Swietenia Mahogani | Tonewood Profile | ”Cuban Mahogany“
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Quick Facts
Scientific name: Swietenia Mahogani (vs. Honduran Mahog- S.Macrophyllia)
Trade names: Cuban Mahogany
Janka: 740
Uses: Back & sides, drop tops, necks
RIYL: Mahogany
Bling factor: Curl is uncommon.
Availability: Very limited from storm downed stock.
CITES status: listed in appendix II
Note: (RIYL) Recommended If You Like
Natural History
Cuban Mahogany is a very close relative of Honduran Mahogany but has a native range from Florida to Cuba and Jamaica. The semi-evergreen green is slightly smaller than its mainland brother [S.Macrophyllia] growing to 35m tall.
Status
Due to intensive logging, Cuban mahogany has been no longer commercially available since the 1950s. However, a few small well established plantations exist in its natural range and abroad.
Physical properties
Cuban Mahogany is a light pink when fresh oxidising to deep rich red. It is easy to work with hand or machine tools and takes a excellent polish. Compared to Honduran Mahogany, Cuban is even easier to work with. It has a closer, finer grain and carves beautifully.
It is seen in various figures, with curl, quilt and wavy grain although these are now rare.
Basic specific gravity (ovendry weight/green volume) 0.40 to 0.68; air- dry density 30 to 52 pcf.
Janka side hardness 740 lb for green material and 800 lb for dry.
As a tonewood…
Honduran mahogany has a long history as a tonewood for necks as well as tops and back & sides. With it’s easy workability and ability to take a beautiful finish, it is a popular tonewood for small and major manufacturers.
Subjective tone…
Cuban Mahogany tends to be denser than Honduran and hence has more rosewood like qualities, with a better developed midrange and low end.
Availability
Plantations occasionally yield logs wide enough for guitar sets, although old growth timber is now on the CITES appendix II and although raw timber trade is regulated, finished articles can be traded freely.
Links/ References:
Wikipedia
Kinnaird guitars http://www.kinnairdguitars.com/
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I have two dreadnaughts, a standard and a 12-fret slop-shoulder made of Cuban Mahogany. A friend inherited a number of large boards and is having them made into guitars for himself and his family. I have played many of his as well as my own, and do not think your desctiption does justice to this exceptional tone wood.
First, it not closely related to Honduran Mahogany, it is in fact a separate species, and was preferred for fine furniture in the 18th and 19th century. It is significantly denser than Honduran, and I think the luthiers wood tell you that the side bends are difficult, and result in a fair number of breaks.
The tone is remarkable s quite powerful, and it much more like rosewood than Honduran Mahogany.
I agree with Bill Miller. I have a Cuban Mahogany Tippin DST-12 slope ahouldered dreadnaught and it has a much sound quite different to Honduran Mahogany and closer to Rosewood. It looks stunningly unique and wonderful too.
I very much agree cuban has more rosewood qualities than hoduran
however to say that cuban mahogany “not closely related to Honduran Mahogany, it is in fact a separate species” is incorrect-
Saying that 2 species are closely related does not equate to saying they are the same species… and as honduran and cuban mahogany belong to the same genus, they are as closely related as possible whilst remaining distinct species.
I consulted a PhD on this- paraphrased is his reply:
“These two mahoganies belong to the same genus.
While it is a fact that they are separate species, this indicates that there is something which precludes them being grouped together in the same species.”
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