rosewood locally - what do you think? would u buy it?

[mistermikev]

saw this on my facebook feed... 

 

"$100 each Live edge Indian Rosewood slabs. First and last pictures are a finished bench made from the same tree(not for sale) 80"x20"x2.5"--sizes vary "

def a lot different than the rosewood we're used to seeing... in fact I don't think this is indian rosewood at all.  Indian rosewood reportedly does grow in az but this looks like sipo to me.  it's a (apparently) rare form of mahogany.  also grows here in az.

some of those edges in the 2nd pick look like rot to me... what do you think?  haggle him down?  throw $100 cash at him as fast as you can?

[mistermikev]

"is an African wood that is considered to be the closest, aesthetically, to Genuine Mahogany "

"Aesthetically, the wood is similar, also, to its African first cousin, Sapele "

dead ringer?

 

[Invader Zim]

Looks like Mesquite.

[mistermikev]

1 hour ago, Invader Zim said:

Looks like Mesquite.

 

that is a def possibility.  didn't realize mesquite has that short grain but it does as evident in the pic below.  mesquite around here... is everywhere.  have def seen cheaper sources than this for that.

[ScottR]

I'd guess that was that local (to you) rosewood we talked about a few months back. Was that sipo?

If so, I'd be tempted. I would say that is not mesquite. Mesquite does not have all that sapwood, it starts brown fight under the bark.

SR

[mistermikev]

On 1/26/2021 at 8:26 AM, ScottR said:

I'd guess that was that local (to you) rosewood we talked about a few months back. Was that sipo?

If so, I'd be tempted. I would say that is not mesquite. Mesquite does not have all that sapwood, it starts brown fight under the bark.

SR

I don't believe we spoke about this one... there was a guy a while back that had some that he also said was rosewood but was $50 for a 2" x 2' slab.  Funny how everyone in AZ thinks they have rosewood!  perhaps it's the sm guy but I don't think so, as I recall that guy was in a dif area.  this one is way over in queen creek.  

I guess my interest stems from the idea that I'd like to do an 'all native wood' build... but I imagine anything I get I'm going to want to have sitting for a year so.

there are a couple of live edge slab places nearby that have all local wood but they all want $8-$15/bd ft.  then again this is probably 8-10/bdft so... i dunno.  

[ScottR]

I was just thinking it might be the same type of wood.....I found it-Sissoo. That was what we were talking about last time.

https://arizonareport.com/sissoo-tree-arizona-desert/

 

SR

[mistermikev]

1 hour ago, ScottR said:

I was just thinking it might be the same type of wood.....I found it-Sissoo. That was what we were talking about last time.

https://arizonareport.com/sissoo-tree-arizona-desert/

 

SR

ok, yeah, all coming back to me now.  interesting that the other source I was just looking at is saying it's a type of mahog... but that source is saying rosewood.  wood species are so confusing!

[ScottR]

Two different woods. Sipo is the mahogany, Sissoo is the rosewood.

Either one could be tempting, depending on what the board looked like.

SR

[mistermikev]

42 minutes ago, ScottR said:

Two different woods. Sipo is the mahogany, Sissoo is the rosewood.

Either one could be tempting, depending on what the board looked like.

SR

DOH, "you got your sissoo in my sipo..." 

"no, you got your sipo in my sissoo"

on a side note: have been reading about how mesquite is (apparently) a pretty decent guitar wood.  Have seen some guitars made out of figured mesquite and they are quite nice.  Was thinking... could be very versatile... play a few songs... wack off a few chips to throw on the barbie and cook up my steak.  Would def have to go with a tung oil based finish tho!  haha!

 

 

[ScottR]

3 hours ago, mistermikev said:

DOH, "you got your sissoo in my sipo..." 

"no, you got your sipo in my sissoo"

on a side note: have been reading about how mesquite is (apparently) a pretty decent guitar wood.  Have seen some guitars made out of figured mesquite and they are quite nice.  Was thinking... could be very versatile... play a few songs... wack off a few chips to throw on the barbie and cook up my steak.  Would def have to go with a tung oil based finish tho!  haha!

 

 

I've wanted to use mesquite myself. I've done a couple of carvings with it and it is a very handsome wood. Seriously hard too. We had a build here a few years back, a tele with a mesquite top. Very nice. It grows very crooked and twisted though, much cracks and voids, so nice pieces body sized are tricky to find. My favorite local hardwood store has giant slabs of it and even those may or may not have a section just right for a body. Great looking table tops though, or mantels. One could always take a twisty piece and fill the voids with turquoise or similar and  have something pretty special. And if it doesn't work out, grill a steak with it.

SR

[mistermikev]

58 minutes ago, ScottR said:

I've wanted to use mesquite myself. I've done a couple of carvings with it and it is a very handsome wood. Seriously hard too. We had a build here a few years back, a tele with a mesquite top. Very nice. It grows very crooked and twisted though, much cracks and voids, so nice pieces body sized are tricky to find. My favorite local hardwood store has giant slabs of it and even those may or may not have a section just right for a body. Great looking table tops though, or mantels. One could always take a twisty piece and fill the voids with turquoise or similar and  have something pretty special. And if it doesn't work out, grill a steak with it.

SR

hehe.  you got me there cause you were all serious right up to the last few words!  well, here in az I see mesquite logs offered everywhere.  that stuff grows like weeds here and in texas as I understand.  people sell wheelbarrels of it for firewood for $10 so... gonna keep my eye out for a decent sized piece... or perhaps take my changes on a big log.  worste case scenario I get a lifetime supply of salmon planks.

[komodo]

As a wood whore, I think I'm qualified to comment.
Where I'm at these days is: 
-Is it pretty? I mean for guitar making, is it really worth all of the build time?
-Is it structurally sufficient? And really, I only worry about necks. Bodies could really be any wood, though some really are better (limba).
-Do I NEEEEED it? I hoard wood, because you have to buy it when you have the chance. That said, lots of wood comes and goes. I've already got what I need to build guitars, but is this a special piece that neeeeeeeds rescued??

Of course this only applies to myself. I did just buy some good flamed maple because apparently I ran out and didn't realize it. It's for a new build that could be done with what I have on hand, but there's a vision in my head.

[mistermikev]

2 hours ago, komodo said:

As a wood whore, I think I'm qualified to comment.
Where I'm at these days is: 
-Is it pretty? I mean for guitar making, is it really worth all of the build time?
-Is it structurally sufficient? And really, I only worry about necks. Bodies could really be any wood, though some really are better (limba).
-Do I NEEEEED it? I hoard wood, because you have to buy it when you have the chance. That said, lots of wood comes and goes. I've already got what I need to build guitars, but is this a special piece that neeeeeeeds rescued??

Of course this only applies to myself. I did just buy some good flamed maple because apparently I ran out and didn't realize it. It's for a new build that could be done with what I have on hand, but there's a vision in my head.

komodos 5 rules of when to buy - I like it.  well, in this respect... it's mediocre pretty... 

structural... well I would guess yes except for the potential weathering at the edges.

need... I have a rediculous pile of flamed maple!  enough mahog to do probably 10 guitars... enough ash for another 5... quite a few tops... none of them are sippo, nor any sissoo... so yes... I DO need it!  hehe

I have a lumber yard 4 blocks from my work... been pulling all kinds of good stuff out of there and what's more I can hit it on my lunch time and relieve some work stress.  At this point I'm running out of space... so my taste in terms of what makes me pull the trigger have changed.  Keep asking myself - is this something that I'd be happy with if I used it for a top?  If so... hard to pass.  I'd like to be at a place where any thing I use I know has been through one summer in my garage.

 

thank you for the reply and (I think) the enabling!!

[Bizman62]

5 hours ago, mistermikev said:

it's mediocre pretty

Beauty in the eye of the beholder. For some people birch is "the" wood to go, to me it looks pale and dull even if it has flaming. Stable as furniture wood, good for firewood.

Googling for images it looks like mesquite is one of the "exotic" woods for semi expensive imported boutique furniture!

[mistermikev]

2 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

Beauty in the eye of the beholder. For some people birch is "the" wood to go, to me it looks pale and dull even if it has flaming. Stable as furniture wood, good for firewood.

Googling for images it looks like mesquite is one of the "exotic" woods for semi expensive imported boutique furniture!

believe it has the most to do with what is easily avail near you!!  I can't get quilt anywhere other than online so for me... it's an ooh la la.  sm with any burl.  alder - we have in scores here.   sm w flamed maple.  

[komodo]

I keep trying to quit the exotic figured wood craving. I'd like to be able to build something that relies on the design rather than framing the figured wood, but I just love it so much I can't stop. Here's an example:
I think the plain one is just killer. But my inner wood whore keeps buying the crazy stuff!

[ScottR]

7 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

Googling for images it looks like mesquite is one of the "exotic" woods for semi expensive imported boutique furniture!

It does doesn't it? It has long been considered a trash tree in the U. S. southwest. It can grow a tap root over 50 feet deep so it thrives in dry country. It has thorns that can puncture a tractor tire. and the tree itself is sort of ugly. On the other hand the sap is about 27% sugar, so that feeds all kinds of bugs and small wildlife, along with the beans (seeds) which are excellent forage and commonly ground into flour back in the days of the native Americans. The smoke makes meat taste delicious. I never use charcoal, only mesquite and the occasional pecan stick.

And the wood is beautiful.

SR

[Bizman62]

@komodo, it's just natural. If you can choose between a figured and a plain plank of the same species, I guess no one of us would choose the plain one unless there's a paint job involved.

Way back when I didn't know anything about flames and other figurations I bought a hollowbody archtop Ibanez FG100 just for the shape. It was hanging at the stockist's office which I visited almost every week. At that time I thought that type is the only choice so I finally bought it. The wood looks very much like the lower one.

 

 

[komodo]

It just let's the design breathe more. If someone were to offer me one of the above for free, I'm not sure what I would pick but I think I would lean towards the plain.

Let us know when you get the wood @mistermikev. Ha!

[mistermikev]

3 hours ago, komodo said:

I keep trying to quit the exotic figured wood craving. I'd like to be able to build something that relies on the design rather than framing the figured wood, but I just love it so much I can't stop. Here's an example:
I think the plain one is just killer. But my inner wood whore keeps buying the crazy stuff!

this is so true... and there is a good lesson there... between those two the plain maple is beautiful, but a bit of a unicorn - like a flat gloss guitar!  I want to do a painted guitar at some point too... but it's hard to do as my instincts are to use beautiful wood!!

3 hours ago, ScottR said:

It does doesn't it? It has long been considered a trash tree in the U. S. southwest. It can grow a tap root over 50 feet deep so it thrives in dry country. It has thorns that can puncture a tractor tire. and the tree itself is sort of ugly. On the other hand the sap is about 27% sugar, so that feeds all kinds of bugs and small wildlife, along with the beans (seeds) which are excellent forage and commonly ground into flour back in the days of the native Americans. The smoke makes meat taste delicious. I never use charcoal, only mesquite and the occasional pecan stick.

And the wood is beautiful.

SR

all good to know.  I'll tell you - it turns reg bbq into magic bbq!

 

2 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

@komodo, it's just natural. If you can choose between a figured and a plain plank of the same species, I guess no one of us would choose the plain one unless there's a paint job involved.

Way back when I didn't know anything about flames and other figurations I bought a hollowbody archtop Ibanez FG100 just for the shape. It was hanging at the stockist's office which I visited almost every week. At that time I thought that type is the only choice so I finally bought it. The wood looks very much like the lower one.

 

 

note to self - remember to appreciate simple beauty!!  all of the sudden I want a plain top lp soo bad!!

44 minutes ago, komodo said:

It just let's the design breathe more. If someone were to offer me one of the above for free, I'm not sure what I would pick but I think I would lean towards the plain.

Let us know when you get the wood @mistermikev. Ha!

hehe, oh I'll have wood.  side note apparently there is a strip club somewhere called the lumber yard - "where real men go to get wood".  Hope the strippers don't look like lumberjacks!  (mega diversion in 3.... 2.... 1....)

[Bizman62]

2 hours ago, mistermikev said:

Hope the strippers don't look like lumberjacks! 

Guess not. Most likely more like planks. Rough sawn. A knot here and there, cracks and knotholes...

[mistermikev]

6 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

Guess not. Most likely more like planks. Rough sawn. A knot here and there, cracks and knotholes...

fir would be poplar around those parts...

[Drak]

Komodo, I loved the first pic and didn't know where you were going with it.

Then I see the second pic and I say, What the hell, joe! This is my '73 LPC.

I bought it in the mid- 80's for $500.00.

We used to buy equipment through the local Want Ads back then...that's how I found it.

It's the only electric I own that I didn't make, sold the rest off years ago.

[mistermikev]

his didn't have maple fretboard... yours is forbidden fruit.  pretty rare lp.  love/hated, perhaps you know all that.  I had never seen one before a few years ago and one of the guys I worked with mentioned he had an lp with maple fretboard.  I was floored and didn't believe him.  he brought it in to work and sure enough.  vcool.