Gabe Nickelson Posted December 13, 2002 Report Share Posted December 13, 2002 OK guys and gals, as you know I've been HUNTING in the city of Houston for some figured veneer. I have this itch that I must see it before I buy. Today I leave work at 11:30am to get everything done. I decided to go checkout Houston Hardwoods. HUGE place but no figured veneer. OK... so then I go to Woodcrafters to get some router bits and I tell the guy working there about my problem. He mentioned a place in Houston that does have figured veneer. OK. So here I am and it's already 12:30pm - my lunch break should be over and I'm still about 20 minutes away from work. I figure 'hell, I'm already going to be late, so why not make it REALLY late!'. I go out there and it's in downtown Houston (well, the heights which is about 3 miles from the city center). Work is at least 40 minutes away at this point. I get in there and the guy takes me to the warehouse. Woo Hoo! TONS of veneers! We start going through them sheet by sheet. Nothing really pleasent, but of about 30 sheets one could be turned into a decent flame. The sheet was about 3'x4'. So I would have some extra leftover for another project! At this point, I'm getting excited about finishing my project. So we leave the warehouse and he looks up the price... $124.99!!!!!!!!!!! HUH? ***!? :o I started to break out in a sweat and I just couldn't say anything to the guy as he was looking at me. I was in FREAKING SHOCK! No way IN HELL am I going to pay that kind of money for an 'ok' piece of veneer when I can buy like 50 square feet of it on eBay for $75! THIS IS HOUSTON DAMMIT! IT'S A HUGE HUGE HUGE PLACE AND NO ONE HAS VENEER AT A GOOD PRICE?!!!!! So, I went back to work, 2 1/2 hours later, dissappointed. Gabe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted December 13, 2002 Report Share Posted December 13, 2002 Have you tried Dallas? I mean, it's a 3 hour drive, but that's really just a day trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabe Nickelson Posted December 14, 2002 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2002 Have you tried Dallas? I mean, it's a 3 hour drive, but that's really just a day trip. Dude, you're insane! My V10 truck get's 11 MPG. That would be out of the question! Gabe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Guitars Posted December 14, 2002 Report Share Posted December 14, 2002 Have you tried Dallas? I mean, it's a 3 hour drive, but that's really just a day trip. Dude, you're insane! My V10 truck get's 11 MPG. That would be out of the question! Gabe Damn, that's good mileage, I had a 78 big block trans am that literally got 4mpg, I couldn't drive ANYWHERE unless there was a damn gas station ever 60miles!!!!!! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted December 14, 2002 Report Share Posted December 14, 2002 Dude, you're insane! My V10 truck get's 11 MPG. That would be out of the question! Gabe Hey, you should've bought a car Seriously, when I was at OU we'd make daytrips to Dallas (200 miles one way) all the time. Maybe I can talk my sister into letting you borrow her Camry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gresh Posted December 16, 2002 Report Share Posted December 16, 2002 Hey Gabe, Sorry to hear of your frustration, I know exactly what you mean....no one around here stocks anything either. That's why I had to risk mail ordering some. The quilt that I ordered from Flamingoveneer.com is simply stunning. They didn't give me exactly the dimensions I asked for which required me to do some stuff I am not really comfortable with, but I can't complain about the veneer's figuring. I also ordered a ripple quilt which is sort of a cross between a quilt and a flame. The figuring isn't really consistant but they sent me a bunch of it so there are some good spots that can be used, even as a one piece top. Seriously, I would call them and explain what it is you are after. I'd bet they get you something useful, or have them send you several sheets to pick from. It's pretty cheap and they ship quickly. I spent $50 and I have premium quilt to do 2 full guitars with headstocks, plus I've got all the other stuff which is enough to get maybe 3 or 4 more good sets out of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aMpaGe Posted January 6, 2003 Report Share Posted January 6, 2003 Hey Gabe, Sorry to hear of your frustration, I know exactly what you mean....no one around here stocks anything either. That's why I had to risk mail ordering some. The quilt that I ordered from Flamingoveneer.com is simply stunning. They didn't give me exactly the dimensions I asked for which required me to do some stuff I am not really comfortable with, but I can't complain about the veneer's figuring. I also ordered a ripple quilt which is sort of a cross between a quilt and a flame. The figuring isn't really consistant but they sent me a bunch of it so there are some good spots that can be used, even as a one piece top. Seriously, I would call them and explain what it is you are after. I'd bet they get you something useful, or have them send you several sheets to pick from. It's pretty cheap and they ship quickly. I spent $50 and I have premium quilt to do 2 full guitars with headstocks, plus I've got all the other stuff which is enough to get maybe 3 or 4 more good sets out of. I agree about Flamingo. I did about 5 hours of google searching and various phone calls. Other than thewoodwell.com which is one of the ONLY sites I've found that sells GUITAR INTENDED veneer bookmatched sets, Flamingo is the only way to go. I just ordered a bookmatched set of some pretty insane looking Quilted Maple: http://flamingoveneer.com/comersus414/stor...p?idProduct=164 The guy I talked to on the phone was TOTALLY cool and very helpful. I told him exacly what this was for, and I got exactly what I needed. The veneer is roughly 1/30" thick. I got a bookmatched set, (2 pieces roughly 20" high x 8" wide) for about $30. It is some of the best looking quilt I've seen. They just got it in, so you might want to hurry before it is all gone. If you call them, tell em Nate sent you! Flamingo Veneer 408.374.9315 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_ed Posted January 7, 2003 Report Share Posted January 7, 2003 Hi, I don't know too much about veneers, but I have found a good source for guitar woods to be www.exoticwoods.com in New Jersey. They sell woods in 1/4" thicknesses. I have been happy with them so far. Great quilted maple, and the guys know their woods. Guitar Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabe Nickelson Posted January 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 Hey guys, I got my veneer yesterday! The hunt is over! I talked to the guy at Flamingo Veneer (his name is Brian too ) and he was more than helpful. He was excited that people were using this for instruments and assured me over the phone that the veneer would be quality. Well... it WAS! Plus he threw in some extra goodies too. I have 16' x 7" of veneer. So once I finish remodeling my dining room, I'll try to finish up the guitar! I'm so excited about it! Woo Hoo! Gabe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerealk Posted January 23, 2003 Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 Wooo Hooo!! Well done Gabe! Cheers Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted January 23, 2003 Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 Hey guys, I got my veneer yesterday! The hunt is over! I talked to the guy at Flamingo Veneer (his name is Brian too ) and he was more than helpful. He was excited that people were using this for instruments and assured me over the phone that the veneer would be quality. Well... it WAS! Plus he threw in some extra goodies too. I have 16' x 7" of veneer. So once I finish remodeling my dining room, I'll try to finish up the guitar! I'm so excited about it! Woo Hoo! Gabe So, I'm taking it that Flamingo is highly recommended? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aMpaGe Posted January 23, 2003 Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 Did you tell Brian that Nate sent you??! Maybe he will give me free veneer when he gets 10 clients from me. =) And yes.. the stuff I got was FANTASTIC. It was $27 shipped, and I got a TON of veneer from him. 3 sheets that were roughly 30" wide by 70" high... This enable me to lay them all out after flattening them, and pick from about 7 different bookmatched quilt patterns. I've got pics of it on my site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHowell Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 I can't believe the price you guys are paying for veneers in the States. There is a company here in Cape Town that has just veneered the top and back of a guitar for me which cost me R100 (roughly $11 US) and that included book matching, application with their special glue and pressing in their heated press so it should never come loose. Whats more both the glue and most of the veneers they sell are imported from, guess where, the USA. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 I got mine from the woodwell. Excellent Flame. Nice little old lady on the phone . 1 bookmatched set $21 shipped. Shipping was $9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 I just got 14 feet x 11" wide of some sweet looking Nigerian Satinwood. Cost plus shipping... $24. Considering how much Brian gets for selling his book matched sets of figured maple, I wonder if I should sell off the extra bits that I don't use. That will give me enough veneer to make several guitars. I don't want them all to look the same though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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