Australian timbers similar to mahogany, swamp ash and alder

[woodturner777]

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.

Hi Peter, I just had to answer to this thread again' one of my meetings with Rick Turner he said that Tasmanian blackwood was very close to Mahogany but a much better tonewood and should be promoted as such as well as body blanks for electric guitars and acoustic back & sides sets makes excellant necks and there is blackwood available that is lighter in weight - and to any forum members who think that all I care about is promoting Tasmanian tonewoods wrong again as there is many timbers available in most states of Australia Queensland maple been one.

[MAPLEMAN]

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.

Some Queensland Maple can be surprisingly heavy and dense at times,particularly hard ol' paddock trees(as in photo)....Blackwood is no different.....they both have a good rap for being ideal substitutes for Mahogany,as well as being beatifully figured at times

[mandoman]

Yes well I don''t disagree with that sentiment.

I don't use Queensland Maple much as a back and side timber becasue I prefer the sound I get from Tassie Eucalyptus, Blackwood, Myrtle, and also European Maple. Tassie Eucalyptus is a fantastic tonewood for mandolins, one of the vey best of the best. More Luthiers should use it. Have just finished a Mandola and mandolin with Tassie Eucalyptus back and sides and both are amongst the best, if not the best, sounding instruments I have ever made. Qld Maple does sound a bit bright for my taste so can sound nice with Engelmann Spruce or King Billy Pine. Then again, I can get better results from Blackwood with King Billy. Qld Maple is an excellent neck timber, stable and lightweight, easy to carve and finishes beautifully. It is my preferred neck timber and with some of the Qld Maple I have I could easily fool someone into thinking it was a Mahogany neck. Blackwood is good also, I have used plenty of Blackwood for necks, but it is not so easy to carve and you need to fill those pores. Have used Myrtle for necks as well, but it is a bit heavier than what I would like.

[J.F. Custom®]

I'll just further Mandoman's comment here too.

Although none of the Qld Maple I have is exactly like Mahogany in appearance, I have seen pieces that certainly are.

But it is, in and of itself, an excellent timber for the job - whether or not it looks like Mahogany. As is blackwood and many other Australian species for that matter.

So I'm curious - if you want timber that looks like Mahogany,Alder or Ash; use Mahogany, Alder or Ash!

These timbers are not used because they are the "only" or even the "best" timber for the job - though they work well. They were chosen with consideration to weight, density, availability, workability, stability etc etc. Characteristics that you should look for in an alternative wood. We have many options that are as good that may look different, but should be used for what they are, not just "you'd nearly think it really was Mahogany"

Not having a go at you, just a different perspective. It is easy when starting out, particularly when reading US authored books, to assume the necessity to follow in like down the "what Gibson or Fender used" path.

Jeremy.

[MBP]

I understand Jeremy. Im not after timber that looks like ash or aldeR I'm after timber with similar density and working ability.

I would like a timber that looks like mahogany as I think te color goes well on electrics. A timber that carves like mahogany would be great.

I have a heap of blackwood and my father is a full time luthier and has been for well over 20 years so I realise that mahogany etc isn't the be all and end all.

Thanks though

[syisrad]

Throwing my 2 cents in as the 1st solid body bass I ever made was with Tas Blackwood, and perhaps for the same reasons as the original poster..... I could get it locally...

Good learning experience...

Blackwood is far too heavy for any solid body bass and I'd suggest the same for a guitar. Cambering is always an option but even then it's hardly renowned as a solid body tone-wood. Makes nice looking tops though. Won't comment on acoustics because I don't make them nor have I heard a blackwood one.

I too have heard QLD maple being compared to Mahogany. I've also seen a fair bit of Sapele at our local supplier which is also compared to Mahogany but is imported.

So much time and effort goes into building a guitar, having done it once, I'd never recommend using an unsuitable wood just because it's easy to get (mines in pieces in the workshop and my next project is based around reusing the amazing macassar ebony fingerboard I wasted on it)

For me it's either the internet or Trend Timbers.

Good hunting

[MBP]

syisrad,

I have 3 electrics with blackwood bodies at the moment. 1 is a NG rosewood neck thru, two have maple bolt on necks. Another in the works. and about 20 blackwood acoustics.

As bob could support, blackwood varies so much. Its not that much denser than mahogany (I bet bob has some thats lighter).

Swamp ash is actually denser then blackwood.

[woodturner777]

Now correct me if I am wrong are you saying that blackwood is too heavy for solid body bass or for that matter solid body guitars full stop. where have you been hiding as from me alone there is thousands and I mean many thousands of solid body blackwood guitars all around the world built from my blackwood and yes some are heavy this I know and some are light in weight but the tone and sound are magical. so how can you comment that is not renowed for solid body guitars that is your opinion. Cheers Bob

Throwing my 2 cents in as the 1st solid body bass I ever made was with Tas Blackwood, and perhaps for the same reasons as the original poster..... I could get it locally...

Good learning experience...

Blackwood is far too heavy for any solid body bass and I'd suggest the same for a guitar. Cambering is always an option but even then it's hardly renowned as a solid body tone-wood. Makes nice looking tops though. Won't comment on acoustics because I don't make them nor have I heard a blackwood one.

I too have heard QLD maple being compared to Mahogany. I've also seen a fair bit of Sapele at our local supplier which is also compared to Mahogany but is imported.

So much time and effort goes into building a guitar, having done it once, I'd never recommend using an unsuitable wood just because it's easy to get (mines in pieces in the workshop and my next project is based around reusing the amazing macassar ebony fingerboard I wasted on it)

For me it's either the internet or Trend Timbers.

Good hunting

[old_picker]

talking electric gvuitars here as i think the OP was about

swamp ash equivalent is roughly vic ash - a lot of similarities except it is denser with a higher silca content - very bright and resonant similar color and grain structure - but without the dramatic grain patterns of the us ash

the one below has a vic ash core and which doubles as a neck as well - nice and bright with aggressive attack - the top is qld maple



as far as Alder i found that light examples of southern myrtle were pretty close in terms of grain structure and density - i had quite a few boards out of mathews timber of this stuff - not sure how that relates to tassie myrtle but the boards were pinker and way lighter - i made quite a few teles out of it and they are among the nicest sounding teles i have built

[woodturner777]

Ray, Tasmanian mountain ash has dramatic grain patterns note mountain ash used to frame guitar templates, it has a huge range of patterns. Cheers Bob

Attachment 185112

[d.m.s]

'old thread warning'
not much mention of the swamp ash but i'm after something similar to this this in a local timber:

i'm going to look into some of the mahogany alternatives mentioned for les paul junior type builds but i'd like to make blackguard teles from an australian wood.

[Cliff Rogers]

Maybe try & see if you can get some Kauri Pine.

Agathis australis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Teles that are made of your country's local wood - Telecaster Guitar Forum

kauri pine - Google Search

[Osbojo]

What about Fijian Mahogany? Isn't it just Fijian plantations of Sth American mahogany? I've done a couple of necks in it and it seems ok and it is available as solid body blanks -
http://www.fijimahoganyblanks.com

Os

[Jeff Mills]

Hi,

What timbers do we have that are similar to mahogany, swamp ash and alder.

Im looking for good timbers for electric guitars without buying timber overseas.

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

To bad you don't live closer, I could definitely help you out with swamp ash. I got ash coming out my ears just waiting for the market to open up.

[old_picker]

To bad you don't live closer, I could definitely help you out with swamp ash. I got ash coming out my ears just waiting for the market to open up.

hmm'
you would probably do well if you felt like sending over a bunch of 2x8s
lightweight and well seasoned