Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

[vscaletta]

It seems that "Okoume" is popping up in newer guitars all of a sudden. From what I've researched it's considered a lighter-weight alternative to mahogany. There doesn't seem to be much solid information on it.

What does Okoume sound like? Is it resonant? What is your experience with it?

Cheers

 

[AlexR]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

I've never had it......or even heard of it until now.

Wood is odd - sometimes light can mean darker timbre, other times brighter. There are so many woods that are marketed as 'the next mahogany'.

 

[dave74]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

I've never had it......or even heard of it until now.

Wood is odd - sometimes light can mean darker timbre, other times brighter. There are so many woods that are marketed as 'the next mahogany'.

Like "nato" (aka nada lol).


For both being very lightweight, basswood and alder couldn't be more tonally different IMO (at least more often than not)

 

[PierceOkken]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

It is actually almost totally identical to mahogany for me. I have a natural okoume Jackson Dinky and it sounds very similar to some of my other mahogany guitars with the JB/59 set in them. It is definitely lighter than those guitars though. The only difference I see is that the jackson has less sustain (partly due to the floyd rose)

 

[vscaletta]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

It is actually almost totally identical to mahogany for me. I have a natural okoume Jackson Dinky and it sounds very similar to some of my other mahogany guitars with the JB/59 set in them. It is definitely lighter than those guitars though. The only difference I see is that the jackson has less sustain (partly due to the floyd rose)

Interesting. Do you know how light is it compared to other woods? Like Alder, Basswood, and Mahogany?

 

[AlexR]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

The 'wood database' website will give you density measurements.....you can compare with every other wood on there.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

Does it show up in higher end or lower end instruments? I hadn't heard of it, but I am all for alternative woods/materials.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

My Reiver Kompact has an Okoume top. It sounds about as good as any other of my guitars (body is Black Limba). Super lightweight, very dynamic tone. A tiny bit on the bright side, but in a good way. And you can just FEEL that bass even when played unplugged.
http://reiverguitars.co.uk/project/022-kompakt-6/

 

[Mincer]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

My Reiver Kompact has an Okoume top. It sounds about as good as any other of my guitars (body is Black Limba). Super lightweight, very dynamic tone. A tiny bit on the bright side, but in a good way. And you can just FEEL that bass even when played unplugged.
http://reiverguitars.co.uk/project/022-kompakt-6/

I hadn't heard of those guitars before, but I love their design. Some great stuff on their website!

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

Looking through GC Used site
I see a Jazz bass with an Okum body listed

Looks dark reddish in hue

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

It seems like a nice wood as far as I'm concerned. One of my bandmates is raving about how he can finally get Mahogany without his bass weighing so much as to break his back.

As for me, I've seen enough of it on Chinese kit guitars to taint it's tonal reputation, so I don't really have an accurate view point of what coloring it brings to the table. It does have a pretty decent grain pattern if you get the right piece.

I can't speak for it tonally, but for what it's worth, Okoume looks damn good on a sailboat.

 

[Plexiprs]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

Here is some info - http://tonewooddatasource.weebly.com/wood-details-n-q.html

 

[RJC]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

I have an Ibanez AC340CE-OPN acoustic electric that I think is okoume body and solid okoume top. I like it a lot, lightweight, has cool grain pattern and tonally sounds like mahogany to me. I have owned a Martin D-15 mahog for comparison.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

I have an Ibanez AC340CE-OPN acoustic electric that I think is okoume body and solid okoume top. I like it a lot, lightweight, has cool grain pattern and tonally sounds like mahogany to me. I have owned a Martin D-15 mahog for comparison.

Welcome to the forum!

Can you post a pic of it? I'd love to see an instrument made out of it.

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

I was under the (vague, possibly incorrect) impression that okoume was just the more accurate name for what we've been calling "African Mahogany" for years. Is it actually a different tree?

 

[ICTGoober]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

I was under the (vague, possibly incorrect) impression that okoume was just the more accurate name for what we've been calling "African Mahogany" for years. Is it actually a different tree?

African Mahogany is KHAYA.

 

[Robert1950]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

Being Used in the Squier Offset Tele. This is the Natural colour. Looks better in surf green IMO

 

[orpheo]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

My very first run of guitars I made in 2013-2015 were made of okoume and I had to make a strat recently out of this wood as well. My views:

- it's super lightweight
- it's soft
- it's cheap
- it works great (sands and routs easily)
- the dust is a nightmare. When I picked it up this spring after not having used it for five years I remembered again why I stopped using it: you need squeaky clean, fresh filters and respirators if you work with this stuff because the dust is so fine, it clogs up your filters immediately
- it's a tonal chameleon. Make strat out of it, and it sounds like a great strat (soft highs, great quacky tones, bouncy low end, hollow/scooped mids) but make an LP out of it with a maple top and it sounds like mahogany.

It's a great alternative for the known woods and so, so much better than basswood.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

Its a pretty wood, but I haven't had any experience with it. Bring on the alternative woods and materials, I say.

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: Let's talk about Okoume as a Tonewood...

Right. You'd think I'd remember that from having bought raw Khaya blanks, but alas.

In any case, the (still relatively) new Mariposa from EBMM is made from Okoume. I didn't plug it in, but when I briefly held and played one, I was struck by how light and resonant it seemed.

African Mahogany is KHAYA.