While it is true that many of the more interesting and exotic species of lumber grow closer to the equator, in distant locations in Africa and Central/South America, I’m finding that there are also plenty of amazing pieces of wood right here in the United States.

Take this new (still unfinished) bowed psaltery with a curly White Oak back. This wood has some very nice figure, something that I haven’t commonly seen, (or even thought to look for), in Oak.

This figured back is part of a new namesake of psalteries that I’ve tentatively called “Heartland.” I plan to make them strictly from domestic woods. From the quartersawn Douglas Fir soundboard, to the Walnut binding, and even the solid Hard Maple pinblock, every wooden part of these psalteries will be made from domestic woods.