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I found this on eBay a couple of weeks ago, listed simply as Asian Rosewood. What can you tell me about it?

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Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

I would not build with it myself, I see lots of conflict and heart ache in that wood.

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Brian

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

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Looks cocobolo-ish (you'd know by the smell if you've smelled coco bofore)...but if it's really Asian...hummm.

I'll guess D. cochinchinensis. Look at RC tonewoods, they ahve some of this wood, but it's not fully quartered, so it looks a bit different. It does have tht RED color.

How's the smell?

teach me, what do you see.

Not cocobolo the asian rosewood can be a number of varieties. I agree that it is an iffy set. Ebay really isn't the best place to buy tonewood. Often the wood sold there is from inexperienced sellers or suppliers cleaning out stock that they wouldn't normally sell. Know your supplier.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

It has a spicy smell, similar to Coco but not as strong. I was thinking that it was either d. bariensis or d. cochinchinensis.

_________________
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

Looks like Dalb cochinchinesis to me

Looks like camatillo rosewood.

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

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John, so you say that it's not Coco. If the OP had not said it was Asian, I believe that 90% would say that's cocobolo. Your post isn't very insightful.

How are you sure it's not Cocobolo, because it looks exactly like many samples I have.

I just got a set of Bariensis, and it looks quite different, more like MRW. But the Bariensis has a nice spicy smell, not nearly as strong or as the usual cocobolo, which to me smells like pickle-juice.

Spike knots/knot shadows in the sides could be trouble unless they can all somehow fall outside any tight bends (and still might be trouble anyway). Also the black area in the lower back near the center could be rotten/cracked... it's difficult to tell with such a small picture.

thank you!! I'm learning

I think Howard was refering to the way this type of wood is harversted and commercialized in SE Asia. Kinda like Blood Diamonds.

Wood that was right beside knots. Many sharp and abrupt changes in cellular run out, especially on the sides.Then there is the obvious grain runout in the sides as well. Also looks like the back was cut a bit close to the pith for my liking, too much early wood. I see nothing but grief, I could be wrong, but I would pass on that set.

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Brian

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

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

It looks very consistent with the d cochinchinesis sets I have.