GUITARS
Sapele back and sides set #001
Sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum)
Sapele is a highly regarded African hardwood, often used as a premium alternative to mahogany. Known for its consistency, durability, and balanced tonal response, it has become a staple among luthiers for both high-end and production instruments.
These sets are carefully selected from responsibly sourced Entandrophragma cylindricum, properly seasoned to ensure stability and long-term performance. Each piece meets instrument-grade standards, making it ideal for a wide range of acoustic builds.
Minimum Dimensions
Back : 8-1/4″ × 22″ × 0.110″ (210mm × 559mm × 2.8mm)
Sides: 5″ × 31-1/2″ × 0.110″ (127mm × 800mm × 2.8mm)
Warm, Clear, and Versatile
Sapele delivers a warm, balanced tone with a strong midrange presence, tight low end, and clear, articulate highs. Compared to traditional mahogany, it often has a slightly brighter top end and more pronounced treble sparkle, while still maintaining that familiar woody warmth.
Its tonal clarity and quick response make it suitable for both fingerstyle and strumming, offering a controlled and well-defined sound.
Elegant Figure
Color ranges from medium to dark reddish-brown, often deepening with age. One of Sapele’s most attractive features is its natural figuring—ribbon, quilted, or pommele patterns can appear depending on the cut, creating a shimmering, three-dimensional effect under finish.
Sustainable & Dependable
Sapele is widely available and sourced under managed forestry practices, making it a sustainable and reliable choice for builders. Its workability and consistent quality further contribute to its popularity across the industry.
Madagascar back and sides set #002
Madagascar Rosewood
Madagascar Rosewood is widely regarded as one of the closest tonal and visual relatives to Brazilian Rosewood, prized for its rich harmonic character and striking natural patterns. As availability of traditional rosewoods has declined, it has become a preferred choice for high-end luthiers seeking both performance and exclusivity.
These sets are carefully selected from responsibly sourced, old-growth Dalbergia baronii, preserved and seasoned over many years to ensure optimal stability. Each piece is chosen for its instrument-grade quality, making it ideal for premium acoustic builds.
Minimum Dimensions
Back : 8-1/4″ × 22″ × 0.110″ (210mm × 559mm × 2.8mm)
Sides: 5″ × 31-1/2″ × 0.110″ (127mm × 800mm × 2.8mm)
Rich and Complex Tone
Madagascar Rosewood delivers a deep, resonant low end, clear and sparkling trebles, and a complex layer of overtones. Often compared to Brazilian Rosewood, it offers a similarly “piano-like” bass response and strong projection, with slightly more focused mids and a touch less overtone density.
Its tonal balance makes it highly versatile, excelling in both fingerstyle and dynamic strumming applications.
Dramatic Natural Figure
Color ranges from golden brown to deep reddish chocolate, often with bold black streaks and spiderweb-like figuring. The grain can vary from straight to highly figured, giving each set a unique visual identity that stands out in any instrument.
Limited & Increasingly Rare
Due to environmental regulations and restricted harvesting, high-quality Madagascar Rosewood has become increasingly difficult to source. Well-seasoned, instrument-grade sets are now limited, making them highly sought after in the global market.
Mango back and sides set #003
Mango Wood
Mango Wood is an increasingly popular tonewood, appreciated for its sustainability, unique visual character, and warm, balanced tonal response. Sourced from managed plantations—often as a byproduct of fruit production—it represents an environmentally responsible choice without compromising musicality.
These sets are carefully selected from well-seasoned Mangifera indica, ensuring stability and reliability for instrument use. Each piece is chosen for its instrument-grade quality, making it suitable for distinctive acoustic builds with a natural, organic aesthetic.
Minimum Dimensions
Back : 8-1/4″ × 22″ × 0.110″ (210mm × 559mm × 2.8mm)
Sides: 5″ × 31-1/2″ × 0.110″ (127mm × 800mm × 2.8mm)
Warm and Mellow Tone
Mango Wood offers a smooth, balanced sound that sits between mahogany and koa. It produces a warm midrange, gentle lows, and soft, rounded highs, with a slightly dry character that works well for recording and fingerstyle playing. While it doesn’t have the deep overtone complexity of rosewood, it delivers a focused, musical voice with pleasing clarity.
Its responsive nature makes it especially suitable for players who prefer a controlled, intimate tonal profile.
Naturally Unique Appearance
One of Mango Wood’s most distinctive traits is its visual diversity. Colors range from golden brown to olive tones, often featuring dramatic spalting, streaks, and irregular grain patterns. No two sets are alike—each one feels like a natural artwork shaped by time and growth.
Sustainable Choice
Mango Wood is considered highly sustainable, as it is typically harvested after the tree’s fruit-bearing life cycle. This makes it an eco-conscious alternative to traditional hardwood tonewoods, appealing to builders and players who value responsible sourcing.
Purple Heart back and sides set #004
Purple Heart Wood
Purpleheart is one of the most visually distinctive tonewoods available, instantly recognizable for its vibrant violet hue. Beyond its striking appearance, it is valued for its exceptional density, strength, and stability, making it a compelling choice for bold, modern instrument builds.
These sets are carefully selected from responsibly sourced Peltogyne species, properly seasoned to ensure long-term performance and reliability. Each piece meets instrument-grade standards, making it ideal for unique, high-end acoustic creations.
Minimum Dimensions
Back halves: 8-1/4″ × 22″ × 0.110″ (210mm × 559mm × 2.8mm)
Sides: 5″ × 31-1/2″ × 0.110″ (127mm × 800mm × 2.8mm)
Bright, Tight, and Focused
Purpleheart produces a bright, clear tone with strong attack and excellent projection. Its high density contributes to a tight low end, pronounced mids, and crisp highs, with a fast response and long sustain. Compared to rosewoods, it offers fewer complex overtones, favoring a more direct and articulate sound.
This makes it especially appealing for players who want precision, clarity, and a cutting presence in the mix.
Unmistakable Color
Freshly cut, Purpleheart reveals a vivid purple color that gradually deepens into a darker, richer shade with exposure to light and air. The grain is typically straight with a fine texture, giving it a clean, glassy finish that enhances its already dramatic look.
Strong & Stable
Known for its hardness and durability, Purpleheart is highly resistant to wear and movement once properly dried. While its density can make it more challenging to work with, the result is a robust, stable instrument with a distinctive voice and unforgettable visual identity.
Jatoba Wood back and sides set #005
Jatoba
Jatoba, often known as Brazilian Cherry, is a remarkably dense and durable hardwood prized for its strength, stability, and bright tonal character. While more commonly seen in flooring and heavy-duty applications, it has steadily gained recognition among luthiers for its powerful projection and striking appearance.
These sets are carefully selected from responsibly sourced Hymenaea courbaril, properly seasoned to ensure long-term stability in instrument construction. Each piece is chosen for its instrument-grade quality, making it suitable for unique, high-performance acoustic builds.
Minimum Dimensions
Back halves: 8-1/4″ × 22″ × 0.110″ (210mm × 559mm × 2.8mm)
Sides: 5″ × 31-1/2″ × 0.110″ (127mm × 800mm × 2.8mm)
Strong, Clear, and Projective
Jatoba delivers a bright, focused tone with excellent projection and clarity. Its high density contributes to a tight low end, strong midrange presence, and crisp, cutting highs. Compared to traditional rosewoods, it produces fewer overtones, resulting in a more direct and articulate sound—ideal for players who want definition and punch.
Its stiffness also supports long sustain and a responsive attack, making it suitable for both rhythmic strumming and precise fingerstyle work.
Bold Natural Color
Freshly cut, Jatoba displays a warm orange to reddish-brown tone that deepens over time into a rich, mature hue. The grain is typically straight to interlocked, with a fine to medium texture and a natural luster that polishes beautifully.
Durable & Reliable
Known for its exceptional hardness and resistance to wear, Jatoba is highly stable once properly dried. While not as traditional as classic tonewoods, it offers a reliable and durable option for builders looking to create instruments with a modern edge and long-lasting performance.
Blood Wood Back + Side Set #006
Blood Wood
Bloodwood is a striking and increasingly sought-after tonewood, admired for its vivid crimson color and exceptional density. Known for its strength, stability, and glassy-smooth surface, it offers a unique blend of visual drama and focused tonal response that stands apart from traditional rosewoods.
These sets are carefully selected from sustainably sourced Brosimum rubescens, with wood that has been properly seasoned to ensure long-term stability. Each piece meets instrument-grade standards, making it suitable for distinctive, high-end acoustic builds.
Minimum Dimensions
Back : 8-1/4″ × 22″ × 0.110″ (210mm × 559mm × 2.8mm)
Sides: 5″ × 31-1/2″ × 0.110″ (127mm × 800mm × 2.8mm)
A Bold and Focused Voice
Bloodwood delivers a bright, articulate tone with strong projection and excellent note separation. Its density contributes to a tight low end, clear mids, and crisp highs, making it particularly appealing for players who value clarity and punch over overt warmth. While it differs from rosewood’s deep overtone richness, it brings a modern, cutting voice that shines in both fingerstyle and rhythmic playing.
Distinctive Appearance
Its naturally deep red hue, which can darken into rich burgundy over time, makes every instrument visually unforgettable. With fine, uniform grain and a polished sheen, Bloodwood offers a clean yet dramatic aesthetic.
Limited Availability
High-quality, instrument-grade Bloodwood in properly seasoned sets is not always easy to find. Our current stock is limited, and once these sets are gone, availability may be uncertain.