Belchior Dias 1581 vihuela: the wood it's made of.

[Alexander Batov]

The wood of which the Belchior Dias 1581 vihuela is made is now fully identified as African blackwood (grenadilla). For more info and pictures go to:
http://www.vihuelademano.com/vgcrossroads.htm (1st section "Wood").

[Scot Tremblay]

Interesting. I'm amazed how similar that piece you have looks like the wood in the Dias instrument. It's kind of un-nerving actually...Are you sure you don't have the sister cut??? ;)

[Alexander Batov]

Thank you, Scot. I know, the similarity is truly amazing, bearing in mind that African blackwood is quite variable in colour shades, depending where it grew, soil condition etc. Here is a full-resolution crop of the image in plate1: