Official Luthiers Forum!

Has anybody had wood change colors on them? I've had some purple heart lying around in the shop and I started to use some of it and noticed it had changed colors. Even when I ran it through the drum sander it had lost its color through out. It looks brown now instead of purple, has anybody else had this problem?

                                          Red

Ho yea!!! Most woods change color with Oxidation Purple Heart especially Coco, Koa, most Rosewoods and the list will go on an on.

Red, I bet if you look at it now that Purple is coming right back. Michael is right. Many woods drastically change color with oxidation and or sunlight.

Peace,Rich

Most purpleheart turns brown, and stays brown. Some seems to stay purple indefinitely. Padauk's another one that starts red, goes brown. Rosewoods get darker or ligher depending on sunlight exposure, finish, all that kind of stuff (coco, sadly, doesn't stay quite its vibrant orangey self forever, but it's never an ugly wood).