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Macacauba anyone?
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=35163		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Bobc [ Sat Jan 28, 2012 3:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Macacauba anyone?
Has any one built with Macacauba? Sometimes called Amazon Rosewood although it is not a rosewood and not the same wood.
We cut some sets this week and the tap tone is a pleasant surprise. Rings similar to lot lot of the denser rosewoods. Reminds me of Honduran RW (dalbergia stevensonii).
Author:  Ti-Roux [ Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
What about the color/look Bob? It might interest me!
Author:  TRein [ Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
Others might know it as granadillo (platymiscium sp). Hibdon cut some sets a few years back and those that built with it really liked it.
Author:  Don Williams [ Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
Pictures?
Author:  Ti-Roux [ Sat Jan 28, 2012 4:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
Oh, Granadillo, yhea, there's some at my lumber store... pretty heavy!
Author:  Bobc [ Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
[/url]Image

We have had granadillo sets before but they were more in the brown family. These sets are red/orange. More like amazon rw and madacascar rw. As you can see below the weight is comparable to most of the rosewoods.

Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft

African Blackwood Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft.

Cocobolo Density (dry weight) = 75+ lbs/cu. ft.

Honduran Rosewood Average Dried Weight: 62 lbs/ft3 (995 kg/m3)

Indian Rosewood Average Dried Weight: 57 lbs/ft3
Author:  Clinchriver [ Sat Jan 28, 2012 6:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
Jeffries Hardwoods our local fancy wood seller sells it as Curatinga Rosewood, good looking wood.

Thats a nice set you have.
Author:  Marcus [ Sat Jan 28, 2012 7:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Macacauba anyone?
I built my third guitar with some. Thinking about picking more up. It's a great wood! It starts off pretty pink and oxidizes to this.
Image
Author:  theguitarwhisperer [ Sat Jan 28, 2012 7:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
Clinchriver wrote:
Jeffries Hardwoods our local fancy wood seller sells it as Curatinga Rosewood, good looking wood.

Thats a nice set you have.


I went to Dollywood one year, stopped in to Jeffries while I was there and picked up a plank of spalted flame maple. Cool shop!
Author:  Bobc [ Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
The Wood Explorer database list 3 species from the Family Name Leguminosae

The wood we have appears to be Trebol (Platymiscium ulei )

The picture I posted is freshly cut. Some sets have that pink/orchid color

http://www.thewoodexplorer.com/maindata/we941.html Macacauba (Platymiscium pinnatum )

http://www.thewoodexplorer.com/maindata/we943.html Macawood (Platymiscium yucatanum )

http://www.thewoodexplorer.com/maindata/we942.html Trebol (Platymiscium ulei )
Author:  Nathan Hampton [ Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
I think the three common Platymiscium species are Macacauba, Granadillo, and Hormigo. I'm currently building a Granadillo dread, and it is some very lively wood. I also have a bunch of Macacauba, which I consider to be a little more responsive than Granadillo. I have noticed that Macawood tends to be more red/pink, and Granadillo is usually more brown, but this is just my experience. Macacauba can be found on ebay listed as Amazon Rosewood, or sometimes Curatinga Rosewood. I have some very nice Macawood sets for sale if anybony is interested.

Image
Author:  Corky Long [ Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
Bobc wrote:
[/url]Image

We have had granadillo sets before but they were more in the brown family. These sets are red/orange. More like amazon rw and madacascar rw. As you can see below the weight is comparable to most of the rosewoods.

Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft

African Blackwood Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft.

Cocobolo Density (dry weight) = 75+ lbs/cu. ft.

Honduran Rosewood Average Dried Weight: 62 lbs/ft3 (995 kg/m3)

Indian Rosewood Average Dried Weight: 57 lbs/ft3



That's beautiful wood, Bob. It's interesting that you compare it to Amazon Rosewood. That looks a bit like some Madagascar that I have, but the Amazon that I've built with (which I think is Dalbergia Spruceana) is much browner - almost a dead ringer for BRW. Are we talking about the same wood? I know that there are sometimes several different woods that can be referred to with the same name.
Author:  John Arnold [ Mon Jan 30, 2012 3:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
Quote:
It's interesting that you compare it to Amazon Rosewood.

Bob can speak for himself, but I will just say that it is unfortunate that this species is often called "Amazon RW", when there is already a Dalbergia species with that common name. I suspect it is a sin propagated by the flooring industry. At any rate, if you search Ebay or the Web today for "Amazon rosewood", you are much more likely to find maca wood (Platymiscium spp.) than D. spruceana.
I believe Bob was comparing it to Honduran RW. IMHO, the tap tone is as good or better than many 'true' rosewoods.
I first encountered this wood 20 years ago, and I always knew it had promise. It seems to have no bad habits. It is pretty stable for such a dense wood, and it does not seem particularly brittle or prone to cracking. My main complaint is that it can be very plain looking, but the same can be said about Honduran RW.
Author:  Paul Burner [ Mon Jan 30, 2012 5:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
From the photos I think it looks a bit like some of the Hormigo that Bob had a while back.
Author:  Rod True [ Mon Jan 30, 2012 5:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
Beautiful looking set there Bob! Price???
Author:  Bobc [ Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
John Arnold wrote:
Quote:
It's interesting that you compare it to Amazon Rosewood.

Bob can speak for himself, but I will just say that it is unfortunate that this species is often called "Amazon RW", when there is already a Dalbergia species with that common name. I suspect it is a sin propagated by the flooring industry. At any rate, if you search Ebay or the Web today for "Amazon rosewood", you are much more likely to find maca wood (Platymiscium spp.) than D. spruceana.
I believe Bob was comparing it to Honduran RW. IMHO, the tap tone is as good or better than many 'true' rosewoods.
I first encountered this wood 20 years ago, and I always knew it had promise. It seems to have no bad habits. It is pretty stable for such a dense wood, and it does not seem particularly brittle or prone to cracking. My main complaint is that it can be very plain looking, but the same can be said about Honduran RW.


John I find it unfortunate too. That's why I like to use the scientific names. Corky I was comparing it to Honduran RW although some sets have that pink purple color similar to Kingwood (Dalbergia cearensis) like this pic.

Attachment:
kingwood 46 s50 q60 web.jpg
Author:  Bobc [ Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
Paul Burner wrote:
From the photos I think it looks a bit like some of the Hormigo that Bob had a while back.


Paul your right. Hormigo is in the same family. The first time I came across this wood was in veneer backer boards some 10 years ago.
It looked so much like a rosewood that I had it tested. Of course it was not. Too bad it's not used by more builders. You get the sound and looks of Rosewood at a fraction of the price. idunno
Author:  Corky Long [ Wed Feb 01, 2012 4:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Macacauba anyone?
Bob,

Thanks for the clarification. Got it - that makes sense. Looks like some nice wood.
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