Tonewood Auction from Hargrave Collection

[Melvin Goldsmith]

It looks like he is using his reputation to sell the wood stock that he no longer requires in his career and good luck to him.  Old wood always looks great.

[Dwight Brown]

I remember reading on John Dilworth's blog about a peice he had that was priced at a few shillings from Hills.  It was so old it was about tar black on the surface.  I don't know if it makes that much difference but it does indeed add a bit of romance.

 

DLB

[edi malinaric]

15 hours ago, Julian Cossmann Cooke said:

Well, if it's not horse hockey and pee, then Jacob could be onto something.  Maybe it IS about horses, but the less-than-gold material from those that aren't good enough to stud racing phenoms.

Huh! Perhaps he's raising funds to develop a better varnish and hide glue.

cheers edi

[franciscus]

On 5/19/2017 at 9:23 PM, Urban Luthier said:

I happen to have a couple of pieces of wood from the 'Hargrave' Collection, which I occasionally bring out to impress my friends and influence my enemies. Unfortunately he ruined the wood by writing all over it. Not sure I'll ever be able to use it .

How I see the things,these Mr. Hargrave's inscriptions on the back would prevent me to use it as a wood. I think that it is very good investment and could worth much more than some violin made from it after some - say - 20 years or so. The wood is here just something on Mr. Hargrave wrote something.

[Piergiuseppe]

10 hours ago, Melvin Goldsmith said:

It looks like he is using his reputation to sell the wood stock that he no longer requires in his career and good luck to him.  Old wood always looks great.

Is it perhaps an era that ends?

[Carl Stross]

14 minutes ago, Piergiuseppe said:

Is it perhaps an era that ends?

Or maybe one that just begins : coming to grips with his mortality, Roger will use from now on only his absolutely top wood. He's getting rid of the reminder.

[Piergiuseppe]

1 hour ago, carl stross said:

Or maybe one that just begins : coming to grips with his mortality, Roger will use from now on only his absolutely top wood. He's getting rid of the reminder.

I do not prefer woman first. Second much more interesting.(cit.)

[Carl Stross]

19 minutes ago, Piergiuseppe said:

I do not prefer woman first. Second much more interesting.(cit.)

Don't get me started....  Jeffrey's got enough on his plate.

[Julian Cossmann Cooke]

On 5/19/2017 at 4:20 PM, Dwight Brown said:

One piece quartered viola backs mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm 

 

DLB

Pant, pant.......

Next time you are up this way, Dwight, I will drag out some one piece quartered viola backs -- and a bib -- for your viewing.

[Michael_Molnar]

On 5/19/2017 at 9:15 PM, David Burgess said:

Uh oh! First he shares with the world a lot of information on his working methods in the "Bass Making" thread, and now he's selling his wood?

The fat lady is singing.

[AtlVcl]

17 hours ago, carl stross said:

Don't get me started....  Jeffrey's got enough on his plate.

ROTFL!!!

 

[Julian Cossmann Cooke]

This is a whole mess of wood!  All "priced to sell".  (Wink because we know how auctions go.)  I may sign in to "watch" a few lots just to see how things are going.  No doubt, as has previously been noted, the good stuff will go to the folks who can make the trip to see the wood in person.

At least Roger will be able to afford that Tormek with the change from the sale that falls between his couch cushions.  

None of this is intended to diss Roger.  More power to him if he can walk away with some serious money.  I'm keeping (more or less) detailed records on every piece of wood I purchase and whoever ends up selling it when my remains are being used to make madder lake can decide whether the detail will raise or depress the value in the marketplace.

[Michael_Molnar]

Is Roger still actively making instruments?

[David Burgess]

4 hours ago, Julian Cossmann Cooke said:

This is a whole mess of wood!  All "priced to sell".  (Wink because we know how auctions go.)  I may sign in to "watch" a few lots just to see how things are going.  No doubt, as has previously been noted, the good stuff will go to the folks who can make the trip to see the wood in person.

 

One could also sell off their less desirable wood, keeping what seems to be the best.

3 hours ago, Michael_Molnar said:

Is Roger still actively making instruments?

About a year ago, I was in contact with a women who said that she had just been in touch with Roger, and he offered to make her one. Don't have any information more recent than that... the last time I spoke with Roger was prior to that.

[uncle duke]

I do know when I first registered here at Maestronet a few years ago I do remember a reply to a post from Mr. Hargrave that he was involved with a lot of stringed bass work and wouldn't be able to post as much as he used to or would like to.  

So, for instance, if he has an order to make six stringed basses and it takes eight to 12 months for each he should be able to make it back to Maestronet by the year 2022.  I'd hope it wouldn't be more work than that.      

[Will L]

If this topic hasn't been discussed, it might make an interesting and worthwhile one.  How do different makers manage their wood supply?  It might be that there is an art and science to it; or there should be.

  

[Melvin Goldsmith]

9 hours ago, Will L said:

If this topic hasn't been discussed, it might make an interesting and worthwhile one.  How do different makers manage their wood supply?  It might be that there is an art and science to it; or there should be.

  

You buy the best you can and sell off what you end up not liking if you can...after a few  years it will have some value for its age maybe. 

[Julian Cossmann Cooke]

4 hours ago, David Burgess said:

One could also sell off their less desirable wood, keeping what seems to be the best.

About a year ago, I was in contact with a women who said that she had just been in touch with Roger, and he offered to make her one. Don't have any information more recent than that... the last time I spoke with Roger was prior to that.

But then I would have to go through all my wood and make decisions!  Oh no!  Backs and tops and neck blocks, oh my!

[Michael_Molnar]

11 hours ago, uncle duke said:

I do know when I first registered here at Maestronet a few years ago I do remember a reply to a post from Mr. Hargrave that he was involved with a lot of stringed bass work and wouldn't be able to post as much as he used to or would like to.  

So, for instance, if he has an order to make six stringed basses and it takes eight to 12 months for each he should be able to make it back to Maestronet by the year 2022.  I'd hope it wouldn't be more work than that.      

February 25, 2015. 

[Michael_Molnar]

A good practice is to buy new wood and store it for future builds. Time flies and before you know it, you are using aged wood.

[Frank Nichols]

16 minutes ago, Michael_Molnar said:

A good practice is to buy new wood and store it for future builds. Time flies and before you know it, you are using aged wood.

I guess the point of buying new wood is that it is less expensive? 

And does anyone buy trees? 

[Jim Bress]

2 hours ago, FrankNichols said:

I guess the point of buying new wood is that it is less expensive? 

And does anyone buy trees? 

It may be cheaper, or more choices, and certainly less pressure to make a quick purchase.  It's always nice to be able to pick wood in person instead of by picture.  Sometimes a wood dealer can provide enough information to give you the comfort factor to buy online.  Simeon chamber was good this way for spruce, but sadly he's out of business. 

People will sometimes buy a bunch of billets from the same log if they find what they like.  Big investment, but probably a lower per billet price.  Hopefully you don't change your mind on what kind of wood you like.  Sometimes a large stash will come up for sale because of a luthier retiring, or just finding a bunch of wood they like better than what they have.  So they need to off load the other stuff.  

If you have no aged wood, it may be worth it to you to buy some well seasoned wood.  After you have a stash I think most people just back fill as they use up stock.

-Jim

[Jim Bress]

I looked at the catalog.  Some nice pieces.  I'm guessing Roger still has a plenty of premium wood for the rest of his working life.  Hopefully another 20 years.

He has an interesting logo.  A gouge with an an f-hole on either side.  Quite clever.  Unfortunately when I look at it all I can think of is Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars.  

 

[Julian Cossmann Cooke]

23 hours ago, Jim Bress said:

I looked at the catalog.  Some nice pieces.  I'm guessing Roger still has a plenty of premium wood for the rest of his working life.  Hopefully another 20 years.

He has an interesting logo.  A gouge with an an f-hole on either side.  Quite clever.  Unfortunately when I look at it all I can think of is Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars.  

 

Or a Dippety-Do commercial from a bygone era.  For the young bucks (like "dude", "bucks" is a gender neutral term in my use), that it what is now called styling gel.  It's the "do" itself that has changed.

[gowan]

Re the quality of wood, some luthiers, such as Storioni, made wonderful violins out of wood that most modern violin makers would reject on sight for the presence of large knots, for example.  So if this wood for sale is not Roger's best quality it might do very well for making high quality instruments.  You just have to know how to use it.  It might be a windfall for makers starting out.