# Mahogany?



## 4jo3 (Jun 26, 2020)

See picture below. The two outside slabs.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Mr. Peet (Jun 27, 2020)

I don't know. I have seen Spanish cedar that looked similar, but the smell would have clued you if so.


----------



## 4jo3 (Jun 27, 2020)

Definitely not Spanish cedar. I have Cuban Mahogany and genuine. I also have some Spanish. And it doesn’t look like either. I have yet to cross cut them. I was reading up on Mexican mahogany. The tree came from Florida.


----------



## phinds (Jun 27, 2020)

color doesn't look like mahogany. Why do you think it might be mahogany?

And by the way, "Mexican" mahogany (Swietenia humilis) cannot be distinguished from Honduran (or Cuban for that matter) outside of a highly professional wood lab.


----------



## 4jo3 (Jun 27, 2020)

I was told when I got it. They thought it might be mahogany. 

My Cuban is much more orangey that my genuine if I recall. I only have a few pieces of Cuban. Lots of the other stuff thou. I will try and take a picture of all together. I’ll even Include the Spanish cedar I have. But the SC is boring and quartersawn.

Reactions: Informative 1


----------



## phinds (Jun 27, 2020)

4jo3 said:


> My Cuban is much more orangey that my genuine if I recall.


Yeah, but you can't count on that.


----------



## barry richardson (Jun 28, 2020)

Not mahogany, actually looks like 2 different species of something...

Reactions: Funny 1


----------



## phinds (Jun 28, 2020)

barry richardson said:


> Not mahogany, actually looks like 2 different species of something...


He's only asking about the outer two pieces, which do appear to be the same wood (but not mahogany), or am I jumping the gun and you actually were speaking with that in consideration?


----------



## barry richardson (Jun 28, 2020)

phinds said:


> He's only asking about the outer two pieces, which do appear to be the same wood (but not mahogany), or am I jumping the gun and you actually were speaking with that in consideration?


No, your right....


----------



## Mr. Peet (Jun 28, 2020)

What about _Terminalia catappa_, Tropical almond? Similar heartwood and sapwood. Also gets some wild grain. 

Less commonly found in FL is Peltophorum pterocarpum, Copperpod...


----------



## 4jo3 (Jun 28, 2020)

Cuban, genuine, Spanish cedar and ???

dug out some bark that was inthe crack.


----------



## 4jo3 (Jun 28, 2020)

I think it might be Peltophorum. Woodslabs has a bunch forsale that definitely look a lot closer than said mahogany.


----------



## Arn213 (Jun 28, 2020)

I believe that is mango (mangifera indica)- spritz some water on it and you should get a sweet/sour aroma and a golden yellow color. Mottled figure is present in mango. I supplied a piece (it came from Hawaii though) to a luthier friend if you want to see a finish guitar out of it. Mango does have similar mahogany like face grain structure and density.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## 4jo3 (Jun 28, 2020)

I have always wanted to get my hands on some luthier mango billets. This is definitely not luthier quality. But mango is a high possibility.


----------



## 4jo3 (Jul 7, 2020)

It could be mango. Smells sweet/sour.


----------



## Arn213 (Jul 7, 2020)

4jo3 said:


> It could be mango. Smells sweet/sour.



I told you so  . Wet the slab and take a photo and post it. I’ve handled flat sawn material too and with similar grain make up as what you posted.

Anyhow, let me post the best quartered mango from Hawaii that has passed my hands - long gone and these were close to 4” thick.......lots of guitar sets. I’ll post 2 photo’s to give you an idea of the different figuring and color way (1st one is flame) and 2nd one is block mottled- I believe the color way on yours would be similar to this. The mango lumber in Hawaii has the coolest coloration that is yellow to yellow-orange that has peach, tans, greens, orange, grays, etc.. Like I said the grain make up is reminiscent of genuine mahogany including density......





A finished electric guitar below from a luthier friend of mine that I supplied the mango billet for (including the pernambuco fretboard)- different log as you can see how the colors are sprinkled in the face grain.......





Arn

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


----------



## 4jo3 (Jul 7, 2020)

Removed.


----------



## 4jo3 (Jul 7, 2020)

Very nice. I will post a pic in a bit. Do you have any acoustic sets you would sell or maybe trade?

I posted a picture of the two guitars I’m working on now. To the left is a Madagascar Rosewood set and on the right an East Indian Rosewood set.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Arn213 (Jul 7, 2020)

Not at the moment as I don’t have access to my stuff (which I mentioned to you earlier when we were talking about the PI).

Hey, open up a new thread in the instrument section for your builds so it doesn’t get buried in the for sale sections! Most folks here would probably love to see the process from beginning to end.

I like Madrose and I am digging that it is a dreadnought, however I am sucker for an OM. Let us know what the specs. are in each instrument!

Arn

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## 4jo3 (Jul 7, 2020)

Wetted pic. Lighting isn’t the greatest. The slab is heavy so I took a pic of it on my pile. I have three slabs are 3-4” thick.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Arn213 (Jul 7, 2020)

That is definitely mango! I don’t know what the slab dimensions are, but you should slate some for back and side sets for steel string. So any drop offs you should consider for ukulele to alleviate any waste (I have a mango set put aside and a uke halfway complete curly koa). If these are slab sawn, the side edge will be best for side sets and maybe quarter sawn necks.


----------



## 4jo3 (Jul 7, 2020)

Arn213 said:


> Not at the moment as I don’t have access to my stuff (which I mentioned to you earlier when we were talking about the PI).
> 
> Hey, open up a new thread in the instrument section for your builds so it doesn’t get buried in the for sale sections! Most folks here would probably love to see the process from beginning to end.
> 
> ...



My work is super busy. I will post a thread and pics when I get these ones complete.

Dread Specs:
Very similar to the a Martin D-42. With small differences in the abalone. Same fret scale.
-Madagascar Rosewood Back and Sides.
-Adirondack Spruce Top
-Quartersawn Laminated guitar neck. Genuine Mahogany with a walnut, bloodwood, walnut lamination.
-Bloodwood headplate and end wedge
-Front and back Gaboon ebony bindings
-Basswood reverse kerfing.
-Spanish cedar scalloped back bracing
-Adirondack spruce scalloped soundboard bracing
-Abalone around the soundboard and for the rosette. Soundhole to be bound with ebony.
-Walnut crotch veneer on the back of the head plate.
-Soundport with a bloodwood veneer in the middle.
-Madagascar Ebony fretboard. (Thinking is binding it with bloodwood.
-Madagascar Ebony Bridge

OM specs:
Similar to a Martin OM-42
-Quartersawn East Indian Rosewood Sides with a wild grain back.
-Sitka Spruce top.
All other specs similar to above but exchange bloodwood for quilted maple.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## 4jo3 (Jul 7, 2020)

Arn213 said:


> That is definitely mango! I don’t know what the slab dimensions are, but you should slate some for back and side sets for steel string. So any drop offs you should consider for ukulele to alleviate any waste (I have a mango set put aside and a uke halfway complete curly koa). If these are slab sawn, the side edge will be best for side sets and maybe quarter sawn necks.



They are slabbed. But I have three large ones. There are some stress cracks in them. I should be able to get some backs and sides out of them. With some nice bowl blanks that will need to be stabilized. 

I just cut up some very nice cocobolo and the cut off is too small to make an OM. I was fortunate to get 4 backs out of it. I might make some molds to make a smaller guitars

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Arn213 (Jul 7, 2020)

Looking forward to the build thread on both. Great paring on the D using Adirondack with Madrose as well as the OM using traditional Sitka with E.I.R. They are both 25.4” scale length? The dread is probably will be joined to the body at the 14th fret- how about the OM? 14th or 12 fret?

If you get into a bump and the slabs that will get too small due to defects (outside of the dread and the OM)- there is always room for milling for a parlor in an 00 size. There seems to be a slight interest on having a smaller guitar in the market..........see PRS P20 (don’t look at the head stocking and just get passed it).


----------



## 4jo3 (Jul 7, 2020)

Both 14 fret. 25.34 scale.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## phinds (Jul 7, 2020)

This shows a color of light chocolate brown. Is that the actual color? The color doesn't look anything like the first pics you posted, is why I'm asking.


----------



## 4jo3 (Jul 7, 2020)

I’m not too good a pictures. The first one had lots of natural day light. The last one I have only two 60watt equivalent led bulbs (I forget the color index) in what I would call my wood dungeon. Since more wood seems to go in than out. The room size is pretty big but the lighting isn’t the greatest. I got lazy and didn’t take it out to to better lighting. Combination of long day and heavy slab.


----------



## phinds (Jul 7, 2020)

4jo3 said:


> I’m not too good a pictures. The first one had lots of natural day light. The last one I have only two 60watt equivalent led bulbs (I forget the color index) in what I would call my wood dungeon. Since more wood seems to go in than out. The room size is pretty big but the lighting isn’t the greatest. I got lazy and didn’t take it out to to better lighting. Combination of long day and heavy slab.


Natural lighting is perfectly good as is incandescent lighting. The issue is that they give very different results so if color matters you need to specify the lighting used.

Now, please answer my question:
*This shows a color of light chocolate brown. Is that the actual color?* The color doesn't look anything like the first pics you posted, is why I'm asking.


----------



## Byron Barker (Aug 5, 2020)

That one looks like crepe myrtle to me. Could be totally wrong, but I've worked a lot of it and it certainly looks similar. Smells like a potato.


----------

