Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher (Post 5590929)

So I've been cooped up in below zero temps for a week up here in New Hampshire. Time for a road trip. Car's got heat. I got word on New Year's day there was a new source for some prime aged Honduran Mahogany for neck stock within days ride and I went for it yesterday. I left in the -11 degree black morning and headed east over the mountain to greet the sunrise. An hour and a half later with the sun in my eyes I reached the ocean and turned North for the beautiful frozen Mid Maine Coast.

In 1987 a very large quantity of this Long Leaf Mahogany was imported for a large job. They were matching colors and the rarer darker pieces were put aside maybe 350 board feet in all were left in dry storage. Now 30 years later they are making them available and I am the first one there!

This is the genuine Mahogany people say you can't get anymore and if you did you would have to wait 30 years for it to be what this stuff is. I drove by the Lee Neilson factory and showroom on the way there and luckily didn't realize what I was looking at when it went by.

I made my selection and got to try to catch up with the sun before it set on the way home. So here is what I got, this first board is 4 inches thick by 12 inches wide and six feet long:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4638/...33beed89_c.jpg

That's enough for me to get 18 necks of American Mahogany:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4725/...0038fd44_c.jpg

I also bought a small two neck blank from another board. I'll say I was over budget but, I am not ashamed to say the this board was a bit scary. It has a dark color which is nice and it is hard as rock and really heavy. When I measured and weighed it at home it comes up to 44lbs per cubic foot. Big Leaf Mahogany normally come in at 37lbs. That is a huge difference!

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4739/...b76b18bf_c.jpg

These Swietenia Macrophylla boards are gorgeous and the chatoyance when wet just sparkles:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4644/...2d089129_c.jpg

It occurred to me today that I am going to hold the two dark neck for "Tree" guitars as they'll be great matches. The other 18 will be for higher end specs or upcharges on customs because they are premium wood that came at a premium.

Finally here's the question: How many different common names did I use for the same species of wood?

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher (Post 5590929)

Finally here's the question: How many different common names did I use for the same species of wood?

Originally Posted by LouieAtienza (Post 5590950)

Well to be more complete, you may have come up with a couple more names for Honduras mahogany. I mean is it truly "genuine" mahogany? I'll have to ask the Meliaceae family if those pieces are true descendants... They would know if they're "true" mahogany... Time to hop onto my HOG in the freezing night...:D

Originally Posted by printer2 (Post 5590982)

Heck I don't know. I was looking at the wood.

Originally Posted by ross748 (Post 5591183)

I count 6 and they are all beautiful!

Originally Posted by Haasome (Post 5594157)

Wow! That’s pretty Mark.

Originally Posted by TomB'sox (Post 5594164)

Yes, that is special.

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher (Post 5591835)

Yeah, there are other names too, like Brazilian Mahogany except this wood came from Honduras. It’s funny how the names come from all over the place. I suppose if you were from Honduras you wouldn’t call it Honduras Mahogany, you’d just call it Mahogany or whatever name it was always called there. It’s someone not from Honduras that would call it Honduras Mahogany. Ok Ok, it’s really snowing and I’m stalling going out to start the snow blower!

Originally Posted by Nemoman (Post 5594321)

That is scary awesome--Wow!

Originally Posted by GeoffStGermaine (Post 5594472)

A bunch of great pieces to start things off, Mark. Thanks for sharing the story of that Mahogany you got. Very interesting and a nice score!

Originally Posted by LouieAtienza (Post 5594484)

They probably just call it madera... But yes, one man's exotic is another man's domestic. Someone in Honduras is probably using a similar piece as a ridge board on a roof!

Like what do they call a Chinese restaurant in China? A restaurant!

I do love the idea of using domestic woods. And yes there are lots of beautiful ones here. Have never played a guitar made of olive wood, what would be a close comparison?