White Oak is one of my favorite woods for musical instruments. It looks nice, works easily, is readily available and I love the tone. I think it’s sound has more texture than maple does, a bit gritty or dusty. It is well suited to banjos and ukuleles. This Oak is originally French, salvaged from wine barrels from my neighbors at Hiyu Wine Farm. The Pistachio is from California orchards, harvested when the trees no longer bear fruit. This combo makes for a very sustainable instrument which is closely connected to the food/wine/agriculture industries and makes us feel closer to the region we live in. The Oak pieces show some signs of their last lives as barrel staves, including pieces of oak dowels and some staining from the wine.