L J Williams Tui Whitebait Guitar (Used, 2010) SOLD
Premium, Rare, Whitebait Ancient Kauriback & sides with amazing flame & figure
Kauri soundboard from a tree that Laurie selected & milled himself
Venetian cutaway
Celtic abalone rosette
Abalone top trim
Top & back Macassar ebony Bevels
Micro purflings adjacent to the wood bindings
Ebony fretboard with micro purflings
Ebony bridge with Ebony bridge pins
Bound, Macassar headstock front with Abalone logo & micro purfling border
Antique bronze 510 tuning machines with buttons made by Laurie, himself
12 fret abalone inlay of a Tui bird
Abalone back center strip
Decorative end graft with micro purflings
"Whitebait" denotes the extreme flame, figure, chatoyance, & iridescence of the Ancient Kauri wood
Near mint condition
SN 09144
Original custom Ameritage case included in our price of $14,500
More about Ancient Kauri wood in Laurie's own words: "Thousands of years ago, for reasons that will probably always remain a mystery, some of the kauri forests that grew over much of the North of the North Island of New Zealand were destroyed. These trees were buried under peat swamps where they have remained undisturbed, and well preserved, until recent times. There are differing theories regarding what caused these events but whatever the cause, these trees have been sealed from the air and have been preserved for thousands of years. Exactly how many thousands is open to debate but logs have been independently carbon dated from 3,000 to over 45,000 years old depending on the area that it is extracted. It is the oldest workable timber in the world. It is not petrified but can be sawed, planed and turned like many other species, although it can be problematic and experience is required to use it to its full potential in musical instruments."
