Lets Talk Lumber

[KDude]

I'm curious where the woods for Music Man instruments generally come from? I noticed that the practice of using African Mahogany is now designated as Okoume (like on the St. Vincent). But what do we know about other mahogany in use before this? I'm also curious what kind of maple tree is behind the plain top (painted black) of my Reflex.. compared to say, a 25th or flamed/quilted Axis top.

Humor me. I'm just a nerd for this stuff.

 

[behrens]

Funny enough, I asked a similar question about this the other day to customer service.

I asked: I've seen on the StingRay RS site that Okoume is the body wood, but in the specs area below, it says African Mahogany. Are they the same thing? I couldn't find much online pointing to them being the same, but I saw lots of info saying Okoume is a replacement being used for Mahogany now.

They said: "Okoume is the actual name for African Mahogany, which is an industry term that has been used for many years. It's the same wood that many guitar manufacturers have been using for years, we recently just started using the actual name instead of the industry name on our website."

 

[KDude]

Funny enough, I asked a similar question about this the other day to customer service.

I asked: I've seen on the StingRay RS site that Okoume is the body wood, but in the specs area below, it says African Mahogany. Are they the same thing? I couldn't find much online pointing to them being the same, but I saw lots of info saying Okoume is a replacement being used for Mahogany now.

They said: "Okoume is the actual name for African Mahogany, which is an industry term that has been used for many years. It's the same wood that many guitar manufacturers have been using for years, we recently just started using the actual name instead of the industry name on our website."

Ah good to know. Sounds like it's always been Okoume then? I was just curious if it had been Honduran mahogany before, but apparently not (that's more expensive and rarer these days anyways, I believe). I'm especially curious about the maple sources, since there's so much variety with them.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Ah good to know. Sounds like it's always been Okoume then? I was just curious if it had been Honduran mahogany before, but apparently not (that's more expensive and rarer these days anyways, I believe). I'm especially curious about the maple sources, since there's so much variety with them.

Honduran mahogany is what EBMM typically uses in guitars with mahogany necks.

 

[KDude]

Honduran mahogany is what EBMM typically uses in guitars with mahogany necks.

Oh, so it is Honduran.

I haven't seen anyone else use these updated names on a regular basis. I also have a relatively recent PRS, and they just say the mahogany is sometimes African, and sometimes Honduran.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Oh, so it is Honduran.

I haven't seen anyone else use these updated names on a regular basis. I also have a relatively recent PRS, and they just say the mahogany is sometimes African, and sometimes Honduran.

Yes, for example it is specified in the Majesty details:
Neck Wood Honduran Mahogany

On the JPXI and BFR JP it is not specified either way.

 

[xjbebop]

Along these lines (in case you didn't already know this), "Korina" is actually a made up name for "Limba", which comes in light & dark/black versions.
Back to EBMM, how about some details about the Rosewood used to make the necks on some of my Albert Lees?
And what about the maple used for 'roasted' maple necks?
Inquiring nerd minds want to know...

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Along these lines (in case you didn't already know this), "Korina" is actually a made up name for "Limba", which comes in light & dark/black versions.
Back to EBMM, how about some details about the Rosewood used to make the necks on some of my Albert Lees?
And what about the maple used for 'roasted' maple necks?
Inquiring nerd minds want to know...

The rosewood used for the all-rosewood necks was originally marketed as "Indian Rosewood"

 

[tbonesullivan]

I believe that most of the "roasted maple" out there is made from Silver maple, which is one of the softer maples out there. The Torrefication process really makes the wood quite a bit harder, and if they use a harder maple like Sugar or Red maple, it ends up being excessively hard.

 

[KDude]

I believe that most of the "roasted maple" out there is made from Silver maple, which is one of the softer maples out there. The Torrefication process really makes the wood quite a bit harder, and if they use a harder maple like Sugar or Red maple, it ends up being excessively hard.

So what's usually used for the highly figured or plain maple?

 

[tbonesullivan]

So what's usually used for the highly figured or plain maple?

That I don't know. My information may be outdated. I think pretty much ANY type of wood can develop figuration depending on how the tree grows. Pretty much everywhere I look doesn't name a maple species for their roasted maple. Warmoth says their roasted maple is Acer saccharum, the Sugar maple, which is where most maple comes from.

The insane figured tops for a lot of companies however come from Big Leaf Maple.