Nato ?

Re: Nato ?

"budget mahogany" according to a bunch of guitar makers. for instance, my mockingbird is more than likely nato despite the fact that BC rich states that the body is mahogany. doesn't matter though, the guitar sounds fantastic.
 
Re: Nato ?

Nato is a budget mahogany, sometimes referred to as Eastern Mahogany.

It's not as strong as the good honduran mahogany.

Tonally, as with any mahogany, you can get a good piece or bad piece. I've seen it used on acoustic guitars starting in the late 80's, now electric guitar manufacturers are using it more on their budget import (around $500) guitars.
 
Re: Nato ?

Nato isn't "a cheap mahogany," it's a cheap mahogany substitute.

If it doesn't come from the Americas somewhere (and nato doesn't), it's not actual mahogany, and real mahogany is under a lot of trade restrictions due to environmental treaties, etc., etc.

There are a lot of name games and scams being played around this issue, with cheap substitutes being passed off as mahogany to consumers and actual mahogany being called something else so it can be harvested and exported. :rolleyes:
 
Re: Nato ?

If it doesn't come from the Americas somewhere (and nato doesn't), it's not actual mahogany, and real mahogany is under a lot of trade restrictions due to environmental treaties.

Isn't nato actually agathis, which is a conifer native to Australia? Not a good tonewood.
 
Re: Nato ?

Isn't nato actually agathis, which is a conifer native to Australia? Not a good tonewood.
No,Agathis is it's own beast native to the New Zealand area. Nato is a low grade Mahogany substitute that comes from the Mora trees indigenous to south,And central America as well as some of the Caribbean. Epiphone calls this Mahogany Mat. ?? on their website. IMO a clever marketing ploy to circumnavigate Legalities to pass this stuff off as "The Good Stuff":naughty:
 
Re: Nato ?

North Atlantic Treaty Organization is the only correct answer in this thread.
 
Re: Nato ?

Nato isn't "a cheap mahogany," it's a cheap mahogany substitute.

If it doesn't come from the Americas somewhere (and nato doesn't), it's not actual mahogany, and real mahogany is under a lot of trade restrictions due to environmental treaties, etc., etc.

There are a lot of name games and scams being played around this issue, with cheap substitutes being passed off as mahogany to consumers and actual mahogany being called something else so it can be harvested and exported. :rolleyes:


This is exactly correct.

99% of the mahogany bodies & necks on import guitars out there are made of these "far eastern Mahogany" substitutes. Dean MIKs, Epiphone, BC Rich, LTD,PRS SE, Schecter, etc. Its nothing like or similar to the Honduras used in so many classic guitars.

African mahogany & Sapele are more common substitutes utilized in many MIA and MIJ guitars but still not the same thing, tonally or species wise. PRS uses African Mahogany for it's bodies, but buys south american fast growth for it's necks, as the neck imparts more to tone than the body does. Gibson is using similar fast growth central/south american mahogany- though I've seen some stuff that looks like Sapele on alot of guitars as well. I believe but it may not be the case these days, that the Custom shop guitars get some Honduras when available. My (04/05) R8 was clearly Honduras.

Hamer (USA) still uses Honduras- and you can tell in the tone- and in the price.

I believe Carvin and Warmoth claim Honduras mahogany in their bodies, but for the prices they charge, I kinda doubt it.
 
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