Dans un effort éthique de conscientisation quant à la surexploitation des essences tropicales, et les changements de régulation du commerce international qui en découlent, le Salon de la Belle Guitare – en collaboration avec l’APLG, EGB, LGRP et CSFI – présente une nouvelle fois au Paris Guitar Festival le projet Local Wood Challenge !

The Concept

A guitar made of 100% local woods : This is what each participating exhibitor will have achieved. This instrument will be identified on the luthier's stand by a tag representing the LWC tree (see opposite logo). A special communication will be held to the press and guitar-playing public.

We also invite makers to come and introduce other materials, such as plants (bamboo, etc...), composite materials already used mainly for fingerboards, bridges and headplates (Richlite, Blackwood Tek, Rocklite, etc...) or any initiative that allows replacement of tropical timber with alternatives solutions, which won't be over-exploiting natural resources.

The EGB, APLG, LGRP and CSFI associations will jointly set up a "Local Wood Challenge" stand. It will be held by Jacques CARBONNEAUX and will introduce all these rare pieces, made for the occasion (with local woods and other alternative material), which will also be alternately exhibited at the luthier's stand.

On the map of the Salon that will locate all exhibitors, will be shown by a tag, the ones participating to the LWC.

To know LWC conditions and answer of all of your questions, you will find all practical informations on this page : http://www.europeanguitarbuilders.com/lwc-faqs-luthiers/

First Experiences

Leornado Research Guitar Project – Test with local wood and tropical wood
The Local Wood Challenge (LWC) was created for the Holy Grail Guitar Show 2016 by the European Guitar Builders association (EGB) which organizes this show in Berlin each year.

I'm an exhibitor, how should I do this ?

In order to get the LWC tag to be placed on your stand, you will have to register your LWC guitar(s) through the EGB association website :

www.aplg.fr/les-actions-de-laplg/lutherie-et-ecologie/le-local-wood-challenge-egb/

The free and on a good-will basis participation, will imply, at registration, full transparency as regards to woods and materials used. For more information: contact Tania Spalt (email in the page link above).

Here is a few examples of local materials used for acoustic guitar manufacturing, as part of the Leonardo Guitar Research Project:

Backs and sides: Beech, Birch, Ash, Chestnut, Plane, Alder, Cherry, French Walnut, Poplar, Black Locust (robinia pseudoacacia), Rowan (sorbus aucuparia), Boxwood, Oak
Fingerboards and bridges: Yew (taxus baccata), Service Tree (sorbus domestica, other English names include Sorb Tree and Whitty Pear), Plum (prunus domestica) Boxwood (buxus sempervirens), Black Locust (robinia pseudoacacia), Lilac (syringa vulgaris), Golden chain (laburnum).
For further information, contact us at :
carbonneauxjacques(a)gmail.com