European Spruce - the Sound of Wood.

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Wherever the right place for a link to a comparison chart for the different fretwire sizes from the various manufactors is - here you go.

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Here we present useful products that don´t fit into one of the wood categories at left, but might be of interest for discriminating luthier.

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(Growing) list of the items that are listed in this section - please scroll down:

1.   Hide Glue "X-Tra Hide" strongest hide glue on earth (as far as we know)
2.   Rabbit Glue (hare glue)
3.   Fish Glue (liquid)
4.   Hot Glue Brushes
5.   Titebond instrument glue

6.   Glue Brushes
7.   Superglues
8.   Quick-Grip Bar Clamps
(for installing top+back to sides and many more)
9.   Japan MINI Saw for instrument making
10  Z-Poxy finishing resin
11. Hard Shellac from U-Beaut (yes - we have it!)
12. Shellac flakes (raw)
13. Pearl blanks
14. String ferrules

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1.  Hide Glue "X-Tra Hide"

For all of you who are interested in working with hot glue: the production and use of hot (hide or bone) glue is still a living tradition here in Europe, some small companies are still producing hot glue from various materials (beef hide, bone, bladder of the sturgeon/caviar fish etc.).
Here in Europe it is still used for restauration of antique furniture, traditional book making - and of course for instrument making.
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We found a small company that is producing an extra-strong hide glue from beef hide for us that has the same strong bondage like old "Hasenleim" (= hare/ rabbit hide glue) without its disadvantages.

The glue is not very sensitive to temperatures below 60 degree celsius (cooling) as regular hide glue, it bonds super strong and can be worked with - due to it´s more greasy viscosity - "longer" than regular hide glue. 

Prepare/use like regular hot glue, strictly avoid temperatures above 60 degree celsius at any stadium, 55-59 degree celsius are recomended.

Sold in 100, 200, 500 grams and 1 kg size.

  9.50 Euro    100 grams
14.00 Euro    200 grams
33.00 Euro    500 grams
49.00 Euro    1 kilogram (= 1000 grams)

You can get "X-Tra Hide" glue only from us. This is the strongest hide glue we ever came across.  
Technically spoken: Bloomgrams 450-480, mps 150-160


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For reading Frank Ford´s explanations about preparing and using hide glue click here. It´s easy and well worth trying!
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2. Rabbit Glue (harse glue)

Additionally we offer glue from rabbit hide, what is known to be much stronger than regular hide or bone glue.

Sold in 100, 200, 500 gr.  and 1 kg size.

  4.50 Euro      100 grams
  7.50 Euro      200 grams
15.00 Euro      500 grams
25.00 Euro      1 kilogram (= 1000 grams)

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3. Fish glue (liquid)

Ready to use (liquid) fish glue, use just like any PVA/yellow glue like Titebond etc. As any traditional glue this one makes strong bonds that can be "opened" with heat/water. 

Very popular and used for centuries by European violin makers. This is German made (excellent) stuff.

Sold in 100, 200, 500 grams and 1 kilogram.

 9.50  Euro    100 grams
14.00 Euro    200 grams
29.00 Euro    500 grams
50.00 Euro    1 kilogram (= 1000 grams)


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4. Hot glue brushes

German made traditional metal-free brush specially made for applying hot glue.

Clean with warm water, lasts up to a lifetime, other sizes on request

6.90 Euro / brush (this size).

The brush is the object at the left. Various version available, picture above is an example. All are brushes for hot glue, the smaller sized ones have a plastic ring.

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5. TITEBOND instrument glue

Famous Titebond yellow glue, known by everyone. Various sizes, 946 to 118 ml.

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6. Glue brush

Helpful brush for applying PVA-/yello glue like Titebond, LMI´s glue etc.;
(don´t use for hot (hide) glue becuase of metal!).

4.50 Euro / brush

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7.  Superglues

Nothing special about this, German made, specify fluid or gelly type. Store cold.

We get it wholesale and can offer it for a low price: 2.00 Euro/unit (4.5 gr.)

      

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8. Quick-Grip Bar Clamps

Easy to use and release, works perfect for clamping the top and back when gluing. German made, jaw opening 150 mm. New, sold in sealed plastic bag in a box (box not shown). 9,50 Euro/each

  

 

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9.  Japan MINI Saw (set)

Set of three mini Japan saws: Ryoba, Dozuki, Kataba

Ryoba blade length 125 mm, overall length 320 mm, blade thickness 0.35 mm, tooth spacing 1/1.8 mm
Dozuki blade length 120 mm, overall length 320 mm, blade thickness 0.18 mm, tooth spacing 0.9 mm
Kataba blade length 120 mm, overall length 310 mm, blade thickness 1.0 mm, tooth spacing 1.5 mm

These small precisions saws Japan made and are first choice or musical instrument makers Set contains 1 universal Ryoba saw with one blade each for longitudinal and cross cutting, 1 Dozuki saw with ultra fine lateral-cut blade and 1 slim Kataba fret saw for working in restricted space or making curved cuts. Alll handles are bound with bamboo at the tang. Sold in a wood box. 
145 Euro/set (3 Japan Mini saws)

 set of 3 mini Japan saws

 mini Dozuki saw

 mini Ryoba saw

 mini Kataba saw

(Lighter shown for size comparison)

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10.  Z-Poxy

Luthier Tim McKnight put a spotlight on this finishing resin. Great filler and sealer, most know it from several posts at guitar forums. 19,50 Euro/set

SOLD OUT AT THIS TIME - this hint will be deleted when available again



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11.  HARD SHELLAC (U-Beaut)

Yes - we have this new and highly praised "magic" stuff from Australia. Nothing to say than it is highly recommended by several European luthier after trying it. Use as usual shellac (can be thinned with ethanol to your prefered cut), just let dry for 6 weeks for cross linking. Search OLF and other guitar forums for more infos - or ask. Works like regular shellac, use it over i.e. Z-Poxy, one bottle of Hard Shellac is good for several guitars. 39 Euro/500 ml bottle. 


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12.  Shellac Flakes

We recently detected a small German company near the North Sea that still produces finest shellac. We carry the de-waxed and naturally (not chemically) cleared stuff. It is quite white and is not bleached. 

2 types: Bal-1 ("superblonde", left in the pic below) and
Pes-1 (color is one step to amber, right in pic below).

See the "Finishing Dept." (link at left frame) for our ready-to-use (concentrated) Shellac solution, using superblonde Bal-1 (unbleached) shellac flakes from above.

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13.  Pearl

Here you can find sample pics of some of the pearl products we carry, incl.:
- MOP squares of various sizes (white, gold and black MOP)
- Abalone squares of various sizes (incl. green, red, rippled and heart Abalone) 
- strips for purfling (incl. Paua, white, black and gold MOP) incl. small 0.047´´
- ABALAM strips (Paua)

Almost all kinds of pearl available as slab pieces and squares, just ask if you are interested in any specific color.

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14.  String Ferrules

String ferrules are commonly known to be used with Telecaster-style guitars, but some modern guitars (i.e. Godin) use top string ferrules. We carry both in chrome and gold:

 

left: guitar string ferrules for installing on the back of a guitar (Tele-like)
right: top string ferrules for installing on the top of a guitar.

sold individually, 1 Euro/each

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