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Macassar Ebony. Tonewood database.

September 22, 2010 Terence Tonewood Database

Diospyros celebica| Tonewood Profile | “Macassar Ebony”

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Quick Facts
Scientific name: Diospyros celebica
Trade names: Macassar Ebony
Janka: ~3200
Uses: Back & sides, drop tops, veneer
RIYL: Rosewoods,
Bling factor: Variety of figures
Availability: limited
CITES status: Not listed. No restrictions

Natural History

Greven Guitar

This beautifully made guitar by John Greven has a set figured Macassar Ebony back and sides. The Black and White theme is carried through the fingerboard and bridge!

The Diospyros family consists of around 500 deciduous and evergreen trees commonly known as ebony or persimmon trees. Macassar Ebony (Diospyros celebica), derives it’s name from the Makassar, the main seaport of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. It is endemic to the island and attains heights of 20 metres. It can is found in rain and monsoon forests but is able to adapt to humid conditions as well as seasonal climates as well as a variety of soils. It is thought to be present on the Celebes in Philippines although I couldn’t find any hard data to support this (any help in this respect would be appreciated!)

Status

Diospyros celebica has been heavily logged for lumber in its natural range and is trade is currently restricted by the Indonesian government.

Physical properties

The heartwood of Diospyros celebica is variegated, streaky brown and black often striped. It is a hard, durable wood with a fine grain. It is reported to glue well but is brittle and can blunt tools easily. It has a Janka rating of ~3200-2500 and a specific gravity of approx. 0.89-1.2.

As a tonewood…

As a tonewood, Macassar Ebony has been described to produce instruments with a clear, loud sound.

I asked a few luthiers on the OLF and here’s what they thought of it (full thread here)

Pat Hawley is a big fan and says :”Although I’ve only built two guitars with macassar ebony, a dreadnought and a classical, I love the stuff. I think it’s beautiful wood and the guitars sound great. It can be difficult to bend and it’s also relatively heavy, but the results are worth the effort. I’m actually kind of surprised I don’t see more guitars made with it.

Both guitars had Englemann spruce tops. The thing that struck me about the dreadnought was its projection. With regard to sustain, I hadn’t noticed anything either way so I guess that means it was average. As I was building the guitar, I knew it was going to come out heavy and I was worried that there wouldn’t be much volume so I was surprised and pleased at how loud it was. The classical guitar was much lighter in comparison yet, when first played, it was relatively quiet and I was a little disappointed.

However the change in just over a few hours of playing was amazing. I never knew a guitar could open up so much in so little time. It probably was also a function of the new strings settling in. I’m not very good at describing tonal qualities so all I can say is that this guitar, to my hear, sounded very sweet and beautiful. I would not call it overly bright. I sold it within a week of it being finished and, I must admit, I have some regrets.” Pat Hawley can be found: here.

Howard Klepper says :”Rather high damping. I’d consider it best suited for a blues type box if someone want a lot of thump but not a lot of sustain. Speaking relative to other woods, of course. It’s not like its cardboard or anything.” Howard Klepper guitars can be found: here.

Todd Stock says :”In terms of boards and bridges, I run a tap comparison for folks looking to choose between BRW, EIR, Mad Rose, Madagascar Ebony, and Macassar…the Madagascar is at the bottom of the pack, while most folks find the Macassar close to MadRose and EIR in the sustain and tone department.

Great wood for bridges, fretboards, binding and faceplates…lower damping than many other ebonies, has a great deal of visual appeal, and lower mass while retaining close to the same surface hardness. I seldom use Madagascar or Gabon ebony if suitable Macassar is available. I particularly like it for binding, where the warm bittersweet chocolate color warms up what can otherwise be a too-cool color note. That color/texture contrast is just perfect with a wide range of top and body woods. Where not constrained by tradition, I’ll use the Macassar over other ebonies.” Todd stock can be found: here.

Subjective tone…

I would classify this wood as providing a slightly dark and woody overtone content with a low to mid end predominance- much like Indian Rosewood!

Availability

Still available at present.

References:
Wikipedia
CIRAD Forestry department
PIER database
US forestry service database

©Terence Tan.

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Terence Tan
Allied Lutherie

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5 comments Diospyros celebica| Tonewood Profile | "Macassar Ebony"

Ziricote. Tonewood Profile

May 5, 2010 admin Tonewood Database

Cordia dodecandra | Tonewood Profile | ”Ziricote”

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Quick Facts
Scientific name: Cordia dodecandra
Trade names: Ziricote
Janka: 1750 approx
Uses: Back and sides veneer
RIYL: Rosewoods
Bling factor: Spiderwebbing is common
Availability: Rare
CITES status: Not listed. No restrictions
Note: (RIYL) Recommended If You Like

Natural History

Ziricote is a deciduous tree native to the Yucatán Peninsula thriving in calcium-rich soils with outcropping rocks where it attains hights of up to 30 meters. The trunk is straight and short, with a large, rounded, dense crown. It produces bright orange flowers.

sapce

Physical properties

The timber has a similar appearance to Brazilian rosewood in olive green and black shades. It is often found with spiderwebbing and is heavier than most rosewoods. It is said to be comparable to ebony when worked and can be brittle. The janka of Ziricote is around 1750 and it has a specific gravity of 0.85

sapce

As a tonewood…

It is used for back an sides for guitars, in particular classicals but it has found favour with Michael Bashkin and Gerald Sheppard for it’s beauty and tonality. Tim McKnight is a real fan saying:

“Personally I find Zircote to be one of the most visually appealing woods on the planet. It has wonderful colors that intertwine vivid black ink lines with grays, golds, browns, olives and rust colors. It is one of my most favorite woods to build with. I find the wood has a more rosewood-ish tone, although it is not a member of the dalbergia family. It has excellent low dampening qualities similar to most rosewoods with a clean resonant reverb-ery characteristic. Zircote pairs well with almost any top to bring a wide tonal variety to the builders pallet.

This wood has a reputation for more tangential movement and can therefore be at risk for cracking if certain conditions are not adhered to. If the builder seasons the wood well and builds when the wood is between 6% – 8% MC in a controlled humidity environment then delivers it to a customer who can [accurately] maintain a 40% – 55% RH range in their home then I have not found it to any more unstable than other woods. However, if the builder rushes the build or can’t accurately control his shop’s humidity or the end user can not accurately control their humidity then perhaps another tone-wood should be considered.”

sapce

Subjective tone…

I would broadly characterise the tone of Ziricote as falling between Indian rosewood and Macassar Ebony- it has more clarity than Indian but provides more overtones than Macassar.

sapce

Availability

Good stocks of Ziricote are limited.

sapce

Links/ References:
Bourgeois Guitars http://www.pantheonguitars.com/
LMI http://lmii.com

©Terence Tan.

Pictures copyright individual holders.

Any infringement of copyright is entirely unintentional. Any copyright issues should be address to: writers@guitarbench.com. We will attempt to resolve these issues quickly.

One comment Ziricote. Tonewood Profile

Bubinga. Tonewood database.

March 31, 2010 Terence Tonewood Database

Guibourtia demeusei| Tonewood Profile | “Bubinga”

Guibourtia demeusei Tonewood Profile Bubinga

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Bubinga consists of 2 species: Guibourtia demeusei/ tessmannii. Both are similar in appearance and physical properties.

Quick Facts
Scientific name: Guibourtia demeusei/ tessmannii
Trade names: Bubinga
Janka: ~2000-2500
Uses: Back & sides, drop tops, veneer
RIYL: Rosewoods
Bling factor: Variety of figures
Availability: Steady
CITES status: Not listed. No restrictions

Natural History

Kinnaird Guitar This beautifully made guitar by Stephen Kinnaird has a set Bubinga back and sides with a unique figure called Waterfall. The Bubinga Sapwood bindings with black/red/black purfling lines nicely accentuates the rims! Check out the entire guitar here.

The Guibourtia family consists of evergreen trees attaining 50 metres in height with a buttressed trunk. They tend to occur near to bodies of water, such as rivers or at lakeshores. Both demeusei/ tessmannii range from Cameroon, to Gabon and Zaire.

Status

Guibourtia demeusei is heavily logged for lumber in its natural range and is currently listed by the World Conservation Monitoring Center as vulnerable.

Physical properties

The heartwood of Guibourtia demeusei is red brown with a clearly demarcated lighter brown to white sapwood. It is a hard, durable wood with an interlocked grain which can make bending challenging. It has a Janka rating of ~2000-2500 and a specific gravity of approx. 0.9.

As a tonewood…

As a tonewood, Bubinga has also been called African Rosewood which is a fair description of the tone although it is not yet used very extensively due to the difficulties faced with bending it.

Stephen Kinnaird is a big fan and says :”I have a growing appreciation for Bubinga. Visually it can be quite stunning, with deep curl, Pomelle figure, bees’ wing mottle, etc. Even the plainer versions when well quartered are attractive.

The pinkish mauve color is off-putting to some, though I find it attractive. It is hard, heavy and dense. The interlocking grain, which makes the wood so attractive, also make for an exciting time at the bending iron. This wood can resist you with a stubborn determination. A good night’s sleep is essential before bending.

The sound is so close to rosewood, that Bubinga well earns its nickname of “African Rosewood”. That overtone structure one hears with rosewood is equally present in Bubinga, and yet at a reduced price tag. If one wanted a guitar with a traditional sound, but with more visual drama than Indian rosewood, Bubinga should definitely be considered.”

Subjective tone…

I would classify this wood as providing a slightly dark and woody overtone content with a low to mid end predominance- much like Indian Rosewood!

Availability

Still available at present.

References:
Wikipedia
CIRAD Forestry department
PIER database
US forestry service database

©Terence Tan.

Pictures copyright individual holders.
Stephen Kinnaird

http://www.med-magazin.ru

Picassa

No comments Bubinga. Tonewood database.

Aningré. Tonewood profile.

March 16, 2010 Terence Tonewood Database

Aningeria altissima [Pouteria altissima] | Tonewood Profile | “Aningré”

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Quick Facts
Scientific name: Aningeria altissima/ Pouteria altissima
Trade names: Aningré
Janka: 1300 approx
Uses: Back and sides veneer
RIYL: Mahogany/ Koa
Bling factor: Chatayonace and curl is common
Availability: Rare
CITES status: Not listed. Considered vulnerable
Note: (RIYL) Recommended If You Like

McKnight Guitars
(click for fullsize)
Mcknight Dreadnought
Aningre Back & Sides
Read our interview with Tim McKnight here.

Natural History

Aningré reaches meters 50 high and the trunk diameter can reach 250 cm in it’s native African range from Guinea through Ethiopia, Kenya to Zambia. The bole is straight with triangular winged buttressing and is often used in Ehtiopia and Uganda as a shade tree in coffee plantations, as well as a bee plant.

Physical properties

The heartwood of Aningré is yellow white to reddish brown and indistinctly divided from the pale sapwood. The grain is fine, straight and can be interlocked. It can often exhibit a block mottle or board curl figure.It is often a utility wood and in East Africa has a history of use in musical instruments and vehicle bodies!

The Janka of Aningré is 1300 and the specific gravity is 0.58

As a tonewood…

It is used for back an sides for guitars, where it’s light weight allows it to compare favourably to mahogany.

Tim Mcknight says: “I have used African Anigre a few times. The tone is very mahogan-ish. The raw wood visual appearance is VERY close to the color of maple. It takes a stain evenly which will really bring out the grain [if] you happen to have some figure that you want to accent? Workability is closer to maple than to mahogany and [generally] there are no unexpected surprises. Its a good tone-wood”

Subjective tone…

I would broadly characterise the tone of Aningré as similar to Honduran Mahogany with perhaps more balance in the trebles.

Availability

Good stocks of Aningré are limited.

Links/ References:
Rc tonewoods
protobase
IUCN Red List

©Terence Tan.

Pictures copyright individual holders.

Any infringement of copyright is entirely unintentional. Any copyright issues should be address to: writers@guitarbench.com. We will attempt to resolve these issues quickly.

No comments Aningeria altissima. Pouteria altissima. Tonewood Profile. Aningré. Aningre. Anigre., Aningré. Tonewood profile.

The Legend of the Golden Spruce.

February 17, 2010 Terence Feature articles, Tonewood Database

Six String Nation Guitar & the Golden Spruce | Feature Article |

Golden Spruce

In 1997, a mentally unstable, unemployed forest engineer committed murder by the lonely banks of the Yakoun River in British Columbia.

Thomas Grant Hadwin didn’t murder a man, but rather he murdered a tree and the hopes of a generation.

That tree was Kiidk’yaas (“ancient tree”) or better known as the Golden Spruce. It was a Sitka Spruce tree with a rare genetic mutation: it lacked 80% of a normal tree’s chlorophyll.

The resulting needles were yellow-gold, producing a stunning golden foliage visible for all to see. This was unique enough to be granted a special scientific name: Picea sitchensis ‘Aurea.’

The Kiidk’yaas grew in Haida Gawii, British Columbia and was revered by the Haida First Nation living there.

In a tale mirroring the Biblical events in which Lot’s wife becomes a pillar of salt, the Haida tell, of an old man and a young boy running from their village, buried with snow as punishment for its inhabitant’s wicked actions. Against the old man’s warnings, the boy, like Lot’s wife, looked back upon the destruction and was turned into Kiidk’yaas.

The legend also stated that the tree would be admired until the last generation. It’s felling at the hands of Hadwin provoked shock within the Haida community.

Thomas Grant Hadwin was a Canadian forest engineer. Hadwin was born in 1948, British Columbia into a family was active in the logging industry. Hadwin himself became a logger and subsequently, a logging engineer.

He made a living surveying logging road but soon saw ecological impacts of the logging industry. He became disillusioned. His form of environmentalism, despite advocating sustainable forestry consisted of abrasive and antagonistic letters to politicians and lumber company management.

As his protests reached fever pitch, to the worry of his family and friends, he began to behave bizarrely and began to exhibit signs of mental instability.

In Hadwin’s mind, the public was missing the forest for the tree. And that tree was the Kiidk’yaas.

His plan was to fell that tree to call attention to this error and provoke protest against the lumber companies.

“Grant Hadwin got a chainsaw and did something terrible.” -John Vaillant

On January of 1997, Hadwin made a trip to Queen Charlotte Islands. In the early hours of the morning of January 20^th, 1997, Hadwin executed his plan. Swimming across the Yakoun river he made a series of deep cuts in the Golden Spruce. Triumphant, Hadwin faxed and mailed his confession to news agencies and lumber companied. He called it a ‘wake-up call’.

Held only by a thin colum, the Kiidk’yaas fell two days later in strong winds.

The act of eco-terrorism provoked outrage and protest, but not against the lumber companies but against Hadwin. Amidst blazing media coverage, Hadwin was arrested and ordered to stand trial on the islands. He was released on bail but failed to appear for his court appointment.

Hadwin had tried to cross the Hecate Strait by kayak. He was last seen on the 14^th of February in rough weather. On June 1997, his empty kayak and gear were found on an uninhabited island 110 km northwest of Prince Rupert leading to speculation he faked his own death.

Thomas Grant Hadwin, he man who killed the Kiidk’yaas was never seen again.

The Kiidk’yaas lives on.

New Trees

That was not the end of the Golden Spruce though. Two decades earlier, a group of botanists from the University of British Columbia had taken cuttings from Kiidk’yaas and grafted them onto an ordinary sitka spruce. The resulting saplings had, like their parent, golden needles. The trees were grown in the Botanical Garden and centre for plant research.

News of the tree’s destruction lead to the centre offering one of the young trees to the Haida. The Haida accepted, planting it nearby the original Kiidk’yaas.

As music

In 1995, radio host and writier Jowi Taylor and luthier George Rizsanyi started a project known as the Six String Nation. In the form of a guitar, Taylor and Rizsanyi have incorporated over sixty pieces of historically significant materials from Canada. These include Pierre Trudeau’s canoe paddle; Rocket Richard’s Stanley Cup ring and of course, the Kiidk’yaas. A section of the trunk was cut and used for the soundboard of the guitar… read more on the Six String Nation guitar in our upcoming feature article.

Links/references:
Jowi Taylor & Six String Nation
John Vaillant- various sources.
Joe Kissel
Wikipedia
University of British Columbia
New Yorker

Pictures copyright individual holders.
©Terence Tan.
Any infringement of copyright is entirely unintentional. Any copyright issues should be address to: writers@guitarbench.com. We will attempt to resolve these issues quickly.

“Grant Hadwin got a chainsaw and did something terrible.” -John Vaillant