Types of Mahogany?!?
- Thread starter Warheart
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Mr 9finger
Digitally Challenged
Re: Types of Mahogany?!?
Differences? Mainly they come from different places. Trees like humans have families and wilst some will vary wildy. The ones you mentioned above aren't really all that dissimilar other than where they're from.
Someone will probably pipe in and say that Honduran(South American) mahogany is best etc....blah blah blah. While I give the nod that yes Honduran Mahogany was used for the classic LPs, that doesn't really make much difference now since the old growth timber is all but gone now.
Bottom line is, A good pc. of Mahogany is a good pc. of Mahongany, regardless where it comes from.
Differences? Mainly they come from different places. Trees like humans have families and wilst some will vary wildy. The ones you mentioned above aren't really all that dissimilar other than where they're from.
Someone will probably pipe in and say that Honduran(South American) mahogany is best etc....blah blah blah. While I give the nod that yes Honduran Mahogany was used for the classic LPs, that doesn't really make much difference now since the old growth timber is all but gone now.
Bottom line is, A good pc. of Mahogany is a good pc. of Mahongany, regardless where it comes from.
Bludave
New member
Re: Types of Mahogany?!?
Honduras Mahogony is the most desireable according to a lot of builders, but I don't think it makes that much difference in an electric. I have a buddy of mine that made a guitar from one piece of African Mahogony and the guitar was extremely resonant. Once the guitar is built and has good pickups in it and you are playing it loud thru a good amp.......... it really won't matter too much!
Honduras Mahogony is the most desireable according to a lot of builders, but I don't think it makes that much difference in an electric. I have a buddy of mine that made a guitar from one piece of African Mahogony and the guitar was extremely resonant. Once the guitar is built and has good pickups in it and you are playing it loud thru a good amp.......... it really won't matter too much!
Sludgenutz
New member
Re: Types of Mahogany?!?
"Phillipine mahogany" is not really mahogany, but a tree called luan. It merely resembles mahagony when cut and stained in most sitiations. My father worked for Weyehauser Corp a few years back. He would bring sheets of this stuff home...as this was the perfect material for test runs and set-up, before real harwood paneling were sent down the production line.
Luan:
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/mahogany, philippine.htm
This does not stop me from enjoying my Epiphones, however.:27:
"Phillipine mahogany" is not really mahogany, but a tree called luan. It merely resembles mahagony when cut and stained in most sitiations. My father worked for Weyehauser Corp a few years back. He would bring sheets of this stuff home...as this was the perfect material for test runs and set-up, before real harwood paneling were sent down the production line.
Luan:
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/mahogany, philippine.htm
This does not stop me from enjoying my Epiphones, however.:27:
shredaholic
New member
Re: Types of Mahogany?!?
African Mahogany (khaya ivorensis) is from the same gene pool as Honduran Mahogany (Swietenia Macrophylla) and Cuban/Genuine Mahogany (Swietenia Mahogani), so sounds extremely similar - I doubt most people would be able to tell the difference in tone between guitar bodies made of African and Honduran Mahogany if they both weighed the same. Gibson have always used Honduran Mahogany to build LP's with (and definately still use it in Historics), since the better Cuban Mahogany was harvested almost to extinction by the turn of the 20th century.
There are light and resonant, plus heavy and dull pieces of mahogany in all these species, but the consensus seems to be that it's easier to find more desirable pieces (lighter, resonant) by using Honduran Mahogany instead of African, but not impossible. If you're buying a body from Warmoth or another guitar parts company, then it's not really a problem since they should be able to find a piece to a certain weight range (like in Warmoth's showcase where they show weights of the bodies).
African Mahogany (khaya ivorensis) is from the same gene pool as Honduran Mahogany (Swietenia Macrophylla) and Cuban/Genuine Mahogany (Swietenia Mahogani), so sounds extremely similar - I doubt most people would be able to tell the difference in tone between guitar bodies made of African and Honduran Mahogany if they both weighed the same. Gibson have always used Honduran Mahogany to build LP's with (and definately still use it in Historics), since the better Cuban Mahogany was harvested almost to extinction by the turn of the 20th century.
There are light and resonant, plus heavy and dull pieces of mahogany in all these species, but the consensus seems to be that it's easier to find more desirable pieces (lighter, resonant) by using Honduran Mahogany instead of African, but not impossible. If you're buying a body from Warmoth or another guitar parts company, then it's not really a problem since they should be able to find a piece to a certain weight range (like in Warmoth's showcase where they show weights of the bodies).
jmh151
Active member
Re: Types of Mahogany?!?
+1. Phillipine mahogany is used to make cheap cigar boxes. It's very lightweight and not strong at all.
+1. Phillipine mahogany is used to make cheap cigar boxes. It's very lightweight and not strong at all.
vinterland
New member
Re: Types of Mahogany?!?
Thats where I always thought the difference was supposedly at, in the weight. I've always heard Honduran is for the most part a little lighter.
Thats where I always thought the difference was supposedly at, in the weight. I've always heard Honduran is for the most part a little lighter.
kmcguitars
GuitarArtologist
Re: Types of Mahogany?!?
Epiphone seems to have their own idea what can be classified as Mahogany.:fingersx: (i.e.) my Epi flying V is made from a wood that kinda looks like Mahogany? My guess it's Luan? Mahogany ,Like the term beef...Does not have to mean it came from a cow.:laugh2:
Epiphone seems to have their own idea what can be classified as Mahogany.:fingersx: (i.e.) my Epi flying V is made from a wood that kinda looks like Mahogany? My guess it's Luan? Mahogany ,Like the term beef...Does not have to mean it came from a cow.:laugh2:
shredaholic
New member
Re: Types of Mahogany?!?
In general, yeah pieces you find tend to be lighter. They differ a bit in texture, grain patterns and colour too - African Mahogany can tend to be a bit fuzzy before planing it, and I'd describe it's redness as a bit more "rich".
In general, yeah pieces you find tend to be lighter. They differ a bit in texture, grain patterns and colour too - African Mahogany can tend to be a bit fuzzy before planing it, and I'd describe it's redness as a bit more "rich".
SoundAt11
Member
Re: Types of Mahogany?!?
Having cut a few thousand feet of Mahogany, I'll give my response
What was said about Philippine "Mahogany" is correct, it's not Mahogany at all. It has similar grain, in fact I've got a speaker cab made of it in plywood form, they call it "Luan".
Honduran Mahogany _on average_ weighs 3lbs a board foot, African Mahogany weighs 3.5lbs a board foot on average. That's fairly irrelevant, though, because Mahogany varies wildly. You'll know the weight of the wood if you're buying off a good online wood seller or from the Warmoth showcase. General rule: lighter is warmer, heaver is brighter.
Much of "Honduran" Mahogany (I use quotes, because it's usually just South American genuine Mahogany) being imported now, is poor quality. The old-growth stuff is excellent. The newer stuff is often very young growth wood.
The African Mahogany coming out now is generally very good quality. It can vary in weight and density from one end of a board to the other end, but is generally easy to find, affordable, looks good, sounds good, and is easy to work with. African Mahogany's color can vary from shades of brown to pink, almost like a piece of steak. Genuine South American Mahogany is usually the rust-color, sort of an orange-light brown-amber color like honey or maple syrup color (sorry for the food analogies, just trying to be descriptive).
Fuzzy grain is actually due to a board not being cut totally straight grain when it was originally milled. If the grain on the edges has a slight incline (like \\\\\\\\), then if can be fuzzy. Good fresh planer blades can normally smooth that out.
For consistency, weight, and tone, African Limba (Korina) is still king.
Having cut a few thousand feet of Mahogany, I'll give my response
What was said about Philippine "Mahogany" is correct, it's not Mahogany at all. It has similar grain, in fact I've got a speaker cab made of it in plywood form, they call it "Luan".
Honduran Mahogany _on average_ weighs 3lbs a board foot, African Mahogany weighs 3.5lbs a board foot on average. That's fairly irrelevant, though, because Mahogany varies wildly. You'll know the weight of the wood if you're buying off a good online wood seller or from the Warmoth showcase. General rule: lighter is warmer, heaver is brighter.
Much of "Honduran" Mahogany (I use quotes, because it's usually just South American genuine Mahogany) being imported now, is poor quality. The old-growth stuff is excellent. The newer stuff is often very young growth wood.
The African Mahogany coming out now is generally very good quality. It can vary in weight and density from one end of a board to the other end, but is generally easy to find, affordable, looks good, sounds good, and is easy to work with. African Mahogany's color can vary from shades of brown to pink, almost like a piece of steak. Genuine South American Mahogany is usually the rust-color, sort of an orange-light brown-amber color like honey or maple syrup color (sorry for the food analogies, just trying to be descriptive).
Fuzzy grain is actually due to a board not being cut totally straight grain when it was originally milled. If the grain on the edges has a slight incline (like \\\\\\\\), then if can be fuzzy. Good fresh planer blades can normally smooth that out.
For consistency, weight, and tone, African Limba (Korina) is still king.
