Honduras Mahogany

[GroovieGuitarGuus]

Another (stuppid) question from The Netherlands....

 

I'ved already posted some topics. This because the interest the buy a H150.

Tonight I've tried one. The guitar was very well, The top was less stunning I hoped.

The color was VSB (Violet Sunburst???). The seller told that the body was Honduras Mahogany.

I was suprised by the low weight of the guitar.

In the control cavity I found the 'The Heritage' label, with serial nr. and VSB, but no 'LW'

Is the low weight really because it's Honduras Mahogany?

I still own a Vintage Gibson from '82 (Gibson Les Paul Heritage Elite), but this one is pretty more heavy

than the H150 I tried...

 

[fxdx99]

Wow - I like that top. VSB is 'Vintage Sunburst'. Like you, I would've thought the control plate would have the model number, H-150, and if an LW model would have H-150LW. Other suffixes might follow the 150 number like CL for Classic or LE for Limited Edition, but would think that the LW would be there. A bit of weight variation in 150 style maybe as low as 8 lbs up to over 10 lbs so 9 +/1 a pound is likely a reasonable average (sorry, didn't look up the metric conversions).

 

I don't know if Heritage is Honduras mahogany and if that' lighter weight... someone else may chime in on that. I've an '83 LP and it and my 150 are close in weight, both between 8.5 and 9 lbs.

[big bob]

OK lets put this baby to bed, if it was a LW Light Weight it would be chambered. You would be able to see the chamber from the control cavity... it would look like this

 

Lets just be clear, LW is chambered, no sneaky weight relief holes no funky gibson routs. if it's a LW and you look in the body you will see the chamber...It's huge..

[pegleg32]

Thanks for that reply Lance. I never fully understood the method to achieve the LW designation, but your pictures explained it fully.

[golferwave]

That's a beauty! Nice flame and figure. The Honduran mahogany is generally accepted as being lighter and more resonant than African mahogany and was used back in the 50's so it is the desired wood for LP style guitars. The weight can vary from tree to tree depending upon how much mineral was absorbed by the tree as it was growing. I'd grab that one!

[Kuz]

That's a beauty! Nice flame and figure. The Honduran mahogany is generally accepted as being lighter and more resonant than African mahogany and was used back in the 50's so it is the desired wood for LP style guitars. The weight can vary from tree to tree depending upon how much mineral was absorbed by the tree as it was growing. I'd grab that one!

 

Bingo! What I was going to say.

[tbonesullivan]

VSB, to me, looks like an approximation of "unburst", which is what has happened to a lot of early Les Paul cherry sunburst guitars due to the red dye used fading quite easily. I believe in 1960 they changed the dye so they are a lot more resilient to fading.

[FredZepp]

That's a beauty! Nice flame and figure. The Honduran mahogany is generally accepted as being lighter and more resonant than African mahogany and was used back in the 50's so it is the desired wood for LP style guitars. The weight can vary from tree to tree depending upon how much mineral was absorbed by the tree as it was growing. I'd grab that one!

Yes, and of course it changes according to where it is grown... as Honduran Mahogany is a type of wood , not a country of origin necessarily.

 

Here is one companies source region: North of the Yucatan, throughout Venezuela and Brazil, in Columbia, Peru, and Bolivia.

[TalismanRich]

VSB, to me, looks like an approximation of "unburst", which is what has happened to a lot of early Les Paul cherry sunburst guitars due to the red dye used fading quite easily. I believe in 1960 they changed the dye so they are a lot more resilient to fading.

 

Quite right you are TBone.

 

I've read that one of the more valuable "case candy" items is the notice from Gibson to the dealers to NOT sit the guitars in the window where the dye would fade from the exposure to sunlight.

[FredZepp]

Quite right you are TBone.

 

I've read that one of the more valuable "case candy" items is the notice from Gibson to the dealers to NOT sit the guitars in the window where the dye would fade from the exposure to sunlight.

.... just like you said...

[tbonesullivan]

well, that's true for just about any guitar. UV and sunlight hurt finishes. The finish can get very hot which accelerates the vaporization of chemicals that keep the nitro relatively stable. This is one thing that Gibsons pump polish is supposed to counteract, as it has stuff in it that is specifically designed to nourish nitro finishes.

[GuitArtMan]

That's a beauty! Nice flame and figure. The Honduran mahogany is generally accepted as being lighter and more resonant than African mahogany and was used back in the 50's so it is the desired wood for LP style guitars. The weight can vary from tree to tree depending upon how much mineral was absorbed by the tree as it was growing. I'd grab that one!

I've got a 1 piece Mahogany strat body from Warmoth, that is not chambered, weighs in at a svelt 3 lbs even, and is the most resonant of all my bodies when tapped. My understanding is that Warmoth uses African Mahogany. Just saying'...

[mark555]

Quite right you are TBone.

 

I've read that one of the more valuable "case candy" items is the notice from Gibson to the dealers to NOT sit the guitars in the window where the dye would fade from the exposure to sunlight.

 

that maybe true, but wouldn't you love a gorgeous lemon drop top?

[GroovieGuitarGuus]

I ve asked more pics... these ones i've got.

If I look to the Cavity, it must be a Solid one...

 

 

[smurph1]

That's a beauty! Nice flame and figure. The Honduran mahogany is generally accepted as being lighter and more resonant than African mahogany and was used back in the 50's so it is the desired wood for LP style guitars. The weight can vary from tree to tree depending upon how much mineral was absorbed by the tree as it was growing. I'd grab that one!

Me too..Bet it sounds Awesome!!

[chico]

Not the wood expert here, but the variations in mahogany come from the density of the wood (and also affects tone)

 

can't remember, but Jim D. told me one time about a prohibition on importing African mahogany, if my memory isn't too fuzzy. I think that was what was used "back in the day"

 

now I know I'm preaching to the choir here, probably a lot more experts around here on mahogany.

 

also,

 

Phillipine Mahogany was used by the Chris-Craft boat manufacturer at one time too for hull construction on high end yachts (Sp?) I remember that from touring the plant in Holland, MI. back in the early 70s. BTW, as an aside, the Chris Craft Corp. hired local woodworkers, mostly of Dutch decent who populated west Michigan, just as Gibson did in Kzoo, a few miles southeast.

[GroovieGuitarGuus]

The Beauty is In the House!!! ;-)

 

This weekend new pics.... I'm happy!

[bolero]

wow that's a really nice gtr

 

I have a 2006 H150 that is a lot lighter than my '94 H150

 

but they both sound great!!