Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi guys, I haven't posted much but I do lurk on the forum quite a bit.

I was wondering what people thought of Kingwood?

Have many people used it? What did you think of it tonally?

I have bought a set of back and sides which I may use on the next guitar or might put aside and use another time... not sure yet.

Any pics would be cool as well, would like to see it under finish.

Thanks, George

You won't see much of it used as it is rare on the market, but the cool thing is that it is the oldest rosewood known to be used on a string instrument: Belchior Dias of Lisbon built a guitar from this stuff in 1581 !!!

I once bought a slab and cut several bridge blanks. It is very dense, sinks in water. Not too dark brown-purplish base color accentuated by black veins. Glassy taptone but contained (similar to African blackwood, Honduras and Amazon rosewoods). Feels very solid and not as brittle as Brazilian or Madagascar rw.

_________________
Build log

I have the same impression as Alex, very dense and solid. The texture seemed finer than eirw. The tap tone on mine was not as sustained or ringy as on my best Madagascar, but was nice in its own way. Not of much help as I haven't build with it. I bought a log just wide enough for backs (with some sapwood for drama), but found out that the wood was all cracked inside, even if it appeared ok on the outside. It was expensive as hell, i might turn it into the most expensive binding I'll get my hands on...

Where did you bought the set, if I may ask?

Good luck!
Miguel.

_________________
member of the guild of professional dilettantes

I'm sure it has the same tonal potential as any other extra dense rosewood. I'd really love to get my hands on a tight and straight grained set, although it is probably as difficult as pernambuco or snakewood, even in 4 pieces

A piece I have, coated with shellac.

_________________
Build log

Alex, do you have photos of all your stuff or do you work at home? (don´t bother answering...) you´re always fast to get the pics up. anyway, that´s some nice plank: the grain´s really straight and tight - at least much more so than my kingwood. mine also has a more purple tinge to it.

cheers,
miguel.


edit: and nice way to show your plane...

_________________
member of the guild of professional dilettantes

Yes I work at home. I find taking a photo and uploading as easy and fast as devouring a margherita in Napoli . That's why I really get worked up when I request a photo while trying to buy something and they fiddle around...a photo? ugh sorry we are too busy for that.

Yes there is a purplish tinge but it goes away under shellac. The sets offered by madinter were wide grained, and a bit washed in color, and with huge areas of flat grain, so i passed ordering one. Never seen sets anywhere else.

_________________
Build log

last time i was in napoli, i had some serious trouble eating a margherita, but that´s a different story altogether. just and advice, even if no one asked: when the guy and the waiter drink a little lambrusco too much, better not complain about delays. when in napoli...

i have my workshop far away from my home and don´t have computer there - i find i like it more that way, less distractions. and i enjoy walking to work. If i worked at home i would also have four little hands (my kids) trying inspect those shiny chisels and planes at all times, which should be stressful. and funny. but stressful...

Hey Goorge, sorry for leading this off-topic. I´ll stop here. As it happens, i always wanted to build a guitar from kingwood (the Belchior Dias influence), i´m shure yours will be great.

cheers,
Miguel.

_________________
member of the guild of professional dilettantes

I use it for inlay work. I didn't think Kingwood trees grew large enough to get back and side sets out of. The large tiles on this rosette are Kingwood, the small ones are East Indian Rosewood, purfs are Mahogany/Maple, finish is French Polished with #1 Kusmi buttons.

_________________
Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

I only have a rubbish phone pic of the back.

I was thinking I could use it for a parlour so as to make the most of the straight grain.

Back in the late 70's Martin was looking at alternative woods.
I contacted Dick Boak at the time & he send me 3 sets
of Kingwood-all 3 piece backs.
All well quartered with some sapwood.
It was great to work with-dense but forgiving.
I still have one of the guitars made of it.
It looks great and is a fantastic tonewood!
Just like all dense rosewoods.
I also use it for rosettes.
Mike

_________________
Mike Collins

I finished a 4 string plectrum guitar with a kingwood body, 27 inch S.L.. Tuned CGDA it sounded very nice. My son who usually plays bass absconded with it. 4 strings and baritone voiced.
The wood seemed a bit coarse textured compared to other rosewoods.

Kingwood trees are generally pretty small, so a two-piece back is pretty rare. This is the only back I have cut, and it is four-piece.



The two-piece backs I have seen were from faster-growing trees, with much wider grain and coarser texture.

Mexican kingwood (camatillo) is a similar tree, and the wood is likewise very dense and fine-textured. But unlike Brazilian kingwood, Mexican has some of the most dramatic figuring of any rosewood. There are two general color schemes....purplish like BK, and reddish, which favors cocobolo.

This is a uke set from Cook Woods:

_________________
John

Hanover of brazil has some very beautiful sets of king wood at very good prices and they are all large and very nice. all the ones I have seen had two piece backs. They are not one his web site but he has them in stock.



Michael Keller
www.kellerguitars.com

Thanks for the heads up, Michael! Will investigate.
John, that's amazing wood!

_________________
member of the guild of professional dilettantes