Official Luthiers Forum!

I think I know what this wood is but lately I've had a few doubts so I thought I'd throw it open to my learned colleagues here. The last pic is shellaced.

Cheers

Bob

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Goncalo Alves?

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Another vote for Gongalo alves by color and pigment pattern.

I'll agree with Larry. Personally, I have no clue, but if Larry said it was Skunkwood, I'd believe him!

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

A piece of laminex off Bobs Kitchen floor?

Skunkwood.

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Laurel

Goncalo Alves

I with Peter on this one.

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Michael Lloyd

“I was born to ignorance, yes, and lesser poverties ...
I was born to privilege that I did not see ... I didn’t know it, but my way was paved” – John Gorka

[QUOTE=larkim] Laurel
[/QUOTE]

Laurel and Hardie plank?

[QUOTE=kiwigeo] [QUOTE=larkim] Laurel
[/QUOTE]

Laurel and Hardie plank? [/QUOTE]

Good one !

I'm with you though Martin . It's that laminate from Bunnings

Seriously though, I have no idea Bob . It's Guitar wood !

I can't see your third partner anywhere in these Pics



Lawrence of Australia

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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It really does look like the wrong side of a chunk of zebranowood I have at home.

Hehe, then it again, the wood photographed in this thread could easily be some psychotic piece of Mrytle or something.

[QUOTE=kiwigeo] [QUOTE=larkim] Laurel
[/QUOTE]

Laurel and Hardie plank? [/QUOTE]



I'll stick with Bay Laurel (AKA Californian Myrtle, AKA Pepper Wood) if it is, the dark lines are more defined and uniform than the norm but.....could be?

Cheers

Kim

If it had less but broader more heavily contrasted dark streaking it would almost pass as Blackheart Sassafras. And Bob has just been to Tassi??? Ah but I will stick with Laurel

Goncalo has a waxy feel....you can't mistake that for oily skunkwood.

Well, the story on this lump of wood is that it was given to me by Pat Doole, who is a very fine banjo builder here in Geelong. It had been in his shed for around 25 years.

His take on the wood was that it was Brazilian Rosewood.

Some twenty years ago I had bought some wood from a supplier in Tasmania also advertised as Brazilian. And it was identical to what I have now.

I built a guitar out of it back then assuming it to be Brazilian. There was no internet and the only reference material I had was the Irving Sloane classical guitar book.

I have a feeling that around that time quite a bit of this wood was flogged off in Australia as Brazilian when in fact it was Goncalo Alves.

Some lumber suppliers aren't that terrific at describing their timbers accurately. AFT in Melbourne sell African Rosewood, which is in fact Padauk.

This wood is extremely hard and killed three bandsaw blades re-sawing it. It taps very nicely with a glassy tone and it is also quite heavy. I'm sure it will make a super guitar but sadly I don't think it's Brazilian.

Thanks for the input gents.

Bob

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

I have some of your down-under wood, bought in Sydney,that looks exactly like it. Like you, I have no idea what it is...but bought it as Taz Blackwood (unfigured). Hard, heavy,and un-stable.
Tom

Bob, when you sand it, does it have a rose-like/bubblegum/spicey scent to it? Brazilian has an unmistakeable scent to it.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Don

Your not wrong about the scent/aroma. I have some old Braz Rosewood veneer that still produces a beautiful scent.

Tim
Australian Tonewoods

Don't be sad that it isn't Brazilian, apparently it stands on its own!

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

[QUOTE=Don Williams] Bob, when you sand it, does it have a rose-like/bubblegum/spicey scent to it? Brazilian has an unmistakeable scent to it.[/QUOTE]
Interesting. To me it smells like red roses with a hint of moist tobacco.

[QUOTE=Don Williams] Bob, when you sand it, does it have a rose-like/bubblegum/spicey scent to it? Brazilian has an unmistakeable scent to it.[/QUOTE]

From memory it doesn't have much 'nose' to it at all Don.

I'll give it a bit of a scratch tomorrow and report back.

Cheers

Bob

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Bob, you haven't commented (unless I missed it) on whether or not it has a waxy feel. Rosewood does not, but Goncalo does.

Hi Larry

I haven't been to the shed for a couple of days but I'm working there today so I'll report back tonight.

Cheers

Bob

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

Don and Larry

Well I gave it the scratch and sniff test today and what I came up with was a sweet tobacco smell.

It is also relatively waxy when sanded down to 300 grit.

Cheers

Bob

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia