Re: Weight relived Les Paul article
If you look at Gibson's website, they don't put in there "Honduras" Mahogany... rather, they just specify that it's "Mahogany".
Thing is, "True" Mahogany such as the Honduras Mahogany and so-called "Faux" Mahogany such as the Philippine Mahogany, are ALL called "Mahogany" commercially. In other words, Gibson is NOT lying. Also, I believe that there's a law in the USA which makes false advertisement illegal. Marketing people in Gibson should have been in Jail now had they specified in their website that they use "Honduras Mahogany" where in fact they use faux Mahogany.
1st fret burner - You hail from Manila Phillipines and are trying to tell an American about US laws? Brilliant, I believe!
2nd Mahogany is a wood that originated in the Americas, it does not come for “Philippines” While there is a species of wood that has minor similarities called “Lauan” that grows in the Philippines, it is not a true Mahogany and quite matter of fact rots rather quickly (5~7 years) compared to true Mahogany (Can be over 100 years).
3rd From Gibson’s webs site "When you’re talking Gibson, mahogany is frequently going to factor into the brew.”
4th While two of the three TRUE mahogany species has been transplanted to India, Indonesia, Philippines, and Thailand, it is not the same species of Mahogany that Gibson Les Pauls and SG were made from in the 50’s, 60’s and early 70’s.
For your education…
The name mahogany is commonly applied to many different kinds of tropical hardwood, most of which are reddish-brown in colour and widely employed in furniture-making, boat building and other high specification uses. However, there are only three species of true mahogany, all of which are indigenous to the Americas. These are Swietenia mahagoni, S. macrophylla, and S. humilis. The natural distribution of these species within the Americas is geographically distinct. S. mahagoni grows on the West Indian islands as far north as the Bahamas, the Florida Keys and parts of Florida; S. humilis grows in the dry regions of the Pacific coast of Central America from south-western Mexico to Costa Rica; S. macrophylla grows in Central America from Yucatan southwards and into South America, extending as far as Peru, Bolivia and extreme western Brazil.
Swietenia macrophylla can become an invasive species when introduced into tropical countries where it is not native. The trees have no natural enemies in their new habitats and grow very rapidly. Seeds sprout in high numbers and tolerate more diverse light conditions than natives, giving rise to dense stands of mahogany trees where no other vegetation can grow, causing severe ecological disruption.
It is an invasive species in the Philippines
PS: Please say hello to all the working girls on Fields Avenue, Lungsod ng Angeles for me.
