What is Nato?

[hurricanebrad11]

Not the North Atlantic Treaty Organization... the wood.


My first Takamine had nato back and sides... at the time I bought it, I didn't know what difference the back and sides made....

I don’t see many nato guitars, especially high end guitars, so I assume it’s not that great.

what do you guys think?

-Brad

[Scotto]

it's supposed to be a mahogany replacement

here's a link with some info
http://www.durablewoods.com/woodspecies/specs-mora.pdf

[4Gtrs]

A "mahogany-like" wood, commonly used for furniture in the Philippines and other tropical SE Asia countries. It's a 'value' hardwood. From another website...
"Family: Leguminosa Other Common Names: Nato, Nato rojo (Colombia), Mora de Guyana (Venezuela), Marobukea, Mora (Guyana), Mora Moraboekea (Surinam), Pracuuba (Brazil). Distribution: M. excelsa: Widely distributed in the Guianas and less so in the Orinoco Delta of Venezuela; dominant on river levees and flood plains forming dense stands. M. gonggrijpii: Restricted to Guyana and Surinam, a dominant species best adapted to hillsides on heavy clay soils. The Tree Usually 100 to 120 ft high and 2 to 3 ft in diameter with clear boles 60 ft and more above very large buttresses that may extend 15 ft up the trunk. Trees of M. excelsa 160 to 200 ft high and 4 ft in diameter are reported. The Wood General Characteristics: Heartwood yellowish red brown, reddish brown or dark red with paler streaks; sapwood 2 to 6 in. wide, distinct, yellowish to pale brown. Texture moderately fine to rather coarse, rather harsh to the feel; luster medium to high; grain is straight to commonly interlocked, very variable; astringent taste and slightly sour odor. Weight: Basic specific gravity (oven-dry weight/green volume) 0.76 to 0.84; air-dry density 59 to 65 pcf."

[koaguitarman]

Natto or Nato is a fermented soy bean eaten by the Japanese. I have had it rolled in seaweed with rice, wasabi, and green onions. It is an acquired taste and hard to describe. Oops, your talking about the wood...... Not This:

Nevermind...................................
Russ

[Manzanita]

It's a Tagalog word that means "cheap laminate".

[samchar]

Originally Posted by 4Gtrs

Astringent taste and slightly sour odor.

Consumer product safety warning: do not EAT your guitar.

Seriously, I had a Fender laminate guitar and the sides and back were laminate NATO. Looks and sounds a bit like mohogany I guess though I'm not sure that laminate makes much a tonal distinction. I'll say this though....it's hard as nails. I'd think you could row a boat with it and then play row your boat with it. Good beater material.

[hurricanebrad11]

Originally Posted by samchar

Good beater material.

your right, i've run my tak into rocks, chairs, drums, and fooseball tables. the nato held up a lot better than the cedar top.

Brad

[rhudson]

I thought "Nato" Lima was the lead guitarist for Los Indios Tabajaras.

[Taylor Poor]

Originally Posted by koaguitarman

Natto or Nato is a fermented soy bean eaten by the Japanese. I have had it rolled in seaweed with rice, wasabi, and green onions. It is an acquired taste and hard to describe. Oops, your talking about the wood...... Not This:

Nevermind...................................
Russ

Gah!!! My dad eats that stuff!!!!

[sawdustdave]

The guitar I never should have gotten rid of was a nice Yamaha DW105, solid spruce top, solid Nato sides and back. Beautiful to look at and listen to. Simple guitar, no frills. Traded it in on my SWDGT, which I also have since traded in. The Yamaha was a really nice, inexpensive dread. Don't be too disparaging of the wood, Nato sounded quite nice in this guitar.

Dave

[napman]

Originally Posted by AconyBell

It's a Tagalog word that means "cheap laminate".

Are you serious?

[Manzanita]

Originally Posted by napman

Are you serious?

Who?


Me?

[meridian]

So far as I know it is an inexpensive tonewood from Asia.

That said, I once heard that Taylor pays about 25 cents per set of sapele.

Just because it isn't common for luthiers here to use it doesn't mean it isn't any good. Just different. Lots of companies are looking for whatever can replace mahogany the way EIR replaced Brazilian. Chris Martin thinks it might just be Lyptus in their case.

Martin already uses spanish cedar for solid necks on their 16 series (I have one it's just fine so far).

[Randal_S]

Originally Posted by meridian

So far as I know it is an inexpensive tonewood from Asia.

That said, I once heard that Taylor pays about 25 cents per set of sapele.

Just because it isn't common for luthiers here to use it doesn't mean it isn't any good. Just different. Lots of companies are looking for whatever can replace mahogany the way EIR replaced Brazilian. Chris Martin thinks it might just be Lyptus in their case.

Martin already uses spanish cedar for solid necks on their 16 series (I have one it's just fine so far).

Speaking of Nato and alternatives... I just received my issue of the Summer Wood & Steel. The main article is a discussion with Bob Taylor about the future of Mahogany and what's being done. Besides the usual trumpeting of the NT neck design, Taylor also mentions that the day may come when Nato or a similar wood replaces mahogany as the wood-choice for necks on Taylor's lower-end guitars.

All in all, the article on the harvesting and depletion on Mahogany was an interesting read.