Archtop Guitar: Back and Sides

The wood I've chosen to fabricate the back and sides of this instrument from is something of a mystery. I bought it perhaps 25 years ago, accepting without question at the time that the vendor's labelling of the wood as "Tasmanian Oak" was accurate. I don't recall whether I had immediate plans for it, but if I did, it seems I was distracted before I could convert intentions into action. It features subtle flame, which more than likely explains my purchase; there's a good chance I bought it on impulse and set it aside for a rainy day.I'm tempted to think that many of our endemic Australian tree species were christened in the early days of colonisation by unimaginative British folk longing for the familiarity of home; there are many native species designated as ash, maple and oak, for example, although they're unrelated to their European namesakes. I'm sure our indigenous inhabitants had much more melodious names for them prior to the invasion. In the case of the wood sold as Tasmanian…