Instead of bending solid woods using water, heat, steam or any combination thereof, I build my sides from six layers of veneer.

Veneer is essentially very thin slices of wood. I use six layers of hardwood veneer (not junk woods like in cheap plywoods) all glued together with opposing grain directions. The six layer sandwich of veneer slices and glue is then placed in a form that holds the layers to the correct shape while the glue drys. When dry, the sides hold their correct shape, are exremely strong, and extremely stable. In addition, this method ensures all my sides are acoustically the same yet I can use a neverending assortment of woods. Furthermore, I am able to use woods that makers of hardwood sides simply can't use. Burls for instance are structurally weak and unpredictable. They are full of holes, cracks, and weak grain structures making them unsuited for use as a solid wood side. However, I am able to use a layer of burl wood for the outermost layer and 5 strong woods for the other layers to make for a strong stable side. I am also able to use woods that would otherwise not bend well such as Ebony.
 

(I'll add pictures to this page soon)