Honduran Mahogany vs Sipo

Post Reply
twenty2late
Posts: 81
Joined: Sat May 28, 2016 8:48 am
Location: Savannah, GA

Honduran Mahogany vs Sipo

Post by twenty2late »

In your most qualified opinion...is there a real difference when it comes to making necks from scratch?

Stewmac sells the Sipo for about half the price of Honduran and a little research shows they are very similar. I get the feeling that Honduran is so expensive because of CITES. Or...is there somewhere else I should be looking? I can't find quarter sawn mahogany locally, and I can't seem to find better prices anywhere else.

Obviously if I could sell a guitar and make a lot of money off of it, then it would be a no-brainer if they wanted something specific. But...for trying to perfect techniques and make guitars with a reasonable cost of materials...? I guess the real question is...will there be a difference that discourages me? As always....thanks!

V/R

Ken
johnnparchem
Posts: 2354
Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:50 pm
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Re: Honduran Mahogany vs Sipo

Post by johnnparchem »

I am not very qualifies but I think it would be a great choice at half the price.
tippie53
Posts: 7011
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
Contact:

Re: Honduran Mahogany vs Sipo

Post by tippie53 »

honduran is much better Sipo is heavy and not as friendly to carve
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
twenty2late
Posts: 81
Joined: Sat May 28, 2016 8:48 am
Location: Savannah, GA

Re: Honduran Mahogany vs Sipo

Post by twenty2late »

Thanks! Is it worth twice the money for learning? Is there another alternative? And...what do we use when Honduran is no longer available?
tippie53
Posts: 7011
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
Contact:

Re: Honduran Mahogany vs Sipo

Post by tippie53 »

if you are just learning Poplar makes for a good neck you can paint or stain it dark but it is cheap affordable and available .
When your learning you have so much to discover. There are many ways to do things, and with You TUbe there are lots of videos. Many are great some are terrible but you can see them doing it.
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
ruby@magpage.com
Posts: 1564
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Honduran Mahogany vs Sipo

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

How about Spanish Cedar, which is really much closer to mahogany than cedar. I have no experience with it other than hearing that it carves very well. I CAN tell you that Osage Orange doesn't carve at all, that Ash if pretty nice, and that maple (non-figured) is great.

Ed
Ed M
phavriluk
Posts: 554
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:49 pm

Re: Honduran Mahogany vs Sipo

Post by phavriluk »

I built up a kit guitar that has a sipo neck. It took a finish wonderfully. I'm comfortable with the idea that it may not be optimum, but it's plenty good to use in a learning project. None of our early efforts will be the instruments that cause audiences to faint, overcome by the beauty of the sound. But a well-executed and neatly done project is a beautiful thing and an object of builder's pride. If op's feeling experimental, or has lots of time to spend, he can buy two sipo necks and build each with a different fingerboard, inlay, width, headstock decoration, headstock shape, the list is endless and we needn't do our learning on the most expensive woods. Learn a whole lot without a lot of cash spent.
peter havriluk
twenty2late
Posts: 81
Joined: Sat May 28, 2016 8:48 am
Location: Savannah, GA

Re: Honduran Mahogany vs Sipo

Post by twenty2late »

I found this "family tree" (pun intented) of the mahogany species. Spanish cedar, sipo, and sapele all fall in the same area. Stewmac has sipo blanks that can produce 2 solid necks for around $60. I think $30 a neck is a good start for not having to execute a scarf joint since I don't have a planer.

Phil...did you carve the sipo? Or was it already carved since it was a kit? I appreciate all the replies.

V/R
Ken
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Post Reply