Timber Timbré

RelicRalph · January 2022

I was wondering if you knowledgeable folk out there could help me please.
Im "maybe" going to attempt to make/put together a Mahogany telecaster style guitar.
I have two questions to ask.
1) "Mahogany Types"
South American Mahogany seems to be the holy grail of the Mahogany's, although i think its not available here because of over logging.
There are other kinds from Africa like Khaya,Sipo,Sapele ,but i know nothing of these except i thought that Sapele was a very heavy wood they made doors from ?
Has anyone here have experience with these woods and what the differences are ?
Weight,Tone, Colour

My second question is this,is there anybody here that has something suitable for sale

Whether it be a body,finished, or part finished or even just the wood

I know there are lots of Luthiers on here,that have great knowledge of this stuff.
There was a chap on here i bought a les paul from a while ago @GSPBASSES but im not sure if he still makes anymore ?
If anyone has any info,i would be very greatful

GSPBASSES · January 2022

I am still here, and I’m still making guitars. South American mahogany is still readily available although a bit pricey now. African mahogany is readily available as well, Khaya is the most popular of the African mahogany family. You can get all of these woods from David Dyke luthiers supplies or Timberline in Tunbridge.

davros · January 2022

I like Khaya, it is visually more like Honduran than the alternatives. It can vary in weight, but seems to be easier to find decent weight Khaya than Honduran.

I'm not keen on Sapele just because of the stripeyness. I've not used it in a build.

Rabs · January 2022

I really like Utile.. Has some lovely grain..

RelicRalph · January 2022

Hello @GSPBASSES i dont suppose you have a Mahogany body tele in your workshop do you,or could make me one even.

Regards,
Ralph

RelicRalph · January 2022

What type of Mahogany do Gibson use in their guitars generally then.
If the south american mahogany is so expensive,and harder to come by, surely they cant be using this in they're guitars.

Kittyfrisk · January 2022

RelicRalph said:

What type of Mahogany do Gibson use in their guitars generally then.
If the south american mahogany is so expensive,and harder to come by, surely they cant be using this in they're guitars.

To be fair to Gibson, they don't tend to make a lot of telecaster style guitars.
As the owner of a mahogany bodied Telecaster shaped guitar, it might be all kinds of 'wrong' to traditionalists, but it is a bloody great guitar.

andy_k · January 2022

In my limited experience, I built a hog body / hog neck / ebony fretboard, 2 humbucker tele, with the aim being LP custom tone.
It seemed to do a good job, but not exactly the same as my LP custom ( 57 reissue ), and I have a sapele tele body that is as heavy as the sun, looks nice, but does not resonate at all, which is good for sustain.
I have built a couple of Fenderbird styles from a stash of fairly lightweight mahogany I had, and they both have that woody tone you get from an old SG, or Junior, kind of middy but resonant.
No 2 bits of wood will be the same, but generally heavier, denser stuff will sound duller acoustically, but sustain more when amplified.
The vibration you feel when playing a light instrument, is energy that is being taken from string vibration, and sustain will suffer.
Glued in necks, and neck wood also contributes to this effect.
IMO, obviously.

WezV · January 2022

andy_k said:

No 2 bits of wood will be the same, but generally heavier, denser stuff will sound duller acoustically, but sustain more when amplified.
The vibration you feel when playing a light instrument, is energy that is being taken from string vibration, and sustain will suffer.

I agree to a point. My view is not that the sustain suffers on light guitars, but it is definitely different.

Build things heavy and stiff and they get pure sustain because of a string energy lost to the body. You get a faster attack and the note just decays gradually with little change.

Build it light and flexible and string energy is input into the body, but not lost. Some makes it way back to the string and keeps it sustaining. You still get the sustain, but its more complex

I think the neck has more to do with it than body wood.

poopot · January 2022

RelicRalph said:

What type of Mahogany do Gibson use in their guitars generally then.

The cheapest they can get their hands on I would imagine!!!! Keep the costs down!!!!

Danielsguitars · January 2022

I love lightweight khaya, I'd use that over a heavier Honduran blank

I also love Spanish cedar, it's my favourite wood for a flat top like a junior and fairly lightweight too.

RelicRalph · January 2022

@Danielsguitars ; would you know where to get lightweight Khaya wood from,or a Khaya Telecaster body even ?

Danielsguitars · January 2022

RelicRalph said:

@Danielsguitars ; would you know where to get lightweight Khaya wood from,or a Khaya Telecaster body even ?

I'd see if guitarbuild have a lightweight tele body

For wood I'd ask David Dykes.

GSPBASSES · January 2022

RelicRalph said:

Hello @GSPBASSES i dont suppose you have a Mahogany body tele in your workshop do you,or could make me one even.

Regards,
Ralph

I haven't got a solid boded TC in stock, I could make you one but it will be at least three weeks before I can start it, little bit overwhelmed with work coming in.

What I have got that mite interest you or anybody else who wants something a bit different. Its a TC all Mahogany fully chambered body, with a F hole (see photo below). Neck is made from Honduras Mahogany with a Rosewood fingerboard.

The body has a neck angle so has to be used with a TOM type bridge. The guitar comes with a Gotoh 510UB rep over bridge. I haven't drilled the holes for the pots or switch yet, the layout can be exactly the same as a standard Les Paul. Two volumes two tones and a three way switch top corner, or whatever you fancy.

The Strat is SOLD.

RelicRalph · January 2022

@GSPBASSES ;I think i'll wait and have one made by you.

But the piece of mahogany you've used there is lovely.
Could you give me a price please.
P'md you

Regards,
Ralph

thomasross20 · August 2023

I'm coming at this from an acoustic point of view.
@earwighoney and @Tannin may or not be interested..
Thanks to these guys I check the wood database to see trends between their weight & Janka hardness.

Sapele is hardest out of all the above and heaviest.
Then sipo, then cuban, honduran, khaya.
Khaya is warmest. Narrow EQ.
Sapele is less warm, brighter, still has some mahogany growl but is flat EQ and has extended treble shimmer which is lovely.
I like the look of sapele - both normal stripey and quilted.

Cuban was regarded the ultimate mahogany. Why?
It's a bit harder, slightly more trebles heading sapele way.

Sipo sits between cuban & sapele.
I think it may well be the best of all worlds...... the only reference I have for it right now is here:

I don't know if its EQ is "narrow" like khaya but the trebles sound lovely.
I would really like to try this wood.
Because it's not in favour or called "Honduran" I think it gets overlooked but I'm willing to bet this is even better than Cuban.

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