World Class "Special" Wood Choices
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Return to OPTIONAL FEATURES | Skip to STANDARD WOOD CHOICES
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The woods on these pages represent years of collecting, matching, babying, caring, curing and loving. We are all very well aware that many of the woods we prize are in short supply, and thankfully are beginning to be protected. Please read | My Green Statement | to learn more about our concern for the hardwood forests and the regulations that protect them.
NOTE: The pictures shown below and in the gallery pages are amateur photos of my own stock and the pieces are unsanded.
NOTE: The pictures shown below and in the gallery pages are amateur photos of my own stock and the pieces are unsanded.
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Amazon Rosewood
Amazon Rosewood -- Dalbergia spruceana -- is a tremendous tonewood. Amazon has smoothness, richness, and deep sustaining resonance with just the right amount of reverb, but not too much, plus all the overtones of the top reflected back out of the guitar.
Amazon rosewood is going to have to take the place of traditional favorites that have been under too much ecological pressure. Fortunately for us, the properties are much the same, and Amazon rosewood compares favorably, sometimes identically, to Brazlian rosewood.
Amazon rosewood is going to have to take the place of traditional favorites that have been under too much ecological pressure. Fortunately for us, the properties are much the same, and Amazon rosewood compares favorably, sometimes identically, to Brazlian rosewood.
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African Blackwood
African Blackwood -- Dalbergia melanoxylon -- a heavy, rich, black bundle of tone. African blackwood not only compares well to Brazlian rosewood, it bests it in some ways. It's very heavy, and mass usually favors sustain if there isn't any internal damping to muck it up. Bingo. It has all the "chocolatey" richness. It has the clarity, sustain, orchestral weightiness, sweetness, and reverberating overtones. All of that and it has a stealth beauty to it. It's blacker than black, but in the right light you will be treated to faceted grains and variations of black, brown, purple, and red.
Cocobolo
Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa) is a heavy rosewood offering warm, lush bass, great sustain, and a rich alto presence. Supplies are extremely limited, and exact matches can be found on the special woods page.
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Madagascar Rosewood
Madagascar Rosewood (Dalbergia baronii) provides stunning looks and stellar tone comparable to Brazilian rosewood, crafted responsibly from remaining stock to honor the material.
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Cambodian Rosewood
Cambodian Rosewood (Dalbergia bariensis) is a dense, smooth substitute for Brazilian rosewood featuring straight grain that transitions from pinkish to a warm, lush brown over time.
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Koa
Koa (Acacia koa) is an exceptionally beautiful wood known for sweet tones, featuring a bass response balanced between mahogany's thump and rosewood's sustain.
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Vanuatu Blackwood
Vanuatu Blackwood (Acacia heterophylla) presents clear honey-golden tones with deep flame, offering a hard, dense build similar to koa in overall tonal qualities.
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Ebony Woods
Includes selections like Malaysian Blackwood (with spiderweb details and clean bass sustain), Macassar Ebony (ideal for fingerstyle and flatpicking response), and Black/White Ebony.