Albert Lee HH with Okoume body? Differences?

**altouchet** · 10-31-2019, 10:11 AM

Just spotted my first Albert Lee HH with the Okoume body. Can anyone tell me why they switched from mahogany to okoume? Anyone compared the sound? Can someone from Music Man chime in to comment on the differences in sound? Also, I see the pickups are now described as custom wound medium output Dimarzios. Is that different than the previous pickups?

**xjbebop** · 10-31-2019, 11:02 AM

Good question. Someone on another recent thread said that it's just another name for African Mahogany (which has been standard for most production AL HH's ... up til now?
However, I'm having no luck confirming this relationship on the intergoogle.
Seems to me it's something entirely different, and gets many mixed reviews...
Would love to get the straight scoop from someone at EBMM...

https://www.hunker.com/12003521/what-is-okoume-wood

Please share your first-hand experience on Okoume tonewood | The Gear Page

**altouchet** · 10-31-2019, 11:49 AM

Yes, I read those reviews. It's a mixed bag. I would like to hear from someone at EBMM on this as well!

**Daniel** · 10-31-2019, 01:45 PM

African Mahogany is the industry name for Okoume. We haven't changed any of the specs for the Albert Lee HH guitar, we just started using the real name for the wood. The humbuckers are the same pickups we've been using the the Albert Lee HH, that specification hasn't changed at all. They are Dimarizio pickups which are custom wound for Ernie Ball Music Man. If you have any other questions, feel free to shoot me an email at customerexperience@ernieball.com.

**altouchet** · 10-31-2019, 03:20 PM

Thanks very much for clarifying!

**xjbebop** · 10-31-2019, 03:32 PM

Appreciate the info Daniel, but I spent a good amount of time trying to find that cross-reference without success.
Everything I saw pointed to them being different woods.
If you could provide some validating link, I would be able to sleep better tonight..

*Don't mean to question your word, but dang it man, I need facts!

**Daniel** · 10-31-2019, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by xjbebop

Appreciate the info Daniel, but I spent a good amount of time trying to find that cross-reference without success.
Everything I saw pointed to them being different woods.
If you could provide some validating link, I would be able to sleep better tonight..

*Don't mean to question your word, but dang it man, I need facts!

I don't have any validating links, but I do have some information on the wood that could help you with your research. There are many species of African Mahogany, also known as Equatorial Mahogany. The genus we use is called Aucoumea Klaineana which originates from Ghana, Congo and Gabon. This is the same wood we've been using for years in our Albert Lee guitars.

**xjbebop** · 11-01-2019, 09:07 AM

Great reply! I love details like that (one of the reason I love EBMM... attention to details...)
I did see the correlation between Okoume and "Gaboon" wood a number of places..
Thank you!

**tbonesullivan** · 11-01-2019, 09:59 AM

I've seen various different species marketed as "African Mahogany". It's somewhat of a misnomer, like "Chilean Sea Bass", which is really a "Patagonian Toothfish". The tonal spectrum is similar, so they give it a name that people can understand more easily. Like "Blue Harvest".