Sapele & ovangkol wood characteristics?

[lex666]

Just as I'm starting to understand the tonal characteristics of mahogany & rosewood acoustic guitars, I'm now seeing more and more guitars made of sapele and ovangkol woods. I've never even heard of these woods, but they're now standard on alot of high end acoustic guitars.

So what characteristics do each of these woods provide? Is one more "desireable" than the other?

Thanks,

 

[Ashurbanipal]

Re: Sapele & ovangkol wood characteristics?

Sapele is a kind of mahogany, so a similar kind of tone is to be expected. It can be figured too - usually quilt. Ovangkol, on the other hand, supposedly resembles some characteristics of rosewood and mahogany. I've no personal experience with it.

I don't think ovangkol and sapele are necessarily inferior to mahogany and rosewood - as long as the piece has a good tap tone (high 'Q') it has the potential for a desirable instrument. Because they're not so common place, that doesn't mean they aren't good. The fact that you're seeing them on high-end guitars merely proves the point.

There are loads of woods guitar makers haven't tried yet - they tend to stick with what's proven until it literally runs out so they're forced to look for something new! Brazilian rosewood is a prime example - it cannot be harvested anymore because it is endangered, so alternatives like the Indian variety, ovangkol, and other woods come to the fore which offer a tone that is in the same ball park.

 

[feedback]

Re: Sapele & ovangkol wood characteristics?

i have a N4 sapele ( Bill lawrence L500L) and it rock ---- connect it to xotic BB and Blackstar dual DIST - it made my vox Vt 15 watts sound like it running like a 4x12 cab ----

and not muddy ----
compare with a ibanez RG3210( mahogany) ----- with Bill lawarenc L500XL ---- it lack of the lower bottom that you can get from a 4x12" cab

 

[SabbathFan0220]

Re: Sapele & ovangkol wood characteristics?

Pretty good descriptions on the Taylor site...

Ovangkol
Sapele

 

[JeffB]

Re: Sapele & ovangkol wood characteristics?

Sapele is the typical "mahogany" that you see on many Japanese guitars- as well as some of the better/higher end MIK/MIC guitars.

 

[Fender_Punk]

Re: Sapele & ovangkol wood characteristics?

I've played some acoustics with Ovangkol back and sides and they all sounded really nice. The wood itself looks like it's from the same family as koa, and probably shares tonal characteristics with koa and mahogany. I've never played an acoustic with a koa back, but ovangkol paired with spruce top and mahogany neck is a nice combo IMO.

 

[lex666]

Re: Sapele & ovangkol wood characteristics?

Pretty good descriptions on the Taylor site...

Ovangkol
Sapele

Thanks for those links... very informative.