Whamdiddle Bones

You are here: Home > Professional > Wood > Whamdiddle

We found 29 results matching your criteria.

Whamdiddle Bones
Bridges the Gap Between Flat and Minstrel Style
Largest Selection of Whamdiddle Bones on the Internet...plus those Famous Laminated Bones!

New:
Custom Inlaid Text
Inlaid Bones
Unfinished Bones

Can't Decide Which Bones to Choose?
Check out this handy guide: Bone FAQs

Sort By


Whamdiddle Bird's-Eye Maple Bones, Classic Long (regular) Only $17.97 pair 5 in stock!	Whamdiddle Bubinga Bones Only $23.97 pair 3 in stock!	Whamdiddle Butcher Block Bones Only $27.97 pair 3 in stock!	Whamdiddle Canary Bones 4 in stock!

NEW! Bird's-Eye Maple Whamdiddle Classic Long: 8" (20cm) Regular Width: 1-1/8" to 1-1/4" (29mm to 32mm) Detailed description coming soon.	Bubinga is a heavy and dense exotic wood from equatorial Africa that delivers a powerful rich tone. Bubinga is known for its deep brownish-red color and dramatic highlights that resemble rosewood - and is often selected as a less expensive alternative. The tree is highly resistant to termite attack and thrives in swamps, riverbeds, lakes and marshes where it is culled from large dense logs weighing up to 10 tons each. Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close) Tonality Specific Gravity: .88 (Strong Tone) Density: 58 pcf (Medium Tone) Hardness: 2690 Janka (Sharper Tone)	Actually, this is maple piano pin block laminate material. Rick tells me a full sheet runs around one-thousand dollars. He uses the material to make dulcimers. But it sure looks like butcher block doesn't it? This commercially manufactured wood laminate delivers a medium tone when you rattle bones made from it. Specific Gravity: unk (approx) Density: unk pcf (approx) Hardness: unk Janka (approx)	Canary Wood is a strong exotic wood from Panama to Southern Brazil that because of its stiffness delivers a medium high tone. Canary Wood offers excellent acoustical properties for musical instruments and loudspeaker enclosures. It is a hard, heavy and strong material well suited for hand-held musical instruments because it is impervious to liquids and rated highly resistant to attacks from decay, fungi and insects. Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close) Tonality Specific Gravity: .65 (Mild Tone) Density: 50 pcf (Medium Tone) Hardness: 1030 Janka (Dull Tone)


Whamdiddle Cherry Bones Only $15.97 pair 2 in stock!	Whamdiddle Cocobolo Bones	Whamdiddle English Boxwood	Whamdiddle Hickory Bones, Classic Long (regular) Only $15.97 pair 3 in stock!

Cherry is a moderately heavy, strong, stiff wood from the Appalachian Mountains that delivers a mild to medium tone. Cherry is one of the most sought after hardwoods among fine woodworkers because of its smooth uniform texture, medium weight and hardness. This premium reddish-brown American hardwood turns darker and more rich as it ages. It is prized for its natural luster, attractive grain, and sumptuous warm glow. Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close) Tonality Specific Gravity: .54 (Milder Tone) Density: 36 pcf (Milder Tone) Hardness: 950 Janka (Duller Tone)	Cocobolo is a luxurious exotic wood that delivers a remarkably powerful low tone. Cocobolo ranks high among my favorite musical woods because of the rich full tone they produce. The material is quite hard and dense, and even a large block will produce a clear musical tone when struck. Its fine texture and oily look and feel stand up well to repeated handling. This beautiful hardwood from Central America is typically orange or reddish-brown in color, often with a figuring of darker irregular traces weaving through the wood. Only relatively small amounts of this prized wood reach the world market which explains why it is so expensive. Cocobolo is highly favored for fine inlay work, knife handles, musical instruments, pistol grips, veneers, bowls, jewelry boxes, and other expensive specialty items. It is also used in making luxury pens, and has been used as a ballast wood in ships. Cocobolo wood has a specific gravity of over 1.0, hence it will sink in water. Figures are approximate (but pretty darn close)-- Width: 7/8" to 1-1/4" Specific Gravity: 1.10 Density: 68 pcf Hardness: 1136 Janka	English Boxwood is a hard, close-grained and heavy exotic evergreen native to England and Turkey that delivers a strong sharp tone. This intriguing wood comes from a shrub that usually stands no higher than 3 feet at maturity and can take a century to reach a trunk diameter of 3 inches. Despite its small size, Boxwood produces extremely dense wood that is so heavy it barely floats. Boxwood is a knotty wood noted for a creamy yellowish tan heartwood that is indistinguishable from the sapwood. The timber is a pale yellow when freshly cut, then slowly changes to a warm brownish yellow with exposure. The unusual wood exhibits a very fine uniform texture featuring a rich and satiny luster. Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close) Tonality Specific Gravity: .91 (Stronger Tone) Density: 57 pcf (Medium Tone) Hardness: 2730 Janka (Sharper Tone)	NEW! Hickory Whamdiddle Classic Long: 8" (20cm) Regular Width: 1-1/8" to 1-1/4" (29mm to 32mm) Detailed description coming soon.


Whamdiddle Jatoba Bones	Whamdiddle Lacewood Bones Only $19.97 pair 2 in stock!	Whamdiddle Laminated Bones Only $27.97 pair 4 in stock!	Whamdiddle Mahogany Bones Only $19.97 pair 3 in stock!

NEW! Jatoba Detailed description coming soon.	Lacewood is a hard porous exotic wood native to eastern Australia that delivers a milder tone. Lacewood is characterized by conspicuous iridescent flecking that resemble "lace" patterns. The beautiful pink, red, and golden patterns appear even more prominently when the wood is expertly quartersawn. Whamdiddle Lacewood Bones demo video. Musical segment features Take Me Back Baby from Blues 'N Bones. Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close) Tonality (cardwellia sublimis) Specific Gravity: .52 (Milder Tone) Density: 34 pcf (Milder Tone) Hardness: 840 Janka (Duller Tone)	Each matched pair of Laminated bones is hand-crafted from different hardwoods. These famous Whamdiddle Laminated bones are fascinating and enduring favorites that are fun to show-off and play. Matched pairs may vary significantly from each other. Click "More Photos" button above to see examples. Specific Gravity: n/a Density: n/a pcf Hardness: n/a Janka	Mahogany is a rare exotic lighter-weight wood that delivers a rich warm medium tone. Mahogany varies considerably in color. It may be yellowish, reddish, pinkish, or salmon colored when freshly cut, maturing into a deep rich red or brown color with age. Exposure to strong sunlight may cause some fading. The wide variability in color has enabled many look-alike species to be marketed as mahogany. The interlocked grain usually produces a striped or roey figure on quartersawn surfaces. Swirl and crotch figures are also common. Irregularities in the grain often produce highly attractive figures such as, fiddleback, blister, stripe or roe, and mottle. Specific Gravity: .59 (approx) Density: 36 pcf (approx) Hardness: 800 Janka (approx)


Whamdiddle Maple Bones	Whamdiddle Michigan Ironwood Bones Only $19.97 pair 4 in stock!	Whamdiddle Oak Bones Only $15.97 pair 3 in stock!	Whamdiddle Padauk Bones Only $23.97 pair 3 in stock!

Maple is a popular domestic wood that delivers a magnificent medium soft low tone. The wood is a uniformly pale reddish brown to light tan. It has a fine uniform texture and is very strong and hard with close grain. Because of its strength and stiffness, it ranks as one of the more valuable hardwoods. The wood has a very fine and even texture, and the grain is typically straight, but it can also be curly or wavy. The wood is described as close-grained and subdued, sometimes with decorative figuring including, bird's eye, maple burl, blistered, leaf, and fiddleback. Many players, including myself, prefer maple because of its comfortable grip and heft, and for the nice warm tone it generates.	Michigan Ironwood is a special domestic wood that delivers a strong medium tone. The bone-white surface shows a pattern of scattered light to dark brown longitudinal markings along the growth rings. The heft is very comfortable, and the fine grain smooth texture of the wood offers just enough resistance to make them a real pleasure to grip and play. I don't have a lot of information about Michigan Ironwood. But at two-and-a-half ounces a pair, they are moderately heavy and weigh in on par with Oak, Tulipwood and Butcher Block. More than one hundred species of trees and shrubs share the common name of "ironwood." The hardest and heaviest ironwood trees grow in tropical regions. I tossed a pair of Whamdiddle Michigan Ironwood bones into a tub of water and they float. So unlike the pair of "greenheart" lignum vitae bones in my private collection which sink like rocks (at 4500 on the Janka scale lignum vitae is the world's hardest wood), Michigan Ironwood is bargain priced yet still delivers a fairly good wallop for your money.	Oak is a somewhat heavy dense domestic wood that delivers a medium low tone. The wood is pinkish to light reddish brown or light brown. The wood may also show a pronounced tan color. The grain is usually straight and open. Quartersawn boards often have a flake pattern which is sometimes referred to as tiger rays or butterflies. Grain and color variation is usually pronounced and dependent upon the origin of the wood and growing season. Figures are approximate (but pretty darn close)-- Width: 1" to 1-1/4" Specific Gravity: .68 Density: 53 pcf Hardness: 1360 Janka	Padauk [puh-DOUK] is a very durable exotic wood from central and tropical west Africa that delivers a highly resonant medium tone. Padauk (aka African Padauk) is a heavy dense wood that resists dents well and is very resistant to termites. Whamdiddle Padauk Bones demo video. Musical segment features Ragtime Annie from The Road Back Home. Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close) Tonality Specific Gravity: .72 (Medium Tone) Density: 47 pcf (Mild Tone) Hardness: 1725 Janka (Medium Tone)


Whamdiddle Poplar Bones Only $15.97 pair 3 in stock!	Whamdiddle Purpleheart Bones Only $23.97 pair 4 in stock!	Whamdiddle Rosewood Bones Only $39.97 pair 7 in stock!	Whamdiddle Spalted Tanoak Bones Only $21.97 pair (Out of Stock)

Poplar is a soft, lighter-weight domestic wood that delivers a medium bright tone. The wood is yellowish brown to olive green and sometimes streaked with dark green, purple, black, blue or red. Specific Gravity: .42 (approx) Density: 30 pcf (approx) Hardness: 540 Janka (approx)	Purpleheart is a rare exotic wood that delivers a medium high tone. This intriguing wood is dull brown when freshly cut, then rapidly changes to a bright, vibrant purple. Exposure to air darkens the wood to a dark-purplish brown, eventually turning it dark brown. Purpleheart has a medium to fine texture and exhibits a medium to high luster. The grain is typically straight, although sometimes it is wavy, interlocked, or irregular. Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close) Tonality Specific Gravity: .77 (Medium Tone) Density: 52 pcf (Medium Tone) Hardness: 2090 Janka (Sharp Tone)	Rosewood is a rare exotic heavy dense wood that delivers a high sharp tone. It varies in color from shades of brown to red or chocolate to violet, and is irregularly streaked with black. The grain is typically straight, but occasionally wavy. Its texture is medium to rather coarse and the wood has large pores that are quite irregular in size and position. The surface is slightly oily or waxy in appearance, somewhat gritty to the touch, and very resistant to decay and insect attack. When cut, rosewood releases a fragrant aroma similar to roses. The fragrance has also been reported when the wood is burned (but you are wise not to mention this aspect to your detractors). Rosewood has a distinctive taste, I am told - and I will just take their word for it. None of the charts I found rated rosewood with a specific gravity greater than 1.0. This surprised me as rosewood is a very hard and dense wood. So I tossed a pair of Whamdiddle Rosewood bones into a tub of water to see what happens. As I expected, they sank. So regardless of what the rating below says, the specific gravity of this truly hard dense wood is more than 1.0. Figures are approximate (but pretty darn close)-- Width: 1" to 1-1/4" Specific Gravity: .96 Density: 60 pcf Hardness: 2720 Janka	Discontinued Might reappear if enough demand: Click "Email me when Back-In-Stock" link (near add to cart button). Spalted Tanoak is a rare gorgeous exotic domestic wood that delivers a mellow medium tone. The wood is hard, strong, porous and fine-grained. The color is yellowish with wide light to dark red brown diffuse rays. Spalted Tanoak This unusual tree favors the coastal ranges of California and the Pacific Northwest. Tanoak is an evergreen that is considered a link between the chestnut and oak (Tanoak has flowers like the chestnut and acorns like the oak). The tree is designated a commercial species in California. The extract from Tanoak bark furnishes the best tannage known for the production of heavy leathers, and Tanoak tannin has also been used as a medicinal astringent. Native Americans reportedly dined on salmon and Tanoak acorns. The large acorns were ground, leached, and then prepared as a soup, cooked mush, or a kind of bread. Ground Tanoak acorns have also been fed to chickens. What is Spalted Wood? Spalted wood is a by-product of the rotting process. This rare natural process creates attractive coloration patterns in wood. It is caused by fungal action and affected by moisture, temperature, air and time. The beautiful multi-colored results are prized by woodworkers. Specific Gravity: .58 (approx) Density: unk pcf (approx) Hardness: 1350 Janka (approx)


Whamdiddle Tanoak Bones, Classic Long (reg width) Only $21.97 pair 1 in stock!	Whamdiddle Teak Bones Only $19.97 pair 1 in stock!	Whamdiddle Tulipwood Bones Only $29.97 pair 3 in stock!	Whamdiddle Virgin Pine Bones Only $15.97 pair 4 in stock!

Tanoak is a rare domestic wood that delivers a medium tone. The wood is hard, strong, and fine-grained. The color is tan with thin dark rays. This unusual tree favors the coastal ranges of California and the Pacific Northwest. Tanoak is an evergreen that is considered a link between the chestnut and oak (Tanoak has flowers like the chestnut and acorns like the oak). The tree is designated a commercial species in California. The extract from Tanoak bark furnishes the best tannage known for the production of heavy leathers, and Tanoak tannin has also been used as a medicinal astringent. Native Americans reportedly dined on salmon and Tanoak acorns. The large acorns were ground, leached, and then prepared as a soup, cooked mush, or a kind of bread. Ground Tanoak acorns have also been fed to chickens. Specific Gravity: .58 (approx) Density: unk pcf (approx) Hardness: 1350 Janka (approx)	Teak is an exotic species of wood that delivers a medium tone. Native to Burma and India, teakwood is hard, strong, heavy and very attractive. The wood is prized for its outstanding durability under both wet and dry conditions. In its purest form teakwood is a uniform dark golden-brown without markings. But most teakwoods, like these Whamdiddle Teak Bones, are dark golden yellow highlighted by rich brown and darker chocolate-brown markings. The grain is generally straight but occasionally wavy, and the texture is coarse and uneven. The wood is somewhat greasy and may contain white shiny deposits. Freshly milled teakwood is reported to have an aroma similar to leather. Specific Gravity: .59 (approx) Density: 40 pcf (approx) Hardness: 1000 Janka (approx)	Tulipwood is a rare exotic wood that delivers a high somewhat sharp tone. Another of the true rosewoods, tulipwood is hard and heavy and takes an excellent lustre when polished. It has a pleasing fragrance when milled. Its handsome color displays irregular wide striped shades of darker pink and violet on a pinkish yellow straw-colored background. Native to tropical South America, especially northeastern Brazil, Tulipwood trees do not grow very large. Indeed, it is rare to find boards more than 4" wide and 3 feet long. Tulipwood is a rare find in quartersawn stock, which makes special products such as these Whamdiddle Tulipwood Bones all the more desirable. Figures are approximate (but pretty darn close)-- Width: 1" to 1-1/4" Specific Gravity: .96 Density: 60 pcf Hardness: 2500 Janka	Virgin Pine is domestic wood from "old-growth" timber. The ancient wood was collected from trees located in a forest that has not been subject to logging. These Virgin Pine "old-growth" bones are a fine grained light-weight wood that deliver a soft, quiet tone. Specific Gravity: .44 (approx) Density: 30 pcf (approx) Hardness: 460 Janka (approx)


Whamdiddle Walnut Bones Only $15.97 pair 3 in stock!	Whamdiddle Wenge Bones Only $23.97 pair 2 in stock!	Whamdiddle Western Cedar Bones Only $17.97 pair 5 in stock!	Whamdiddle Zebrawood Bones Only $21.97 pair 1 in stock!

Walnut is a fine domestic wood that delivers a warm spunky low tone. My first pair of wooden bones were walnut. They produced a relatively warm tone and were heavy enough to provide the kinetic force I needed to make them click with ease. The wood is pleasing to the touch and the mellow sound is perfect under many situations. An excellent choice for both new and experienced players. Walnut wood is warm and inviting. The color varies from light grayish brown to deep chocolate brown to an almost black purplish brown. The grain is slightly open and usually straight, but can also be wavy or irregular. The texture is somewhat coarse but uniform. The surface is generally dull, but it may develop a lustrous patina after years of use. Fine woodworkers enjoy working this chocolate colored wood that emits a pleasingly distinctive aroma. Figures are approximate (but pretty darn close)-- Width: 1" to 1-1/4" Specific Gravity: .59 Density: 40 pcf Hardness: 1010 Janka	Wenge is an exotic African wood that delivers a somewhat high tone. There is no other wood like Wenge. The marvelously expressive grain pattern is fairly straight to slightly wavy and interconnected. The texture is coarse. Its color is dark brown with very close, fine, almost black veins. Wenge is procured from sustainably managed or environmentally responsible sources. The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) reports that timber from Wenge is produced regularly, but exported only in low volumes. Wenge wood is very durable and resistant to termite attack. But Wenge is always in short supply on the US market. Prices are often high due to low yield from logs because of worm infestation, supply problems, and less demand for darker woods. So if you want some cool looking musical rhythm bones that are absolutely like no others, then grab a pair or two of Wenge. Specific Gravity: .88 ( Strong Tone) Density: 55 pcf (Mid Tone) Hardness: 1630 Janka (Mid Tone)	Western Cedar is a special light-weight domestic wood that delivers an exceptionally soft tone. The wood appears salmon pink in color when freshly cut, then turns coffee brown over time. The wood from both cedar and fir trees is generally straight grained but coarse-textured, with prominent growth rings. In fact, the weight and grain pattern of these Western Cedar bones are virtually identical to the Whamdiddle Virgin Pine "old growth fir" bones, as well it should be. The only difference I can see between the woods from these two conifers is that the pine bones are slightly lighter in color with a faint orange cast. Western Cedar is one of North America's great renewable resources. It is very light in weight, durable, and often seen outdoors as fencing, patio decks, planters, screens, shelters and garden furniture. A natural acoustical property of Western Cedar is its ability to dampen vibrations. "The wood has a cellular network of minute interlocking pores which convert sound energy into heat by frictional and viscoelastic resistance," which I suppose is why the wood produces such a soft quiet tone. Specific Gravity: .37 Density: 23 pcf Hardness: 580 Janka	Zebrawood is a hard and heavy exotic wood from West Africa that delivers a medium low tone. This strong, stiff and fairly dense wood is distinctive for its zebra-like light and dark stripes. The relatively few woodworkers who know about Zebrawood are awed by its dramatic pattern. Zebrawood is moderately expensive, and because its use is so limited, it is only available in small quantities. Whamdiddle Zebrawood Bones demo video. Musical segment features Take Me Back Baby from Blues 'N Bones. Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close) Tonality Specific Gravity: .74 (Medium Tone) Density: 53 pcf (Medium Tone) Hardness: 1575 Janka (Medium Tone)


Whamdiddle Ziricote Bones Only $23.97 pair 3 in stock!

Ziricote is a rare exotic wood from Central and tropical South America that delivers a powerful medium-sharp tone. Ziricote is a hard, heavy and highly durable wood with a lustrous surface that makes it a natural for handheld musical instruments. It is valued as a superior musical instrument lumber and used for premium acoustic guitars. What's more, the wood has about the closest grain resemblance to Brazilian Rosewood of any lumber although the color is darker and lacking the reds and oranges. Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close) Tonality Specific Gravity: .85 (Strong Tone) Density: 56 pcf (Mid Tone) Hardness: 2200 Janka (Sharp Tone)


	1

Handcrafted By a Master Luthier with a Graduate Degree in Physics

Whamdiddle bones are magnificent instruments. They are handcrafted from domestic and exotic hardwoods by Rick Fogel. Rick is a master luthier in Seattle, Washington who holds a master of science degree in Physics. This winning combination of top-grade material, brilliant artistry, and scientific expertise explains why Whamdiddle sound as good as they look.

Great Looks, Solid Design, Superior Tone
Take a close look at the marvelous color and fascinating wood grain of these Whamdiddle bones. They are less oval than minstrel style bones. And the "flat" shape fits especially comfortable in your hands. But the first thing you notice when you grab a pair is their substantial heft. Even the lightweight bones feel full in your grip. Best of all, Whamdiddle bones deliver a rich full range of tones when you rattle them.

Crafted From Quartersawn Lumber, the Prime Working Stock for Quality Musical Instruments
Why do Whamdiddle bones reveal spectacular grain patterns, warp less, and generate better tone? "Because," Rick explains, "they are made from quartersawn lumber."

Rick described the technique to me but it is a bit complex. So I looked up the term in a technical report from the U.S. Forest Service. They indeed confirm that quartersawn lumber "shrinks and swells less...splits less...and figure patterns and wavy grain are brought out more conspicuously." Another source reports that quartersawn wood "helps prevent warping and also provides the best vibration patterns acoustically." And yet another source tells us "quartersawn wood helps ensure that an instrument's sound remains as invariable as possible."

So yes, musical bones made from quartersawn lumber are decidedly prime quality instruments. But the ultimate test, of course, is to try them yourself.

Largest Selection of Whamdiddle Bones on the Internet
...plus those Famous Laminated Bones!
On this website is the largest selection of Whamdiddle bones on the internet. No other store offers you a larger choice of Whamdiddle bones that you can view and purchase by simply clicking a button.

Please note that each carefully matched pair is expertly hand-crafted, but no two pairs are exactly alike. (i.e. Some pairs might vary slightly from another in width and thickness.)

Where does Rick find the exotic, rare, and domestic species of wood for these gorgeous bones? "It's scrap wood left over from the dulcimers I make," he says. So if you see something you really like, get it now. Because when a species of Whamdiddle bones get sold out, they might be gone forever.