Official Luthiers Forum!

Got a very nice set of Wenge but I have heard some stuff that would lead me to believe that maybe I should shelve it... Does anyone here like the finished product or is it like Ziricote and if you look at it wrong (crack)?

I understand about the splinters and the huge gaping pores, but which more-frequently used wood is it most like in tone?

Thanks for any input.

Peter Z

For what i've seen with wenge, it splits very easily, and it's really hard on tools and sanpaper.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

I think you can untie a pretzel easier This stuff should be called Crackius quickiest dumsplinterisht

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Peter, I used Wenge on my last guitar for binding, bound the sound hole, made the fretboard, and the bridge. This is hard stuff, but not out of the bounds of guitar building. Take your time, use supersoft II, and you'll do fine.
Thx, Tony

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Tony Flippo

I've built a couple with it with no problems. One of them spent a year in NY (drastic seasonal changes) and is now in New Zealand and doing fine last I heard.

The numbers I've seen show that it's movement is similar to IRW. When quartered, it is somewhat weak along the grain lines. I look for stuff that's about 15 degrees off quarter but I'll use quartered if it doesn't have those huge pores between the hard grain lines. I know a builder who rejected a quartered set because he could see light through the pores.

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