Pacific Yew is a moderately heavy, strong, stiff wood from the Pacific Northwest that delivers a mild to medium tone similar to, but just a tad sharper than cherry.
"Long associated with magic, death, and rebirth/eternal life," Pacific Yew is "attributed with magical and psychic abilities." reports the West Wind Hardwood Company in Canada, adding, "Yew was one of the ‘nine sacred woods’ used in the ritual fires of the Celts, and as a ‘totem’ tree by Celtic tribes. Yew wood was excellent for making bows and the theory has been proposed that during the Middle Ages villages needed to have a crop of yew trees to provide archers with good long bows."
"Perhaps Yew’s greatest claim to fame," according to The Wood Database, "is that of its mechanical properties: despite its strength and density, Yew has an incredibly low and disproportionate modulus of elasticity at only 1,320,000 lbf/in2 (9,100 MPa). What this means is that the wood is extremely flexible, yet strong, making it ideally suited for use in archery bows. In fact, Yew was the wood of choice for English longbows in medieval warfare."
Figures below are approximate (but pretty darn close)
Color
Heartwood is orange-brown, sometimes with a darker brown or purplish hue. Darkens with age.
Tonality
Whamdiddle Collection
|
Features:
- Solid Pacific Yew Hardwood: Excellent for musical bones.
- Practical Design: Handcrafted by a master luthier.
- Quarter-sawn Lumber: Creates stable tone, won't warp or crack.
- Includes Instructions: Shows how to hold and play bones.
- Hand Rubbed Finish: Non-slip easy grip.
Specs:
Figures are approximate (but pretty darn close)--
- Length: Short, 7" (17.8 cm)
- Length: Traditional, 7-1/2" (19.1 cm)
- Length: Classic Long, 8" (20.3 cm)
- Width: Narrow, less than 1-1/16" (27.0 mm), min 7/8" (22.2 mm)
- Width: Regular, 1-1/16" to 1-1/4" (27.0 mm to 31.8 mm)
- Width: Wide, more than 1-1/4" (31.8 mm), max 1-3/8" (34.9 mm)
- Thickness: Thin, 1/4" (6.4 mm)
- Thickness: Regular, 3/8" (9.5 mm)
- Composition: Exotic Pacific Yew hardwood
- Camber (arc): 28 degrees
- Average Weight: 2 oz
- Color: Orange-Brown (Cinnamon Stick)
- Specific Gravity: 67 (Mild Tone)
- Density: 42 pcf (Mild Tone) pcf
- Hardness: 1600 Janka (Medium Tone)
Story:
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 Whamdiddle bones. That gorgeous appearance comes from quartersawn wood, so the look is no accident.
The designs are special too. For example, the Whamdiddle Classic Style is less oval than minstrel style bones, yet rounder than flat style bones. This unique design bridges the gap between minstrel and flat styles. You can expect the Classic Style shape to fit especially comfortable in your hands. After all, the design has stood the test of time for more than 40 years. But the first thing you notice when you grab a pair is their substantial heft. Even the lightweight Classic Style bones feel full in your grip.
On the other side of the spectrum are Whamdiddle Flat Style bones. Not only are they agile and thin, but they fit any size hand and deliver a remarkably dynamic range of tones.
But no matter what style you choose, Whamdiddle bones deliver a rich full range of tones that make you proud to 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 expert source reports that quartersawn wood "helps prevent warping and also provides the best vibration patterns acoustically." And yet another authority 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 Planet...plus those Famous Laminated Bones.
Welcome to the largest selection of Whamdiddle bones on Earth! No other store offers you a larger choice of Whamdiddle bones. In fact, most of the Whamdiddle bones we offer are designed exclusively for Bone Dry Music and available no place else in the universe.
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 length, 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.
Can't Decide Which Bones to Choose?
Check out this handy guide: Bone FAQs
|
|