Sapele Vs Mahogany Entry for ... because at this point you still think that "mahogany" is a specific wood and not a generic term... and your speaking about experience . Sapele vs Meranti. It covers quality, color, grain, weight, drying, workability, durability, and usage. Our sister company Thompson Mahogany did a great write up comparing African Mahogany vs Sapele vs Utile Lumber. The wood displays a beautiful chatoyance. Attributes similar to red spruce, it’s powerful, clear and vibrant. Smoothness of … The Timber Durability Database is a table of durability grades/ratings by wood type, with images to match. justinM. I like sapele, so it would make no difference to me if I got one made of sapele or mahogany. This mahogany species is the wood that planked the ships of the Spanish Armada. Sapele is in the same family as Mahogany and it therefore, shares many of the same qualities. Very similar in appearance and workability to mahogany. I'm curious as to wether you fellows think sapele has a different tone when used as a top wood. He said that both SA mahogany and sapele were known for resin vapors escaping from the wood when it's exposed to lots of direct sun. Sapele Decking will often be advertised as a specific type of the African mahogany. Obviously tougher than Balsa but as a "hardwood" I was left unimpressed. I like the 000-15 a lot. Tear out in the grain is common and special care needs to be taken when milling. Most seem to agree that hog and sapele are pretty similiar in terms of back and sides, but the top has the most influence on sound, so I'd be curious if many can … However, that's not the full story. Sapele Sapele is a very popular tonewood used primarily on entry level ukuleles. Sapele timber, also known as Sapele mahogany, is a reddish-brown hardwood. See more. Additionally Sapele grows with an interlocking grain pattern where the fibers twist around the tree as they grow. Joined: 30 Aug 2010 Messages: 514 Thanks Received: 1 Location: London Country: I got a qoute for hardwood sash windows in Meranti and Sapele. Thanks Yukster, 26 Jan 2016 #1. Windows can be made in Oak, Idigbo, Iroko, Sapele, Accoya and European Redwood. leveller2911. Sapele – Entandrophragma cylindricum. Ultimately, you will need to become familiar with the body types and woods and decide your preferences. It’s sometimes mistakenly referred to as African mahogany because it closely resembles the West African wood khaya, which is commercially known as African mahogany. Sapele is visually and tonally similar to mahogany, which means it will give you a rich, warm tone without being overly bright. Sapele Tonewood goes is a great all-purpose tonewood that works for many different applications. Tonally, it does everything that mahogany does, with a little extra treble zing. We’ll be able to offer it for a long, long time. Sapele is used as our standard hardwood of choice when a painted finish is required. … Guitar Advice, Recent update | Archtop Guitars, Article, Mahogany, Maple, Tonewoods. Red oak and mahogany typify tradition in the United States. When flat sawn it is a nice alternative for Mahogany. Post Sep 25, 2011 #1 2011-09-25T03:33. So the Sapele was not ordered - the client would not accept the bleached appearance. In addition, not all of them have the same density, color, and stability of Sapele. It’s darker in color, heavier, and exhibits more varieties of figured grain (pommele, ribbon-stripe, etc.). Sapele offers many of the same characteristics as Genuine Mahogany. Sapele is a highly sustainable West African tonewood that’s often confused with the West African wood Khaya. Sapele is much harder than Genuine Mahogany and the highly interlocked grain pattern makes it difficult to work. The typical concern is mostly aesthetics and cost. However, there are different types of hardwood that have been categorized as African mahogany. Sapele/mahogany will usually have a brighter and less complex tone than rosewood, which is darker and has "swirling overtones" (my term). Differences between them are insignificant when considering durability, application and longevity. Some call it an inexpensive mahogany. Goes Well With: Everything. Overall a very uniformly colored wood. Sapele vs Mahogany as a top wood . Sapele trees are protected in such a way as to prevent over-harvesting which makes this a relatively sustainable wood that is being harvested responsibly. Timber Durability Chart. I like the look of some sapele wood better than mahogany. It features golden to dark reddish brown coloring that is often more consistent than that of other Mahogany species. The name sapele comes from that of the city of Sapele in Nigeria, where there is a preponderance of the tree.African Timber and Plywood (AT&P), a division of the United Africa Company, had a factory at this location where the wood, along with Triplochiton scleroxylon, Obeche, mahogany, and Khaya was processed into timber which was then exported from the Port of Sapele worldwide. I'll break down the pros and cons, based on our experience, so you have a better idea of why these have become our favoured choices. Hailing from Africa, Sapele contains an interlocking grain that produces light and dark ribbon stripes throughout the boards. 105. Also whether it will need staining if we want it to match the depth of colour of our old door - internet search reveals both Sapele and Utile to be rather lighter in colour than the old mahogany. Oak has traditionally been a popular choice for bespoke doors and windows as it is a strong, durable and beautiful hardwood. Sapele is a highly sustainable, relatively fast-growing wood. 24 March 2015 at 5:22PM edited 24 March 2015 at 6:05PM. … Sapele is much harder and stiffer than the Mahoganies, and it’s know for being difficult to bend. Finishing brings out an intense depth of color and highlights its natural luster, which is similar to mahogany. The naranti qoute is £900 (10%) chepear. The timber is stable, moderately durable against decay (class three durable), and moderately resistant to insects. Here at the J. Gibson McIlvain Company we separate all our Sapele into Flat Sawn (cathedral) and Quarter Sawn (straight) grain. Is the Sapele superior to Meranti? Sapele Wood can also be used in interior and exterior usage and is actually a cost-effective alternative to Spanish Cedar or Western Red Cedar. This veneer has a fine grain, a distinct and desirable stripe formation, and often carries a lively figure. Virtually knot free, long lasting and takes to paint well, it can also stain up nicely and is reminiscent of Mahogany. Discussion in 'Windows and Doors' started by Yukster, 26 Jan 2016. I think the 15m's are all made exclusively of mahogany and they come with a bone saddle, ebony bridge pins, open back tuners and an upgraded rosette. Yukster. Cuban Mahogany, Swietenia mahogani (genus and species names), the Wood of Kings, has been among the most prized and valuable timbers since the late 16th century. Sapele is valued because of it’s figuring and stripes that really stand out when finished. Cherry can be more brown than maple, and will oxidize to a deeper brown colour over time, but it will not be as dark as walnut. RED SPRUCE PICEA RUBENS. The range of wood we have found best for making Hardwood vs Softwood Windows. Registered Member. Its interlocked grain also mean it’s a bit more challenging to work with than genuine mahogany. He said that these vapors are transparent to latex primer but are trapped by glossy acrylic finish coats like the MoorGlo that was used in this project. Occasional quilted, curly and or mottled figure can be present. 105. The color of Sapele is a dark brownish-red and can sometimes move into a purplish-red hue. Archtop Tonewoods: Maple vs. Mahogany. Whilst we commonly … It is also good for painting, due to its fine graining. Sapele has become popular as a more moderately priced substitute for the more traditional Genuine Mahogany. Sapele is a African Redwood with some similarities to African Mahogany. An African tone wood closely related to Mahogany, Sapele is similar in both look and sound. Hardwood vs Softwood – Sapele or Accoya Doors and Windows. The grain will shift as your perspective changes. Sapele tone is very similar to Mahogany it has a warm, rich, and wood tone. These woods have different and unique sounds and we hope this video helps to illustrate the differences between Mahogany and Rosewood and the E10D vs the E20D. Sapele Mahogany: DESCRIPTION: Reddish brown in color. The more harder the wood, the brighter it seems to be. Sapele is a widely used and popular redwood, similar to mahogany, with a deep, rich finish suited to furniture projects, conservatories and much more. In some point, this may be accepted since it is a part of the mahogany family. A lot of companies choose Idigbo as their first choice for painted hardwood, but we find Sapele to be more durable, longer lasting, and a nicer wood to work with and finish. Wenge Tonewood . Share Tweet. I would expect end grain to be a bit darker, after oil is applied, but not as dark as walnut. justinM. The wood also benefits from a distinctive red-brown colour that darkens as it matures and ages. Sapele Wood also has beautiful ribboning when quarter sawn as you can see in the video. Sponsored Links; Burnerman. Different from mahogany: Sapele is a star in its own right, and has its own unique characteristics. I have both and like both for their respective traits. It does a good job of breaking down the difference in the three materials. Sapele definition, the mahoganylike wood of any of several African trees of the genus Entandrophragma, used for making furniture. Body shape and bracing will also affect tone, in either wood. We created some useful graphics that show these details – they’re good for quickly referencing each timber, or you can print them off and keep them in your workshop! What I've found is that there seems to be a direct correlation between the density of the wood and the tone. Sapele wood is a medium to dark reddish-brown or purplish-brown. Sapele is commonly quartersawn to enhance these attractive ribbons, and it is often used as a veneer for plywood in this application. Sapele wood is of medium hardness with a Janka rating of 1510 lbs making is harder than most domestic North American Species and almost twice as hard as Genuine Mahogany. Sapele varies in color from log to log, but is generally medium to dark red-brown. At Rural Timber, we combine traditional craftmanship with modern technology to create timber doors, window frames, conservatories and other items that are designed to last. We use laminated sapele on the top, back and sides of our entry level Honu models. 0. A significant up charge is typical for figured material. They're used universally to build cabinets, desks, molding, trim and other household items. One question that is very common and quite relevant to most archtop players is the difference between maple and mahogany when used on the back and sides of an archtop. Sapele is part of the family of woods which includes the many mahogany species. 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