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Hey all

Need an ID. I am using this back and sides set on the challenge build.
Got it on eBay about 7 years ago... Of course the seller used all sorts of delicious superlatives like the usual "Brazilian Rosewood?" But the guy had no idea that he would admit to. Allegedly it was resawed out of furniture. It's possible - one edge was routed and had a pattern on it.

Here's what I know.
It's not Brazilian.

It's very hard and dense. It has a tap tone about like plate glass.
Scent when sanding is definitely sweet but nondescript. The sawdust doesn't stain things when it gets wet. It darkened a little on thickness sanding - but it didn't want to burn or gum anything up.

Here's a good pic of it dry. Machine sanded to 80 grit.


Ideas?

Looks like Hormigo to me...makes an excellent guitar.

Macacauba, is my guess, or Granidillo, Hormigo all related, This is Macacauba

Teak.

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If you're lucky it could be Brazilian tulipwood (Dalbergia frutescens). In any case it looks very pretty and sounds like it will make a fine guitar.

Hard to tell from the photo, but if no open pores, it could be morado aka Bolivian rosewood.
I've got a Gianini that looks the same.

Brent

Could be palo escrito.

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'very hard and dense' would tend to eliminate palo escrito. Macacauba would be my guess as well. Other names are coyote and curatinga rosewood. IMHO, it is underrated as a tonewood, having a great tap tone. It is pretty stable, and considering the hardness and density, relatively easy to work with.

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John

Don't think it's tulipwood, as colors seem a bit washed out - but colors vary a lot, as you know. I have a board that's also on the light side but it's more variegated.

Anyway, tulipwood is above 1g/cm3 and has a not too strong but very nice subtle flowery fresh smell that I think would make a nice ladies perfume. Maca is more like potatoe skin to me.

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"Scent when sanding is definitely sweet but nondescript"

Doesn't sound like it smells like potato skins, but one person's "sweet but nondescript" may be another's "potato skin" or "subtle flowery fresh".
Identifying wood from a photo is pretty difficult, sometimes it's hard to tell when you are holding it in your hand. Trees, like people, can vary quite a bit.

Hormigo

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Bob....

Any chance you have a parlor size back set laying around that may match these? The flat sawn part cupped like crazy when I hit 0.100" thick... Groan.

I have a plank of Rosita lumber that is this pinky/rose color. But I can't see the pores in the picture to know if the grain structure is similar.

Here's an up close pic. It's diffuse porous.



Thanks

Hormigo.

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It looks like wood to me. Otherwise, a very good fake.

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