my first go at building an acoustic guitar) but I very much would like to build a scratch guitar from this New Zealand Kauri.
Agathis australis, commonly known by its Māori name kauri, is a coniferous tree of Araucariaceae in the genus Agathis, found north of 38°S in the northern districts of New Zealand's North Island (yes I got this bit of info from the Wikipedia :).
This stuff has been reclaimed from swamps there and is said to be 45,000 years old, guess that makes it well-seasoned :), just like any great scotch, takes a long time to mature :).

[ken cierp]

Supposed to be difficult to bend -- I'd make sure you actually see or get a picture of the set/s dampened with naphtha or thinner, in all honesty IMO some of the material I have seen is not very attractive.

[ken cierp]

I would imagine that the bending problems are to be expected -- crystallization has taken place making the cells "hard" and also not allow any water absorption. I read one site where the guy soaks the side in "Super-soft" veneer softener for a long time seems like days, can't remember exactly.

Are these tree extinct? Is new wood available?

[Gordon Steeves]

Thanks Ken, didn't know about those bending problems, yes it is ancient Kauri, I guess the new trees are protected against further cutting.