Customers ask us sometimes 'what's the best-sounding wood?' Mostly,
that's a matter of opinion. But ancient Kauri wood (yes, 45,000 years
old!) does have a unique sound and resonance that is significantly
different than modern woods. The structure of ancient Kauri, with
50-60 rings per inch, as opposed to the modern 10-12 rings, gives it a
rich, full sound, with gorgeous overtones, even when it's brand-new!
Ancient Kauri also has a different appearance from modern woods. The
grain is very tight, and it has to be sanded much more than other
woods, so it appears golden glass-smooth. The Kauri is lighter in
weight by several pounds than a comparable harp in walnut, cherry or
sapele.
Because Kauri is fairly soft, we include the racing stripes in the
neck and pillar - using either maple or purpleheart - for stability in
the design of the harp. And they look fabulous!
Ancient Kauri comes in different 'grades' depending on the amount of
figure in the wood. Contact us for price quotes on this amazing wood!
For more information about Ancient Kauri, visit www.ancientwood.com -
one of our Kauri harps is in the photo gallery! To our knowledge,
we're the only harpmakers in the world building with this incredible
wood.
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