Thread: Australian timbers similar to mahogany, swamp ash and alder

Originally Posted by luxemburg

I know blackwood, hoop and bunya are in unlimited supply but is there any timber that is similar density to mahogany and looks like mahogany?

thanks

Don't know about blackwood being in unlimited supply.....Im paying a fair price for Tassie Blackwood acoustic back and side sets.

Thats because you live in SA. How much are you paying for a set?
I can cut my own and have enough for a couple of life times

Originally Posted by luxemburg

Thats because you live in SA. How much are you paying for a set?
I can cut my own and have enough for a couple of life times

Nothing to do with where I live. Good quality Tassie Blackwood B and S sets for acoustics arent cheap and I wouldn't say theyre in unlimited supply.

Price Im paying? Depends on figure. You won't get a decent TBW B and S set for under $100Aus from the tonewood dealers here in Australia. Master grade sets with high figure can for as much as much as $300 a set. Note the Americans have discovered TBW and are buying alot of it.

Nice that you can cut your own sets. Some of us aren't set up for resawing or have space to store logs.

Hi,

That was a bit tongue in cheek. My father supplied LMII with a lot of their master grade australian blackwood for quite a few years and heaps of lesser grade as well.

Some typical prices from a Perth based tonewood supplier:

Australian Tonewoods

Originally Posted by luxemburg

Hi,

That was a bit tongue in cheek.

Taken as such .

The average amateur luthier here in Australia gets their tonewood from suppliers either here or overseas. Occasionally I can get my hands on medium figure TBW for less than $100 a set but to get that sort of price I need to buy in bulk and usually via one of the guitar builders forums.

Try Australian Rosewood.
Greg

Hi greg,

If you are talking Dysoxylum fraseranum it is a bit too heavy. At 700kg/m3.
thanks

But it is used. (Qtr Sawn)
So is Qld walnut
Greg

Greg,

Seeing as it will be chambered to reduce weight I reckon I could get away with it.
Do you know what it sells a m3 for?

Does it look much like mahogany?

One of its common names in rose mahogany.......
To get the mahogany colour, you need to get the dark red, not orange timber

Originally Posted by luxemburg

Hi,

That was a bit tongue in cheek. My father supplied LMII with a lot of their master grade australian blackwood for quite a few years and heaps of lesser grade as well.

I also used to supply LMI and a few of the other large companys overseas by the 20 foot shipping container loads' now I would rather just supply the small time builder and small custom builder shops.
As for some thing as close to Mahogany well that is blackwood' if you require some thing light in weight with good sound volocity well silver or black wattle both acacia same as blackwood' then you have your eucalyptus there is a chart on my website that you should check about our tonewoods also google Andrew Morrow he did a report on Australian woods. as for unlimited supply nothing is in unlimited suppy not good tonewood' if you require crap it is available in bulk how many ship loads do you want.
If you require some thing cheap I wish you luck.
Cheers Bob

Well the closest thing to Mahogany I have in my wood stash is Queensland Maple. A lot of it is lighter in colour but some of the darker pieces I have are almost indistinguishable from Mahogany. I use it where Mahogany is traditionally used, i.e. necks, head and tail blocks. It is a bit heavier on average, but is very stable and works well. One of my favourite timbers.

I'm not familiar with Swamp Ash or Alder so can't help you there.