Can Anyone Explain What Happened To The Price Of Bocote?

[Don Ramsay]

Can anyone explain what happened to the price of Bocote?

Several years ago, I built a parts Strat. I picked all dark woods and quite simply picked an all Bocote Warmoth because of it’s dark color and wild grain, and because of what little I knew about it’s hardness & strength. When it arrived I did some hand work (taking down the “heel” opposite the nut, dressing and radiusing the fret ends and slightly scalloping between the frets, trying to get it to take in some Tung oil, and hand rubbing) so it closely approximated the feel of my 50 year old Strat. After it some months, often spending hours in the heat of my car’s trunk (in the S. Calif. sun) I noticed “fret bloom”. The neck width had shrunk slightly. I again dressed all the fret ends. Some months later, same thing and another dressing. The neck has stopped shrinking after those initial episodes, and all the while, has remained very stable, straight and buzz free. All in all, it has been a great feeling and durable neck that has broken in beautifully and sounds great. This neck cost me $299 to which I added CZ side markers, an Earvanna nut & locking staggered Sperzels.

Out of curiosity, I had checked availability of Bocote neck at Warmoth in the months & first years following. Although Bocote was still listed in the search filter, my searches would come up empty. Some time later, Bocote wasn’t on the list. Recently, I see that Bocote is again available. The 2 “wildly figured” Strat necks in stock are now $995(!), which is as expensive as it gets at Warmoth presently. The only other necks at that price point are 2 one piece Brazillian rosewood necks, which is on the endangered species list. What happened to Bocote? I don't find anything saying it is on the endangered list.

I should have put my money into Bocote neck blanks instead of that 401K fund.

For reference:

http://www.warmoth.com/showcase/sc_guitar_...kWood_filter=42

DR

Edited July 19, 2008 by Don Ramsay

[ae3]

It went up, that's a REALLY nice looking neck, I'd get one but it sounds like it's hard to maintain...... And then there's the price.

Your lucky you got one when you did

[Xanthus]

That IS a nice neck. Nice 7th fret marker

[fryovanni]

The price of Bocote is rising, but so are many woods. It is still similar to Cocobolo,Honduran RW and such in terms of price if not slightly lower. It is a Cordia Sp. not a true Dalbergia(rosewood). Same group as Zircote, although what is commercially sold as bocote is wood from several different species. The demand on all these woods is high and it has been under consideration for CITES regulation. In the coming years, I would count on some regulation and prices will most certainly rise(that would apply to all the rosewood like species from that region).There is a lot of investment going into plantation stock on these woods though, and I would expect much will come from plantation stock in the future(much as we see with genuine Mahogany now).

Either way, the price of the wood in that neck is not where the price is coming from. A HUGE price to pay for Bocote would be $50 bd. ft.($15-26 is retail currently)and a neck like that requires about 1 bd. ft. worth of wood. Brazillian RW prices are wildly variable depending on the stock, but it ranges between $150-$600+ bd. ft.(if the piece is nice enough you pretty much name your price, some sucker will buy it)and availability is VERY limited. Bocote can still be purchased at most of the Rocklers or Woodcraft shops(availability is good enough to allow these kind of stores to stock it regularly).

Rich

[zyonsdream]

dude, that's a killer neck! You can still find bocote in rough luumber form at a reasonable price.

I paid $8.00 for the board I made bocote fretboard from

YOu are paying for the warmoth services as well as the lumber. Warmoth is overly expensive on most things. Go on evilbay and find a chunk and build your own.

http://www.hardwoodlumberagent.com/

I buy a lot from this guy, he might have some for you.