Known as “The Trash Tree of Texas”, this material is living proof that Mother Nature has a sense of humor. It’s gift to mankind, is it’s absolute willingness to become……charcoal. The flute is 18-1/8” in overall length, with a 7/8” bore diameter. Woods used in the construction, beginning at the mouthpiece, include twice dyed/stabilized box elder burl between layers of Mexican cocobolo, and capped with the mesquite.; Each side of the compression chamber is accented with additional box elder burl inlay, although I’m not particularly proud of it…practice, practice, practice. The fetish block is cut from mesquite, bonded to a base of Oklahoma red cedar for moisture control. The wing overlay consists of maple veneer,  paua abalone, two addl. layers of systemically dyed maple,(wherein the tree was fed colored water during it’s growth cycles prior to harvest) and a last veneer of the mesquite.

Inlay, beginning at the mouthpiece includes a 6mm dome cut labradorite flanked by 4mm turquoise dots. Moving forward, the sound chamber is set with a 14x16mm turquoise cab from the Battle Mountain formation in N. Nevada. The finger holes are accented with four 5mm abalone cabs and a 6mm cab of spiny oyster material. Lastly, the fetish block includes a 6mm dome cut turquoise cab set to the crown, and 2.8mm hematite beads, set as eyes.

The flute was tuned at a wood temperature of 75.2°F, an ambient temp. of 72.5°F with 61% humidity, at sea level.

This instrument includes a removable, slide off wrap of rattlesnake skin harvested from the Spike Box ranch outside of Benjamin TX. After tanning, I dyed it to maintain some continuity in the overall color scheme, but mostly just to see if I could do it. It is imperative the buyer reads the paperwork addressing the display of this skin on the instrument. Under no circumstances should the wrap be taken to any Native American functions. Ever.