2015 Laurie Williams Tui - Ancient Flamed Kauri back and sides / New Zealand Kauri top. Double bevel!
I will put this guitar's spectacular beauty, craftsmanship and playability up against Laurie's famous Whitebait Kauri guitars. This one is special, special and in like new condition. Replacement cost for this guitar is $13,000 and should be significantly higher. Compare this one with any other Williams you have seen on line or had the privilege of having in your hands.
PRICE: $...........SOLD PENDING PAYMENT
"This guitar has a back made from exquisite ancient, flamed swamp Kauri. This particular tree fell in a peat bog between 30,000-50,000 years ago and was perfectly preserved in an environment void of oxygen. Even the leaves from the tree were preserved. This is one of the rarest woods on earth.
Waingarara Kauri topped which has a beautiful golden hue. A species that only grows in New Zealand and cannot be exported or chopped down unless authorized by the government.
The builder, Laurie Williams, lives in the Paraoanui Valley in the Far North of New Zealand's North Island, surrounded by native bush and farmland. His home and shop are off the beaten track and to visit requires a rugged drive on rough gravel roads. He has been building professionally since 1993 in a one man workshop at home and his instruments are all made individually. He has built near 200 instruments that range from ukulele through guitar & mandolin and also violins.
Part of what distinguishes Laurie from many of today's top luthiers is the story of the building process itself. It is an immersive, hands-on style that has begun in the native forest in search of timber. The Documentary Song of the Kauri documents the pinnacle of his search for the Kauri tone wood he uses for his sound boards, but he has often used, and continues to use, wind fallen trees or salvaged logs, the sinkers of previous generations. His extensive stock collected over decades has resulted in some of the most unique and beautiful woods you will ever find.
Starting right at the source felling, milling, or resawing the raw wood gives Laurie absolute control over the tone woods that go into his instruments. It gives new meaning to the phrase ""personally selected"" tone wood.
Most of the tone woods he uses you simply can't buy ""off the shelf"". From the rough sawn timber, Laurie cuts all his native sets as well as the smaller items such as the solid wood purfling and binding.
Guitar Laurie Williams Tui
Bevel Two bevels (arm and rib)
Bracing on Top X Bracing
Case Custom Superior Hard Shell Case
Cutaway Venetian (soft)
Dimensions-Total Length 41 1/4"
Dimensions-Body Length 20 3/4"
Dimensions-Body Upper Bout 11 1/2"
Dimensions Body-Waist 9 3/16"
Dimensions-Body Lower Bout 15 3/4"
Dimensions-Body Depth 3 15/16" to 4 1/2" @ heel
Dimensions-Nut Width 1.75", 1 3/4", 44.45mm
Dimensions-String Spacing @ Bridge 2 1/4"
Dimensions-Radius 15"
Dimensions-Scale 25.5"
Electronics No
Fingerboard Gaboon Ebony Fingerboard w. Micro Paua border. Evo gold frets.
Finish Polyester
Frets to Neck 14
Frets Total 20
Inlays Micro Paua borders around headstock, fingerboard, backstrip, sides & back. Paua vine rosette, MOP "W" logo headstock & 12th fret paua decorative inlay.
Luthier Laurie Williams
Luthier Website guitars.kiwi
Neck Truss Rod 2 way adjustable in headstock
Nut Vintage Bone Nut & Saddle
Pickguard None
Pickups None
Purchase-Date Purchased Dec 17, 2015
Rosette Paua Vine Rosette
Saddle Camel Bone Nut & Saddle
Serial # #15183
Shape Grand Auditorium
Style Steel-6 string
Tuners Gotoh 510 with Macassar Ebony Buttons
Where Made Mangonui, Taipa, New Zealand
Wood-Back Flamed Ancient Kauri (30,000-50,000 yrs old)
Wood-Binding Walnut Burl Binding with Micro Paua Purfling
Wood-Bridge Gaboon Ebony Fingerboard and Bridge
Wood-Headstock Burl Headstock Overlay with Micro Paua Border
Wood-Neck Totara 5 Piece Neck with Micro Paua Fretboard border
Wood-Sides Flamed Ancient Kauri (30,000-50,000 yrs old)
Wood-Top Waingarara Kauri
Year Made 2015
Guitar Laurie Williams Tui
Tui full front (2016_05_10 14_50_48 UTC) by
Bruce Robinson, on Flickr
Tui front of body 2 (2016_05_10 14_50_48 UTC) by
Bruce Robinson, on Flickr
Tui front of body (2016_05_10 14_50_48 UTC) by
Bruce Robinson, on Flickr
Tui rosette (2016_05_10 14_50_48 UTC) by
Bruce Robinson, on Flickr
Tui front of headstock (2016_05_10 14_50_48 UTC) by
Bruce Robinson, on Flickr
Tui full back view (2016_05_10 14_50_48 UTC) by
Bruce Robinson, on Flickr
Tui back of body 2 (2016_05_10 14_50_48 UTC) by
Bruce Robinson, on Flickr
Tui back of body (2016_05_10 14_50_48 UTC) by
Bruce Robinson, on Flickr
Tui back of headstock and neck (2016_05_10 14_50_48 UTC) by
Bruce Robinson, on Flickr