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It is always satisfying to plane bridge blanks and find colours like these hidden under the oxidized and rough-cut surface. As with most of the wood we use, a straight-grained piece cut on the quarter is best but equally important is the species. I prefer a relatively lightweight rosewood although I save the lightest ones for my flamencas. If I am planning on inlaying anything in the wings I like to use the darkest bridge available since that makes the job easier to do cleanly. 

Ageing your wood before you build with it is extremely important. Not doing so can cause a number of problems depending on the species. Wood loses “free” moisture quite quickly and this is what makes it warp and crack in the short term. However even after that moisture is lost (the wood is acclimated to your environment) wood continues to undergo changes which can be beneficial to the sound of your guitar and which can help with stability. The denser woods benefit more from longer seasoning times and I find that the worst is ebony. Ebony ends up glued to the top and the neck, both of which have different rates of expansion/contraction, and it gets inlaid with metal frets which have virtually no expansion rate. Typical problems are cracks where the fretboard meets the top, fret ends which poke out of the fretboard and even cupping over time. All of these things can still happen even with old ebony because it seems to be constantly contracting but good construction techniques, humidity control and using the oldest possible stock can go a long way to prevent them.

It had been some years since I made my last big purchase from Barber in Valencia until I went on Friday and stocked up on products I needed. Things have changed since I was last there but the experience was just as satisfactory. Everything seems very organised and streamlined and the selection is much greater than it ever was. I tend to use maple, cypress or rosewood for backs and sides but the choices are much wider than that if you are ready for a change.

The first time I went I drove to Valencia, made my purchases and drove back but since then I always spend the night.  This time we spent two nights and visited the surrounding areas as well: the little towns around the Albufera. Very beautiful and nice paella.