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South African Hard Wood


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Anyone know about the tone qualities Indigenous South African Hard Woods (I Live in SA) (e.g. Yellowwood, stinkwood, assegaai). My Timber Merchants sells all the woods commonly used for guitars (ash, mahogany, maple..) as well as the SA woods just wondering if anybody had tried South African Hard Woods for a guitar.

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I've not heard of any of those woods, let alone any of them being used for guitars. Thats not to say they aren't suitable, however. Most of the builders on this forum are not from SA (that I know of anyway) so they probably wouldn't have used any of those woods. I would say that if the wood is strong enough (and especially cheap enough), give it a try. Who knows, you may discover the ultimate tone wood.

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From Port Elizabeth, thinking of maybe using one of the following as a top on a mahogany body;

Chacate - black

Pink Ivory

Pau Ferro

Or Something else that looks interesting. Looking for a reddish wood and a blackish wood. Nice contrast - And I would like to use local timber.

Yellowood - Family: Podocapaceae

Yellowheart - Euxylophora

Keith what woods do you use, have you use RareWoods we have a branch in PE.

Ian

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Yellowheart is somewhat like purpleheart, from what I have seen.

Paduk is very poplar too in guitars, boggs has made a couple, I have made one, Pau Ferro is used for fretboards and tops. Look at the warmoth showcase can see a lot of options there...

Reddish wood you can go with paduk and then ebony?

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Iv'e bought Rosewood fret boards from RareWoods. In Cape Town they have a off-cuts section where I usually get my wood. I've got maple,ash,mahogany(african) and several other bits quite cheap.

I've used Pirana Pine, mahogany, Beech, Meranti,maple. One of the best sounding basses I've built has a meranti body and maple neck.

Keith

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