Black Walnut Burl
Basically dark brown, but can contain streaks of creamy white to nearly black. Richly patterned, with knots, fiddlebacks and swirls. A lighter-weight hardwood - makes for an easy to handle musical saw! Burl-grade walnut is always in short supply...not always available!
Clear Black Walnut
This is the classic-looking walnut. The color varies from medium to deep brown, with streaks of pale cream and near black. Walnut is light to medium weight and very stable and durable. It is always an excellent choice for musical instruments in general, and it makes a lighter-weight handle for your saw...
Birdseye Maple
Lovely, moonlight hue- with "eyes" throughout! Each little eye is actually the cross-section of a tiny burl! This is a very hard, dense wood is medium weight. It finishes beautifully, and it is one of the best-loved hardwoods! In good supply.
Spalted Maple
This highly figured maple is the result of an early phase of decay - which is arrested before the wood actually breaks down. Long a favorite wood among artists, every piece is absolutely unique, with all degrees of figuration. Colors range from cream white to deep chocolate - all ij one piece of wood. This is a lighter-weight maple, so you can have a musical saw that is easier to carry and handle - but still plenty strong! Good supply!
Tiger/Curly Maple
Pale golden to rich honey color, unless stained light brown. Contains tight, even curls that shift and glow in different angles of lighting! The classic violin wood! Medium weight and clear of defects.
Sapele Mahogany
Light to medium-weight. Honey-colored, with glowing golden banding! A favorite hardwood that results in a very lovely musical saw or saw cheat!
Pommele Mahogany
Similar to Sapele mahogany - but the wood has a tight, quilted pattern that shifts and shimmers in the light! Basically amber-colored with golden highlights. Fairly lightweight - a perfect musical saw wood. Always in short supply!
Paduak
Deep red color, with alternating darker bands. Very stunning! Fairly heavy - makes for a solid-feeling saw or cheat! In good supply!
Bubinga
Overall, the color is similar to black walnut, but the patterns are quite distinctive - "swirly" in fact! This is one of the showiest hardwoods! Medium weight - makes a solid-feeling, durable musical saw. Good supply!
Zebrawood
This is a very distinctive hardwood, with bold, alternating stripes of cream and light-to-dark brown. Heavy weight and quite durable!
Afrormosia
This wood has a distinct, deep yellow color that is quite unique among hardwoods. The grain pattern is tight and even, with alternating, slightly wavy stripes. Heavy and hard - quite durable!
Olive
Always in very short supply, and hard to locate! Spectacular swirling patterns of cream and honey color. Very distinctive, olive scent! Very waxy and hard - extremely durable! But, VERY heavy! The heaviest hardwood I have used! Not always available - may need to be special-ordered.
Cherry
Very lightweight - makes for a very easy to handle saw! Cherry is an all-time favorite hardwood, favored by furniture-makers and craftsman because it is quite easy to work! Color is a soft, pale orange. Can contain very pleasing waves that shift nicely in the light!
Red-Flamed Box Elder
A rare natural wonder! Ordinary box elder is basically creamy white - unless the tree gets hit with an infestation of borers! The damage results in a fungus invasion - and the tree responds by flooding its tissues with a red-colored poison! But don't worry! The wood is non-toxic to people! Usually contains pin holes and galleries from the borers - which makes it a real conversation-piece! Feather-light - makes the lightest possible musical saw! In short supply, though!
Purpleheart
Another wonder of nature! Contains a true purple dye! Clear, fairly straight-grained, with alternating but subtle dark and light streaks. Very heavy and dense - makes for a very substantial, solid-feeling musical saw! If you don't mind the extra weight, this wood makes for a real showpiece!