Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello,

I have here some wood, no pictures yet because it is still very rough sawn and dusty. It is kind of brown, not very heavy and I just can not figure out what it is.

The thing is: it smells like pepper. Really very spicy...

Any suggestions very welcome....

Thank you.

Cheers, Alex

Well at this moment is sounds like Brown Pepper wood.

_________________
.

Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


.

Imbuia, probably, but pictures will be better.

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

You will never get on Leno with jokes like that, Padma.

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

I've cut cocobola that had a spicy smell. It is brown, but it is also very heavy. I'm suspect you've cut cocobola before and would recognize it.

_________________
A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

I was just about to throw Cocobolo out myself, since it's really a crap shoot at this point, without pics. Cocobolo is really pretty wood, that's for sure, but the stuff can be downright killer in the toxicity realm, so proceed with caution on the "smelling" it part.

Cocobolo doesn't smell peppery, it can either smell like sweet cinnamon or like pickles mixed with BBQ sauce... at least that's my take on it.
I would still say imbuia.

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

Aaron, that's hilarious. I describe the smell of Cocobolo as pickle juice and BBQ sauce. We must have similarly wired brains! HAHA!!

That is funny! I thought it might sound crazy to describe it that way, glad I'm not the only one! haha

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

You know, that's not a bad comparison. I've always struggled to find a comparable smell. I hope I never become sensitized to it, because I love it But I don't think just sniffing it does any harm, as long as you wipe the dust off first...

If it was coco you would know because you would start choking and your eyes would start watering. But if you still aren't sure, rub some dust on your arm until a rash breaks out.

Not to mention coco is heavy, quite heavy. But it is brown. Imbuia does have a distinct peppery smell, but I also have some really dark sapele that also smells like pepper instead of its typical curry and cinnamon smell.

Brown Pepperwood, yes I'm sure that's it!

It could be one of several species in the genus Brownus Peperonius.

bay laurel is called pepperwood in calif.

Here some pictures, just freshly planed, the smell is hard todescribe, somehow sweet and spicy, density middle....hardness a bit on the soft side, like swietenia or so....

First picture is dry wood, the others is wood with water on

Any ideas???

In California, a "pepper tree" usually refers to schinus molle, which was planted all over by the early Spanish settlers. They're pretty common around mission grounds. I think it's from S. America originally. I don't know what the wood looks like, but that's one possibility.

goncalo alves

_________________
Mike McNerney

goncalo alves I know quite well. this is doesn´t fit....or wait..perhaps...I am confuised...

That is imbuia.

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

ahhhhhhh...just read on the inernet, imbuia smells like cinamon, and this might fit, just could not figure out what I smell there.....but cinamon makes sense...what does goncalo alves smell like, because the pictures on the net also fit somehow....what is denser / harder G.A. oder Imbuia?

THANX!!!!

Goncalo alves really doesn't have much of a smell. That is imbuia, no doubt. It doesn't really smell like cinnamon to me, but it is a really unique blend of spicy and sweet. It is hard to describe but there is nothing else like it.

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

Thank you very much Aaron, Think you nailed it down.....Dankeschön!!!!

Happy to help!

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

Padauk...

_________________
Another day, another dollar.