eric@phantasypsalteries.com

In an effort to simplify the special ordering process, I have chosen to remove all of the veneer options on the order form. If you would like a veneered bowed psaltery, please email me or write a request in the comments section of the custom order form. Below you will find more information about the various veneers that I have used:

Veneered backs and sides: In addition to solid wood backs, I also offer plywood backs that are subsequently veneered with highly figured woods not commonly available in solid lumber form. For the sides, I typically use solid black cherry, (my lightest wood available), as the frame of the instrument. The instrument may appear to be quite heavy, but will actually be incredibly light.

I use veneer to display woods in configurations that are impossible with solid wood, such as a quad-matched, (explained below), or burls, which are too unstable to be used for acoustic musical instruments. Or, I simply use veneering to enable people to enjoy the beauty of woods that are far too expensive to be used in solid form.

If you will be displaying this instrument, or plan on showing it off to others, veneering can be a good choice. While most of the veneer woods that I use are technically considered tonewoods, they are so thin that they play virtually no role in the acoustic properties of the instrument. With the supporting plywood as the actual back, the tone depth is compromised somewhat; I would say that veneered psalteries are form over function. However, I can assure you that a veneered-back instrument will still sound lovely and exhibit the same haunting sound that is characteristic of the bowed psaltery.

	Curly Maple—In veneer form, I try and find pieces with figure so vibrant that they are almost too good to be true. I usually lay out the pieces in bookmatch or quad-matched orientation.
	Bird’s-Eye Maple—This is another form of maple that shows a lot of figure. This veneer is full of tiny little knots that are supposed to resemble the eyes of birds. In addition to the eyes, this variety of maple can also include areas of ripples and quilt patterns, giving it an extra element of depth. Show at left is a veneered bird's eye maple bookmatched back with an inlaid center-strip.
	Quilted Sapele—Perhaps the most three-dimensional looking veneer that I use, this beautiful wood dares you to reach out and touch it to see if it's really flat! Sapele is sort of a cousin of mahogany, and its color ranges from a reddish tan color to a darker cinnamon brown.
	Pommelle Sapele—Very similar to the quilt pattern, pommelle patterning looks more like teardrops or shallow blisters on the surface of the wood. It is not quite as deep or rippled looking as quilt, but it is still a very beautiful, elegant pattern.

Burls: I use burl veneers for the backs and sides of some of my instruments. Burls are a type of wood outgrowth which are typically found on the trunk of the tree. Since they are not from the rest of the tree's main trunk (i.e., lumber), burls tend to be rather small, yet highly figured. As a result of their size, it is only rarely that burl veneers will be available as a single piece. I will regularly butt two pieces of veneer together to form one continuous back; due to the random and chaotic grain patterning, this seam is nearly invisible. The other option is a book and butt match using four sheets of veneer, listed as "quad matched" on the custom order form. Since this can generate more waste, it is slightly more expensive than a continuous veneered back.

	Olive Ash Burl—This burl is not as intensely figured as some of the other burls, but instead features swirling grain lines and waves to draw interest for the viewer. It is typically a whitish wood with a light golden tan hue, and as the name suggests, can develop a ting of olive green color over time.
	Walnut Burl—One of the most popular and sought-out burls, walnut burl comes in all sorts of colors and patterns. (If you have a preference for a certain pattern or color, please specify this on the special order form.) Walnut burl has swirling grain, ribbons and patches of dark and light browns, and various sized knots and/or knot clusters. Overall it typically finishes to a fairly dark brown, but occasionally white sapwood can be included to give a high degree of contrast.
	Carpathian Elm Burl—This veneer has swirling grain, along with many attractive clusters of knots. The color can also vary and be in contrasting patches, ranging from a light reddish brown to a dark rust color. The combination of figure and color make this a very unique and beautiful veneer.
	Musk Burl—Similar in appearance to walnut burl, the color is a golden brown with dark brown knots. This burl is almost completely covered with tight clusters of knots. Found native in Australia, musk burl is available in only very limited quantities.

Quad matching: A book and butt match, called a "quad match" on my special order form, is when the wood is bookmatched both vertically and horizontally—with the horizontal matching being the butt match. That is to say, a solid piece of wood is cut into four pieces, (in this case, four veneer slices), each showing the same grain pattern. The pieces are then laid out to mirror each other from both side-to-side, and top-and-bottom. This is only possible with veneered backs. At left you can see four pieces of curly maple that are quad-matched. It is easy to spot where the pieces are mirrored because a cross-shaped pattern of banding is inlaid along the seams.

Copyright © 2010 Eric Meier