Hello Bachido!
I’m starting to put together construction plans and source materials for the building of one, possibly two, shamisen.
I’ve been researching wood options, and it seems that Padauk is quite expensive and hard to order in amounts suitable for the size of this project.
Does anyone have any ideas about alternative woods? I think that American Maple is a possibility. Also, if anyone can recommend a decent timber supplier in the UK then that would also be most welcome.
Thanks!
I’m glad to hear of yet another shamisen project! Don’t tell anyone, but I think I like building shamisen more than playing them 
I’ve got a leftover slab of Makore/ African Cherry I could donate to you that’s big enough for a dou. The local lumberyard has a 6 foot minimum requirement and a dou only needs like 3 feet or so of wood, so I always have leftovers.
Unfortunately shipping to the UK would probably cost more than a new piece of wood to begin with 
If you go with a mitsutori sao (or maybe a nobezao if you find a long piece) you could get some pieces of turning stock a lot cheaper than a huge piece of lumber. eBay usually has plenty of them. Or you could laminate some thinner boards together to make a board the right size.
Any wood in theory could work, just remember the harder the better.
Hi Matt!
There isMoss & Co (Timber Importes &Merchants) in London. Check please. I visited twice there and the service was very good. They cut a piece of wood for me that I wanted.
http://www.mosstimber.co.uk/index.php/2008/08/exotic-hardwoods/
“We have an excellent variety of exotic hardwoods that are available in stock and are listed below. Sizes and quantities are varied and limited so, if possible, we strongly advise customers to view these pieces in person.
Amazakou, Blackwood, African, Bocote, Cocobollo, Ebony, Kingwood, Lemonwood, Lignum Vitae, Olivewood, Spanish, Pink Ivory, Padauk, Purpleheart, Rosewood,Santos, Rosewood, Honduran, Rosewood, Sonokeling, Satinwood, Snakewood, Tulipwood, Brazilian, Ziricote
Most of these woods are held as either square edged blocks or circular turning blanks.”
Hey guys,
Thanks for your helpful replies.
Cody: It’s very generous of you to offer up your remaining Makore/African Cherry. I may have to look into that variety as I’ve never heard of it before now.
As you say, the cost to ship over to the UK is likely more than the price of buying some new wood to begin with.
I may well check ebay to see if there’s anything on there that is useable. 
Nick: Hi! Thanks for the link to Moss & Co. I have searched through a few timber suppliers in the UK but haven’t seen this one.
I will definitely check them out. 
I’m determined to get this project off the ground, after many months of considering (and procrastinating).
Once I have something to show I’ll start taking some pictures and post in further detail.
Thanks again!
Ooh! I wonder how much Moss & Co charge for their Snakewood. 
Probably just as expensive as everywhere else though.
Last year I made a Jarana, an indigenous Mexican interpretation of a Spanish colonial baroque guitar. For the fingerboard and bridge, I used a piece of “Tigerwood” that I found in the cutoffs bin at a Rockler Woodworking store. The Tigerwood name is applied to several similar wood species used for hardwood floors (and undoubtedly golf clubs as well
The piece I purchased is very hard, and has very fine grain. It is rather orange in color (not as red as Padauk), but with none of the characteristic “tiger stripes”. It cuts very cleanly, without the grainy tearout I got with my Padauk shamisen.
Based on Kyle’s experience with Ipe (another hardwood floor material), I was concerned about how well it would glue. I found no negative comments, and several positive ones along the lines of “shouldn’t be a problem”. Just to be sure, I wiped the surfaces with acetone before gluing.
I wouldn’t expect the fingerboard to be a problem, since there isn’t any stress on the glue line. The bridge is obviously another matter, but it seems to be holding quite nicely to the Western Red Cedar top. I can’t remember if I used Titebond or hot hide glue; probably the latter.
wow that is just amazing good looking
What a beautiful instrument! That Spanish heel looks great.
I think cost will be the major determining factor in the wood I choose but I’d prefer some kind of ‘exotic’ hardwood.
I will keep an eye out for Tiger-wood.
I didn’t mean to hijack this subject, but the “Spanish heel” is a bit deceptive. Traditionally, Jarana bodies and necks are hacked out of a single block of wood (with, e.g. a machete). I cheated and used a bandsaw and drill press.
The wood is Red Alder from a tree in our yard.