South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
- Thread starter Willis
- Start date
theboatcandream
dreamonologist
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
I think that the word is that African mahogany has more snap and brightness to it than Honduran mahogany. I wish I could talk out of personal experience though.
I think that the word is that African mahogany has more snap and brightness to it than Honduran mahogany. I wish I could talk out of personal experience though.
Willis
New member
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
I did that before I made this thread and the most I could find is a sentence or two saying Gibson used to use South American mahogany and switched to African mahogany, and that the lighter pieces of African mahogany from the top of the tree are the best.
I did that before I made this thread and the most I could find is a sentence or two saying Gibson used to use South American mahogany and switched to African mahogany, and that the lighter pieces of African mahogany from the top of the tree are the best.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
when you say african mahogany are you talking about Limba wood?
when you say african mahogany are you talking about Limba wood?
theboatcandream
dreamonologist
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
African mahogany and limba are two different trees actually.
the guy who invented fire said:
African mahogany and limba are two different trees actually.
GuitarSandwich
New member
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
Most of the top-grade mahoganies are south or central american and usually refered to as "honduran". this is True Mahogany.
The lower (or less desirable) varieties are Luan (called philipine mahogany) which is what most of the Korean and Chinese "mahogany" guitars are made of.
The Chinese guitars are made out of various asian woods that are variants that can be dyed to look like mahogany but don't have the richness of look or depth of sound that true honduran does.
African mahogany is a whole different deal and doesn't sound or look the same as the honduran stuff.
None of the above are Limba (also known as Korina)which is not called African Mahogany. This is the holy grail stuff that so many people say is more dynamic, more "open" yadda yadda yadda. So don't confuse this with African.
GS
Most of the top-grade mahoganies are south or central american and usually refered to as "honduran". this is True Mahogany.
The lower (or less desirable) varieties are Luan (called philipine mahogany) which is what most of the Korean and Chinese "mahogany" guitars are made of.
The Chinese guitars are made out of various asian woods that are variants that can be dyed to look like mahogany but don't have the richness of look or depth of sound that true honduran does.
African mahogany is a whole different deal and doesn't sound or look the same as the honduran stuff.
None of the above are Limba (also known as Korina)which is not called African Mahogany. This is the holy grail stuff that so many people say is more dynamic, more "open" yadda yadda yadda. So don't confuse this with African.
GS
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
Thats why I was asking...
theboatcandream said:
Thats why I was asking...
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
All woods are not the same price...not even close
n00b said:
All woods are not the same price...not even close
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
Limba is a wood, Korina is a finish. I know that Limba wood is often refered to as Korina but let's keep the confusion down...This is one of the reasons I was asking about which wood was being discussed here...every thinmg you have heard about Limba wood is, without a doubt, true...if you have ever played a guitar made from real Limba wood you will relize very quickly why it costs so much money and also why it is the "holy grail" tone wood.
GuitarSandwich said:
Limba is a wood, Korina is a finish. I know that Limba wood is often refered to as Korina but let's keep the confusion down...This is one of the reasons I was asking about which wood was being discussed here...every thinmg you have heard about Limba wood is, without a doubt, true...if you have ever played a guitar made from real Limba wood you will relize very quickly why it costs so much money and also why it is the "holy grail" tone wood.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
Real Limba wood is my fav for set neck, humbucker, Gibson-ish guitars. I have a 1982 Gibson Moderne that is real Limba and it is an amazing sounding guitar both pluged in and unplugged...Im not gonna say that it is better but I do like it more than most plain Mahogany's...that said, the worlds supply of real limba is drying up quickly and is quite costly...
Real Limba wood is my fav for set neck, humbucker, Gibson-ish guitars. I have a 1982 Gibson Moderne that is real Limba and it is an amazing sounding guitar both pluged in and unplugged...Im not gonna say that it is better but I do like it more than most plain Mahogany's...that said, the worlds supply of real limba is drying up quickly and is quite costly...
theboatcandream
dreamonologist
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
No. I've talked to metal players who say they tried limba then went back to mahogany because mahogany had more bass and lower mids.
n00b said:
No. I've talked to metal players who say they tried limba then went back to mahogany because mahogany had more bass and lower mids.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
I wouldn't agree with that at all...
theboatcandream said:
I wouldn't agree with that at all...
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
I have a few small pieces of African Mahogany that i bought for a Gibson style homemade neck... After machineing it and getting it ready to glue up i past on using it..... It felt too light for my taste. I went back and bought a 12 foot board of Mahogany from South America... Still have about 6 feet left of that board....
I have a few small pieces of African Mahogany that i bought for a Gibson style homemade neck... After machineing it and getting it ready to glue up i past on using it..... It felt too light for my taste. I went back and bought a 12 foot board of Mahogany from South America... Still have about 6 feet left of that board....
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
Speaking of, did the supply of White Limba just dry up? Warmoth had white and black available for years and now I only see black.
I'd love a White Limba (Korina finish) something.... LP, Explorer, V.... something...
Speaking of, did the supply of White Limba just dry up? Warmoth had white and black available for years and now I only see black.
I'd love a White Limba (Korina finish) something.... LP, Explorer, V.... something...
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
I was talking to Evan when he was waiting on his Hamer (which is while Limba) and he told me that Jol told him that white Limba was simply hard to get these days...also, FWIW...Black Limba sounds a good bit different that while Limba...
I was talking to Evan when he was waiting on his Hamer (which is while Limba) and he told me that Jol told him that white Limba was simply hard to get these days...also, FWIW...Black Limba sounds a good bit different that while Limba...
Re: South American mahogany vs African Mahogany
So why would Gibson be using it today and do their current guitars sound or look anything like their older ones?
Only Gibson Custom Shop get's the Honduran, everything else is African.
In my limited wood working experience, African is tricky. I recently bought 20ft of wide African Mahogany and had 4 usable body blanks out of it. The other 6, albiet beautifully figured, were either too heavy or too hard.
The remaining body blanks are great, very light in weight and easy to work with. I notice that my Honduras Mahogany lumber tends to be a little darker (orangy) and a little finer. The African is a little lighter and a little courser. When I called my wholesaler, one of the biggest in the country, he said that the Honduras Mahogany is a lot more limited on export and that it's nearly impossible to get very wide (for one piece bodies) piece. The African is a lot easier to obtain.
GuitarSandwich said:
So why would Gibson be using it today and do their current guitars sound or look anything like their older ones?
Only Gibson Custom Shop get's the Honduran, everything else is African.
In my limited wood working experience, African is tricky. I recently bought 20ft of wide African Mahogany and had 4 usable body blanks out of it. The other 6, albiet beautifully figured, were either too heavy or too hard.
The remaining body blanks are great, very light in weight and easy to work with. I notice that my Honduras Mahogany lumber tends to be a little darker (orangy) and a little finer. The African is a little lighter and a little courser. When I called my wholesaler, one of the biggest in the country, he said that the Honduras Mahogany is a lot more limited on export and that it's nearly impossible to get very wide (for one piece bodies) piece. The African is a lot easier to obtain.
