The reddish-brown, close-grained wood which Dave Krall asked about in
yesterday's MMD is red gum.  It is a wood similar to cherry in
appearance but not as hard, having a tight grain which machines
beautifully.  This made it a natural choice for many player action
manufacturers, including the Auto-Pneumatic Action Company.

John D. Rutoskey
Baltimore, Md.

 [ Gumwood was a popular wood for window casings and trim millwork in
 [ Rochester, N.Y., houses built in the 1930's era.  All of the woodwork
 [ in our house is gumwood, with an orange shellac finish, giving it a
 [ rich, warm lustre.  I speculate that gumwood was the wood used by
 [ the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company for making their valve blocks.
 [ --Relief Editor.