Zlurgh wrote:
Sapele or Peruvian Walnut.
Sapele is a little denser, heavier, and stiffer than mahogany. But it looks very similar in structure. I make necks and bodies using Sapele as a main wood. It's pretty easy to get ahold of good lumber.
Peruvian Walnut has about the same properties as mahogany and is a joy to work....though it is very dark by comparison. I use it as part of my laminated necks.
Sapele is a little denser, heavier, and stiffer than mahogany. But it looks very similar in structure. I make necks and bodies using Sapele as a main wood. It's pretty easy to get ahold of good lumber.
Peruvian Walnut has about the same properties as mahogany and is a joy to work....though it is very dark by comparison. I use it as part of my laminated necks.
Sapele is "mahogany"....
![[:Y:]](./images/smilies/smiley20.gif "Thumbs Up")
"Mahogany" may refer to the largest group of all Meliaceae, the
fifteen related species of Swietenia, Khaya and Entandrophragma.
The 3 woods (Mahogany, Maple and Walnut) are terms covering a multitude of varieties of the
same generic wood family, thus giving us many hundreds of differing stiffness to weight ratios
within the same family name group.
So if somebody is having an alergic reaction to "mahogany", dont tell him to use another "mahogany", chances are this will never stop unless he clearly identifies which specie he is alergic too....
Its exactly like hay fever, people react varioussly depending on which polen they are allergic too....
theguitarwhisperer wrote:
Walnut as you already know is very similar.
Really? Interesting but which "walnut" are you talking about?
Here are a few of them which all have hundreds of differing stiffness to weight ratios
within the same family name group...... = will all have a different acoustic tap tone...
– Franquette Walnut,
– Claro Walnut,
– Bostian Walnut,
– Argentine Walnut,
– Brazilian Walnut,
– California Walnut,
– Hinds Walnut,
– Nuevo Leon Walnut,
– West Indies Walnut,
– Arizona Walnut,
– Texas Walnut (also known as Little Walnut),
– Mexican Walnut,
– Andean Walnut,
– Juglans nigra L. (also known as Black Walnut),
– Peruvian Walnut,
– Juglans soratensis Manning,
– Guatemalan Walnut,
– Venezuela Walnut,
– Japanese Walnut
Generic terms really seam to be present in guitar forums simply because the big guitar factory marketing guys are having fun using simple words to sell their products and making you believe this using poetry and romance...
I cant believe that some people (above exemple) dont know the difference between a generic term and an actual specie...
Pretty shocking when you think about it...
The truth is that generally, the customer (and obvioussly some builders) have little or no idea what they are buying.
When you read ‘Mahogany body and neck' - these are generalities that can cover and mask many
things: some inexpensive substitute, a poorer species OR an endangered specie!
Ommadon wrote:
Im looking to replace Mahogany, come to find out i am allergic to it. I started working with it a while back and every time i do, my eyes and skin get itchy and i cant stop sneezing. Its not bad but if i can find something that will make a good replacement then im all for it. I was thinking walnut? Its very easy to come by in my area, im already making fret boards out of it. Has anyone made a body out of walnut and put a maple top on? What else might be a good choice?
Which "mahogany" are you working with?
If you are allergic to a specifc specie you may want to clearly identify which one it is, maybe you can ask the wood dealer who sold the wood to you, ask him which specie it was... A professional wood dealer would never ever sell mahogany as "mahogany", he will always clearly specify which specie he is selling for very important legal reasons, generalities can cover and mask many things: some inexpensive substitute, a poorer species OR an endangered specie!....
Then try another specie to see if you have the same reaction...
It would be a shame to stop using "mahogany" (which does not mean anything) simply because of ignorance and stereotypes and some big guitar companies marketing people...
