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Walnut is a fine domestic wood that delivers a warm spunky low tone.
My first pair of wooden bones were walnut. Walnut is relatively light in weight and density, yet heavy enough to provide the kinetic force you 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.
Walnut is a favorite among fine woodworkers not only because the wood looks great and is easy to work, but for the pleasingly distinctive aroma of the fresh cut wood.
Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close)
Tonality
Get the Exact Width You Want
No other store offers Shooting Star bones by exact width. Width varies from batch to batch. But if you are looking to match an old pair of bones, or if you simply want to know what width you are getting, then you have come to the right place.
Narrow (7/8", 1")
Narrow Shooting Star bones deliver a remarkable tonal range for their size. These bones are perfect for kids, people with small hands, and anyone who enjoys the traditional American (aka minstrel one-finger) style of playing.
Wide (1-1/8", 1-3/16", 1-1/4", 1-5/16", 1-3/8")
Wide Shooting Star bones are favored by many experienced players. If you prefer the two-finger (aka Irish or European) style of playing, then you will love these wide classic bones because they enable you to produce a remarkable tonal range. Not sure which size to get? We think 1-3/16" to 1-1/4" is ideal.
Figures are approximate (but pretty darn close)--
- Length: 7-1/2"
- Width: Wide (33mm): 1-5/16"
- Thickness: 1/4"
- Composition: Walnut hardwood
- Camber (arc): 28 degrees
- Weight: 1.5+ oz
- Color: Chocolate cream
- Specific Gravity: .59
- Density: 40 pcf
- Hardness: 1010 Janka
Hand-made, easily played...since 1983
I discovered Shooting Star bones in 2003. The place was Bones Fest VII, which was held in Louisville, Kentucky that year. Since then, Shooting Star bones have held a special place among my very favorite instruments.
I vividly recall the first time I tried a pair of Shooting Star bones. Fellow Rhythm Bones Society member Mike Ballard (of San Diego, California) and I were talking about bones in the jam session room when he handed me a pair of Shooting Star bones and said, "Try these." Not only did those bones play extraordinarily well, but the wide width was different from so many other bones I have seen. Fact is, this difference is what distinguishes Shooting Star bones from their competition.
Eventually I bought a few sets. The main reason I favor wide Shooting Stars is because they can produce an amazing dynamic tonal range. This helped me win the 2004 bones contest sponsored by the National Traditional Country Music Association. (The contest is regarded by leading players as the world championship.)
World's Largest Selection of Wide Shooting Star Bones
Shooting Star no longer makes wide bones on a regular basis. They only produce wide bones by special order. So congratulations! You have found the only store that offers the entire line of wide Shooting Star bones.
Natural Nontoxic Finish
Shooting Star bones are finished with a wholesome nut-based oil that's safe for you, the dog and your kids. The elastic bands that keep pairs together sometimes absorb the oil and might leave a mark. To replenish the color, simply remove the band and rub the spot to spread the oil, or just dab with a drop or two of vegetable oil.
How Shooting Star Bones Were Born
The idea for Shooting Star bones was conceived in the early 1980s. The place was an English Country dance troupe where Mardeen and Randy Gordon performed at the annual Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Southern California. (Ren faire aficionados will note that this is the original renaissance faire.)
"I made myself a pair," recalls Mardeen, "and promptly sold them to another faire participant." Happily, folks loved the bones and sales were brisk. "Every pair I made for myself was soon snapped up, so I decided to start making them and bringing them every weekend...before I knew it, a new business was born."
Like many of us, Mardeen and Randy enjoy passing along the art of bone playing. Through the years this "star-gazed" couple have helped untold numbers of folks learn to play the bones. "We operated our own booth at the Faire," says Mardeen, "and taught hundreds of people to rattle their bones between dancing performances."
But that was over 25 years ago. Now Mardeen and Randy are out of the ren faire circuit. They have sold thousands of Shooting Star bones and still fill orders for your favorite traditional music stores—like Bone Dry Musical Instrument Company—all across the U.S.
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Features
- Domestic and Exotic Hardwoods: Largest selection on the Web.
- Durable Wood: Guaranteed not to crack or your money back.
- Proven Design: Hand-made and easily played since 1983.
- Includes 8-Page Illustrated Instruction Booklet: Explains hold, tap, triplet, troubleshooting, excercises and etiquette.
- Wholesome Finish: Non-toxic nut-based oil.
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