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I bought a really nice piece of wenge 1 3/4 x 6 1/2 x 72, when I bought it I didn't know it doesn't bend to well and how difficult it is to work with. However I'm thinking that it might make some great looking fretboards and bridges.
Anybody have any experience with this?
Is it sonically suitable for a bridge?
Is it hard enough for a fretboard?
seems to be heavier that rosewood or ebony, maybe it'll just ad to much weight to the guitar.

Peter

Wenge's very commonly used as a fingerboard wood on electric basses (Warwick in particular is a big fan), so that should work fine. Not sure about its use in a bridge, though, as all the stuff I've worked with has been very split-prone/splintery, and the splinters like getting more or less everywhere and irritate if you don't remove them.

I have seen several acoustics built with wenge back/sides as well, though, so while it may not be ideal in terms of bending, it's not impossible to do. As far as weight goes, it can be slightly heavier than most rosewoods, but it's roughly in the same density range overall. It's certainly lighter than ebony, though. People make necks with the stuff fairly regularly (I use it for laminates/contrast strips, since it looks good and is far easier to find than rosewood, for example).

I don't know why Wenge has such a bad rap around here.
I've built with it, and yes, it does have a few bad habits, but it bends fine and if it doesn't crack very early in the process (when you're rough milling it), it holds together just fine. I think it makes a fine looking and sounding instrument.
Due to the large pores it would not be my choice for typically unfinished (FB, bridge) parts of an instrument.
-C

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Freeborn Guitars
and home of BeauGuard©

Wenge is low damping and in theory would make great bridge material but I would not use quartersawn wenge for a pinned steel string bridge due the fact that it is so split prone. Six bridge pin holes roughly in line with the grain would be trouble waiting to happen.

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

Thanks for your replys guys.
I think I'll give it a try, I'll use quarter sawn on the fretboard and off quarter on the bridge, probably angle the pins same as the saddle.

Peter

I have used it for back and sides and bridges. I didn't have any trouble bending it. It rings so very well and weighs about the same as rosewood, so I think it is great for bridges. Kent is right it is split prone. I angle the bridge pin slots so as not to have it run down a single grain line.

The pores are so big I'm not sure I would try it as a fretboard.