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| Fiji Mahogany? http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=54635 |
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| Author: | dzsmith [ Sun Dec 19, 2021 5:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Fiji Mahogany? |
I bought a couple of planks labeled Honduran Mahogany from Woodcraft today. It was expensive, $15 bd/ft. It looks a lot lighter than what I’m used to seeing. I’ll cut an end piece and look at the grain later. I think it may be Fiji plantation grown big leaf Mahogany. Anyone know anything about this stuff? It’s pretty lumber, but I have no idea how it compares to the old S. American Mahogany I have. |
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| Author: | Barry Daniels [ Sun Dec 19, 2021 5:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fiji Mahogany? |
It looks to me like plain old philippine mahogany (luan). I once made a piece of furniture out of it but it was difficult to sand due to the alternating stringy bands of grain. |
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| Author: | David Newton [ Sun Dec 19, 2021 6:01 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fiji Mahogany? |
It does look lighter than any Honduran Mahogany that I have bought, mostly Hibdon stuff from Mexico. I bought some Cuban Mahogany from Pelau some years ago and it was darker than either Honduran or Cuban. If it has a good "bonk" the color shouldn't matter, depending on how you want the guitar to look. edit: Yes it does look more like Philippine. |
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| Author: | dzsmith [ Sun Dec 19, 2021 6:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fiji Mahogany? |
I sanded the end grain. Yep, looks like Honduran to me? |
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| Author: | Pegasusguitars [ Sun Dec 19, 2021 7:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fiji Mahogany? |
I got a call from a guitarmaker here who had just bought some "Genuine Mahogany" here in Hawaii. They have given up the Honduran name now. The wood was physically lighter as well as lighter colorwise than mahogany we have previously bought from the supplier. I think it is just a matter of "the times they are a changing". If you are a youngun', time to think future oriented on your wood stash. Basically, all my life I've s bought wood well beyond my means and it has served me well. Even if you don't go on to make instruments, nice wood will always be worth than you paid for it.When I first came to Hawaii, not too long ago in 1982, I was able to sometimes cut koa stump wood for 19 cents a foot. Some nice curly and some not curly, but all nice wood. I still have, and use some of that wood.That kind of forest access is no longer available to me, and I have paid as much as 526 times that much for wood recently. I am regularly offered wood that is much more expensive than that even. |
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| Author: | dzsmith [ Sun Dec 19, 2021 8:37 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fiji Mahogany? |
Pegasusguitars wrote: I got a call from a guitarmaker here who had just bought some "Genuine Mahogany" here in Hawaii. They have given up the Honduran name now. The wood was physically lighter as well as lighter colorwise than mahogany we have previously bought from the supplier. I think it is just a matter of "the times they are a changing". If you are a youngun', time to think future oriented on your wood stash. Basically, all my life I've s bought wood well beyond my means and it has served me well. Even if you don't go on to make instruments, nice wood will always be worth than you paid for it.When I first came to Hawaii, not too long ago in 1982, I was able to sometimes cut koa stump wood for 19 cents a foot. Some nice curly and some not curly, but all nice wood. I still have, and use some of that wood.That kind of forest access is no longer available to me, and I have paid as much as 526 times that much for wood recently. I am regularly offered wood that is much more expensive than that even. Thanks for the insight Bob! I believe the term “genuine” was devised in the early 20th century by US furniture makers as a way to guarantee the wood was Mahogany and not some other species colored to look like it. The term “genuine” included S. American as well as unnamed African species. I believe the planks I have are Honduras Mahogany that were grown on a plantation. I’m guessing the light color is due to fast growth, but I’m not sure. I’ll cut some test pieces to see if it remains stable. About five years ago, Woodcraft had a bunch of old Mahogany for $5 a board foot. I bought about a dozen planks. My wife tried to convince me to buy all of it. I wish I had. |
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| Author: | Mike_P [ Sun Dec 19, 2021 9:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fiji Mahogany? |
looks like swietenia macrophylla to me...wouldn't have a clue as to where it was grown though |
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| Author: | dzsmith [ Sun Dec 19, 2021 10:08 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fiji Mahogany? |
Mike_P wrote: looks like swietenia macrophylla to me...wouldn't have a clue as to where it was grown though It will be a while before I use it. I’m gonna put a piece in sunlight for a few weeks to see if it darkens. Woodcraft Austin has a pallet of it today. I’ve learned that when their pallets run out it’s all gone. They may or may not have it again. I suggested they update their Facebook page when they get a new pallet of stuff. |
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| Author: | CarlD [ Sun Dec 19, 2021 11:08 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fiji Mahogany? |
I was given some wood that we thought was a West African "Mahogany." Sent a sample to USFS testing lab (free, check it out). Turned out it was a Shorea, Meranti. Looked a lot like the pic you posted. |
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