vonmasgaau wrote:Loren wrote:Considering the wood your flute is made of, you can expect more cracks, so you might factor this into your decision.
Hi Loren, thank you for your advice, not a happy one indeed, but actually a good one. Have you had former experiences with this wood?
Many local flute makers started to use this wood some years ago due to the high prices of Blackwood and the increasing difficulty to import leading the use of local hardwoods. I've no issue with my pipes, but are bellows blown...
Yes, I used to work at a well known recorder and flutemaking shop that has over 60 years experience producing woodwinds. As you can imagine, they’ve learned a thing or two about woods over the years, and one of those things is that Lignum Vitae (Guayacan) always cracks when used for mouth blown instruments like flutes and recorders. Yes, it may be ok in use for bellows blown instruments. There are several woods like this, Thai boxwood is another example - seems like it would be a great substitute for European Boxwood in flute/whistle/recorder making, but once it cracks over time.
Lots of makers try Lignum Vitae, but eventually they quit using it, if cracked instruments bother them. Some makers just don’t care though and simply say “well that’s wood for you, cracks happen”