Could anyone direct me to a good timber suppier in the UK?

[rustick]

Hello,

I’m new to building mandolins or any instrument for that matter, I currently starting a octave mandolin project.

I live in Wales in the United Kingdom.

Could anyone direct me to a good timber supplier in the UK?, local or one offering delivery.

Ideally I’m looking for a saw mill that understands the importance of getting the right pieces of timber, luthier friendly. Some places I’ve spoken to just want to sell you any grade of timber.

Though I would be grateful for any directions to any species of timber, I’m mainly interested in a supplier of either alpine/european spruce or sitka spruce, maple and sycamore.

Thanks.

Nick

[martinedwards]

DAvid Dyke is the main one here....

http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/

there's also touchtone......

http://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/

Madinter in Spain isn't THAT far away.............

[Richard Moore]

I'd second martinedward's suggestions. I've used both of those suppliers for many years without problem and with good service.

[PollyCymru]

I'll third martinedward's suggestions too. They are the suppliers DH uses, very reliable :)

[Spruce]

Could anyone direct me to a good timber supplier in the UK?, local or one offering delivery.

Ideally I’m looking for a saw mill that understands the importance of getting the right pieces of timber, luthier friendly.

OK, I'm going to go against the grain here...

For topwood, yeah, go with David or any of the other UK suppliers...

But for sycamore, I'd hit your local mills and pay about 1/10th of what you'll pay at a "luthier friendly" supplier...

Now is a good time to take a field trip, as all the sycamore was milled during January-February, and you'll get first pick...

Do a bit of Googling. You'll find lots of wood in your area that survived the exportation to Germany, where it magically turns into "German Maple".... ;)

Luck!

[grandcanyonminstrel]

For a few extra dollars / pounds/ Euros shipping, Spruce should be able to mail you out fantastic woods. He's one of our best on this side of the pond.

j.
www.condino.com

[Spruce]

Thanks, James, but with our new postal (no ground shipping) and UPS rates, shipping to Europe is becoming prohibitive...

We need to get surface shipping back in the mix again if we want to solve the US trade-balance problems....

[martinedwards]

I wasn't aware that the postal system had changed.....

I got my last box of 20 engleman tops from the far side of the pond and my supply is running low.........