I love finding new domestic woods! In this case, I found some Monterey Cypress that I got in trade from another builder. It is from Monterey Bay California, of course. This is a soft wood that seems almost as stiff as spruce, but has a glassy quality that led me to choose it for the back and sides as well. This isn’t without precedent, as Cypress is used for back and sides in Spain. I bound it in Walnut for some contrast and chose Dogwood for the rest from the Carpenter Ant stash in Portland. It is light, cheerful and sweet and I’m darn proud of it.