immortalx Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 I asked some friends in another forum to make a guess, thinking it would be an easy one. I was directed to an article and learned how real wood identification works and it was very informative indeed. I'm currently moving my workshop and won't have the chance to do any tests anytime soon, so i thought i could post it here for anyone to make a guess Found it in a scrap pile on a local hardwood warehouse and i was told by the workers that it has been sitting there for over 10 years. No one knew what it was but it looked interesting and i got it for a nice price. I thought it was some kind of rosewood but i calculated the average weight (638 kg/m3) and it doesn't seem so. I cut a small piece and has a cinnamon-like odor. Although it's not planed, it's very smooth to the touch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jessejames Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Cedar or sapele are my guesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 bubinga? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Looks like chinaberry to me,because of the color variations and the smell.In any case it is not proper for much in the guitar world,because of the swirling grain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
immortalx Posted September 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Thank you all for the answers. Searching the wood database the closest in appearance i found is Tulipwood Again, this has a greater average weight per cubic meter, but i don't know how much i can rely on that. Can it deviate so much cause it has been drying for so long? Looks like chinaberry to me,because of the color variations and the smell.In any case it is not proper for much in the guitar world,because of the swirling grain I want to get some 15mm bookmatched tops out of it. Do you think it would be too unstable for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripthorn Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 It's monkey pod, also called monkey wood. That is what I have used on fretboards for about 4 guitars now (was working with it just last night). The contrast between heartwood and sapwood along with the cinnamon like odor are dead giveaways. It's great stuff to work with, hard, heavy, and only mildly prone to tearout when routing. It will chip some if you have to pull frets out of it (don't ask me how I know), but overall works quite well. Enjoy it, as it is good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 It looks like tulipwood. The cinnamon-like odor suggest, cocobolo. Both are very smooth when planed. Coco,it would be very heavy. Tulipwood would be about 2/3rds the weight of coco. The colors are more toward the TW as well, where coco is usually darker with more reds but I have seen some that light in color. Just my .02cents. MK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 If it were Cocobolo, it would polish up to a mirror shine. Whatever it is, if it does polish up like that it would make a great natural top or fingerboard. Just need to cut it with a reasonable margin of error in case those crazy grain directions decide to relax into a reasonable approximation of a Moebius loop and you need to plane it back flat. I certainly wouldn't trust it in any area which required mechanical stability and predictability because of it being somewhat sappy and wild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 I want to get some 15mm bookmatched tops out of it. Do you think it would be too unstable for that? Not if it is glued to a nice stable piece for the main body... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svento Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 bubinga? Should be a lot heavier... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svento Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 I want to get some 15mm bookmatched tops out of it. Do you think it would be too unstable for that? Not if it is glued to a nice stable piece for the main body... If it's tulip wood it should work fine for a body. Tulip wood is what's called American poplar and it's commonly used for bodies as far as I know. They say it has a sound similar to basswood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 There is more to a guitar than the type of wood used.Grain runout and knots like that are a huge hurdle to overcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 Tulip wood is what's called American poplar No, "Tulip poplar" is not the same as the "Tulip wood" that is being discussed here. Confusing, yes, but they are very different woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
immortalx Posted September 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 Guys, thank you all for the answers! I will have a look at the end grain with a magnifier when i have the chance and will report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 Did you look in here? http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/ SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Svento Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 (edited) Tulip wood is what's called American poplar No, "Tulip poplar" is not the same as the "Tulip wood" that is being discussed here. Confusing, yes, but they are very different woods. You're probably right. I made a search on American poplar and read somewhere that it's actually tulip wood. So that confusion seems to be well spread. Edited September 24, 2011 by Svento Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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