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Chris - I haven't built with it yet but I have several sets from Gilmer. My impression of it is that it is a tad lighter in weight than EIR but taps more like Brazilian. Very resonant!! My understanding is that it is D. Tucurensis, same as what is often referred to as Panamanian RW. Bruce Sexauer has great things to say about it.

Hard to get a feel for the tone from it, but here's a link to a youtube of Eric Schoenberg with a Tucurensis / Adi guitar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VokgFw0k5ZM

PS - do a search on Tucurensis or Tucarensis over at UMGF (I believe the former is the correct spelling, but try searching on both). You'll find some good info there.

I know John Arnold is a proponent as well. Maybe he will weigh in.

Chris, I thought it behaved very much like good Indian rosewood.
Not quite the looker as other species of Dalbergia, but sonically it's wonderful.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

After Brazilian RW, it is my first choice of all Dalbergias. The tap tone is very nice, and I like the lower density (48 to 50 lbs/cubic foot, by my measurements). Gilmer sells Panamanian as a different species, but the tap tone and density seem to be the same as Guatemalan.
Panamanian is my preference, mainly because the color tends to be more orange-red, rather than muddy brown.
Panamanian on top, Guatemalan on the bottom.


Guatemalan RW with landscape figure:


BTW, most of the Guatemalan RW lumber I have bought was sold to me as Honduran RW.

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John

That's interesting, John, the lumber I bought was sold to me as "Honduran Cocobolo". It was Guatemalan rosewood, though.
Lovely set you have pictured there!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

John, those pics show exactly what I've been seeing in the sets of Pan/Guat rosewood I have. And believe it or not, some of it was sold to me as Honduran also!!

I find it to be TOTALLY different and easily distunguishable from Honduran. Pan/Guat RW is way lighter, way less glassy when tapped, and has a much coarser texture (from what I can tell with my samples.) Also, the pores are larger/longer. The Hond I have it nearly pore free, but not like Africa Black Wood.

Going back to your pics, I have 2 sets I got from Gilmer that are very Orange/Red(sold as Tucurensis), same as your top pics, but mine are not as well quartered. I also have 2 sets that were from cook woods, and they look EXACTLY like your second picture. Dead match.

What is your opinion on this stuff? Are they both Tuc, but from different areas? I know woods can show substantial differences within the same species, depending on where it grew, cut, etc...
Of my sets, they all have a similar smell, I would describe as moderatly strong, with a spicy, meaty flavor on top of the basic rosewood smell, kinda like Cocobolo, but less Christmas Spice smell, more Beefy...

Finally, I was sold two sets of fingerboard/bridge blanks as Honduran (they were cheap!) and when I received them, I was prety sure they were Tucurensis. The feel of it really gives it away.


And, now really finally, I've never built with it, but I do have 4 sets, and I bought them based on the great reviews from people like John Arnold, and Bruce Sexauer.

I'm excited to use it, which will probably be in a few months.

I'm not trying to be a smartass, but how do these trees know whether they are in Guatemala or Panama?

Assuming there is a genetic difference...the same way any genetically different species do. If they are not genetically different, and I don't think there is agreement about whether there is, then Guatemalan and Panamanian are just two common names for the same species (Dalbergia Tucurensis).

Well....I don't kno0w if trees can think...but the soil they are growing on might be quite different in Guatamala and Panama, so the tree / the wood might be slightly different.

I am a big fan of this stuff, and like already mentioned above by somebody else, this is my second favorite wood next to BRW.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1157931855 ... Palisander

Herr Dalbergia,

Are those sets for sale? They is Beautiful!

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."