What kind of mahogany is used?

[jacques]

Hi dudes,

 

Someone asked me what kind of mahogany was used on my 2005 150 Classic and to my shame I did not know... I looked in the HOC history and much to my surprise there is no topic about it - or I didn't look well enough. So does anybody know? Honduras? African? I can always ask Ren, but some of you may know.

 

thanks from over the pond...

 

Jacques

[Thundersteel]

I always thought it was Honduran.

[Kuz]

I was always told Honduras as well.

[Dick Seacup]

+1 on Honduras.

[shook494]

Agreed on the Honduran mahogany.

[Gitfiddler]

Toneful Mahogany!  :wink:

[fxdx99]

Ren described it as 'genuine mahogany'... not sure what that means, tho.

[Sparky]

Ren described it as 'genuine mahogany'... not sure what that means, tho.

 

That means its not Mahoganique*, which looks, smells and tastes just like real Mahogany but is actually a

space-age polymer. You might hear about it on TV...

 

"HI, THIS IS TV'S BILLY MAYS FOR MAHOGANIQUE!!!!"

 

Sorry.... rough day.

[jacques]

I always thought it was Honduran. / I was always told Honduras as well. / +1 on Honduras. / Agreed on the Honduran mahogany. / Ren described it as 'genuine mahogany'... not sure what that means, tho.

 

So.....are we SURE it is Honduran mahogany or are we just guessing, boys?

 

I know it is good wood, of course, but this was a question of a rather good luthier over here. He did not see my guitar, but he owns a shop and considers to put some Heritages on sale, hence the interest. As it seems the famous Monkey Business in Nashville has been using not so good woods in the past, but has returned to better quality in the last years (as I read in an article in the April German Gitarre & Bass magazine about some German who takes your Nashville Les Paul apart and puts it back together again for 6400 euros, which is $ 8400, to make it sound the way it was originally meant to...). So then we came to speak about my favorite subject and his question popped up.

 

So... any more knowledge here?

 

Thanks,

 

Jacques

[SouthpawGuy]

Hi Jacques,

 

According to Wolfe Guitars Gbase inventory it is Honduran mahogany that it used.

 

http://www.gbase.com/Stores/DealerStore.as...p=5&Track=Y

[GuitArtMan]

Ren described it as 'genuine mahogany'... not sure what that means, tho.

Well considering that the Gbrand calls Limba "korina" and Balsa "Chromyte", I'd say it's a good thing Heritage uses genuine mahogany. 

[skydog]

Is there a concesus as to which (african vs honduran) produces the best tone. What mahogany was used in the 58-60 bursts?

[Dick Seacup]

Is there a concesus as to which (african vs honduran) produces the best tone. What mahogany was used in the 58-60 bursts?

 

I don't have an references to cite, but I think that up until the 70s, almost all of the mahogany used in guitars was Honduran or at least Western Hemisphere (South American). As supplies dwindled and costs climbed, penny-pinching manufacturers looked elsewhere, such as Africa for woods. Anyone remember Gibbon's big "green" push and all their histrionics over "sustainable logging" and whatnot? I found an article once that they had purchased a bunch of 'sustainably harvested' Honduran mahogany for $40k...for 4,000 boards. This was in 2005 or 2006. I remember thinking, at the time, that $10 for the body or neck wood for a guitar seemed cheap...and that's if they can only get one part out of each plank.