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Hi all.got some pieces locally from a house refurb for not much cash. Could get the lot but I Suspect they may not be honduran / bigleaf type. Any thoughts?

Just used tapa talk for the first time.you can't see the pictures can you?

Nope.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Not as pink as it looks assuming you can see it.

Looks like Phillipean Mahogany which is not very good stuff. Definitely not strong enough for necks.

I suspect you're right.

Time to make some more shelves I think. Got some nice honduran table top leaves from a skip the other day which was pleasing.

Would it be strong enough if laminated?

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

I wouldn't. Philippine Mahogany isn't real mahogany, and it's not a dimensionally strong or stable wood. It breaks easily, and is sometimes quite punky.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

The first two pics look like Spanish cedar to me. The smell would tell for sure.

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Guitar Maker and Purveyor of the World's Finest Tonewoods
http://www.aaronhixguitars.com/
http://stores.ebay.com/A-Hix-Tonewood-a ... r-Supplies

That one pic with the splintered end looks like real mahogany to me but it's hard to tell.

Yeah, that broken piece is different and does look like Honduran Mahogany.

No Spanish cedar, I know the smell and bitter taste! The boards do look different.I'll do a bit more scratch and sniff.Thanks for the suggestions.

Would a guitar neck by any other name smell as sweet? Although I have used meranti for guitar necks, I have shied away from using luan. Luan in many ways reminds me of Spanish cedar. It is relatively light weight and moderately stiff. They are both moderately cheap. But it doesn't have that smell....
Has anyone used luan for guitar necks and had problems with it?

My very first guitar had a Philippine mahogany neck. It was made about 50 years ago and is still straight. I don't recommend it as neck wood and only use Spanish Cedar now but if it's the only thing you have it can be made to work.

The fact that the rays are not storied on flat-sawn surfaces excludes bigleaf mahogany.
Check out the 'storied rays' and 'ripple marks' on this page, about 2/3 of the way down:
http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/hardwood-anatomy/

Philippine 'mahogany' (lauan) has a unique smell that is very different from genuine mahogany. It is very common in house construction, especially from the 1960's to the 1980's. Some of it is suitable for guitar, but a lot of it is quite soft.
It has been used extensively in laminated Asian guitar bodies and necks.
Even Martin used some of it for necks in the early-1920's....presumably because of wood shortages after WWI.

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John

Freshly planed pics.seems fairly hard and stable but I suspect luan as you say John.

My brother and me made a doghouse out of philipine Mahogony. Worked out pretty good for the dog


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It may come to that, Hoping to re home a German shepherd very soon.having said that, I have cut and planned some to make a fret slotting jig and also cut two sides for bending and am not having any problems and the tap tone is certainly respectable so I may use it build with yet. Not noticed any particular smell.

Took a bit along to David dyke a UK luthier supplier.he said it was much nicer than Philippine mahogany . wasn't sure what it was but wondered about makore and he said it was also used plenty in the UK for house interiors. Cut and bent some sides no problem and cut a four piece back.tap tone is pretty respectable and is reasonably stiff.