Mahogany: African vs Honduran

[Darryl Young]

Let’s discuss mahogany…

Is genuine Honduran mahogany still available in the USA?

How does African mahogany compare to Honduran mahogany? Differences in tone or density? African make good necks?

Could have purchased a wide, flamed African mahogany board today that was 4” thick. Didn’t buy it as I wasn’t familiar with it.

[tippie53]

yes Honuran is available often called genuine Exotic wood zone and RC tonewoods are my main source

I personally love african mahogany I think it has a great tone. I especially like the figure that is in it. Don't sell it short it is worth using

[Darryl Young]

Thank you John.

Does Martin now use African Mahogany on their D18 models?

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I wrote on this yesterday but my message was "lost"
I love it for necks. It's usually cheaper than Honduran hog

[Darryl Young]

Good to know, thank you Kevin!

[Stray Feathers]

I have not used it for bodies yet, but have done several necks with it. Despite its similarity to Honduras by several measures, I find it harder to carve than Honduras (which surprises me) and also seems to have more irregular grain. So when shaping a neck with a spokeshave, for example, often the grain rises and falls and you risk chipping the wood if you're not careful. (Is this interlocked grain?) That may just be that I have not got the best pieces of wood but they seemed well quartered. I'm not drawn to mahogany guitars so have not done one, but I am sometimes tempted by Khaya sets, which I see more often than Honduras so am interested to hear the opinions of others. Bruce W.

[tippie53]

there were a few years were sapele and african mahogany were used because of wood shortages but that has been cleared up. Martin used honduran for the D18