Guitarbench Magazine Issue 4. Cuban Mahogany Tonewood & Lichty guitar feature.

TONEWOOD

Cuban Mahogany Swietenia Mahogani

Quick Facts Scientific name: Swietenia Mahogani Trade names: Cuban Mahogany Janka: 740 Uses: Back & sides, drop tops, necks Bling factor: Curl is uncommon. Availability: Very limited usually from storm downed stock. CITES status: listed in appendix II

Natural History Cuban Mahogany is a very close relative of Honduran Mahogany but has a native range from Florida to Cuba and Jamaica. The semi-evergreen tree is slightly smaller than its mainland brother [S.Macrophyllia] growing to 35 metres tall. Status Due to intensive logging, Cuban mahogany has no longer been commercially available since the 1950s. However, a few small, well established plantations exist in its natural range and abroad.

This issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s model for Cuban Mahogany is a Devine Ukulele and a Lichty OM. Both are featured later in this issue, please read on! Photos courtesy of Eric Devine and Jay Lichty.

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ACOUSTIC&CLASSICAL

Issue 4 2012

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Physical properties Cuban Mahogany is a light pink when fresh, oxidising to deep rich red. It is easy to work with hand or machine tools and takes a excellent polish. Compared to Honduran Mahogany, Cuban is easier to work with. It has a closer, finer grain and carves beautifully. It is seen in various figures, with curl, quilt and wavy grain, although these are now rare. Basic specific gravity (oven dry weight/green volume) 0.40 to 0.68; air- dry density 30 to 52 pcf. Janka side hardness 740 lb for green material and 800 lb for dry. As a tonewoodâ&#x20AC;Ś Cuban mahogany has a long history as a tonewood for necks as well as tops, back and sides. With easy workability and ability to take a beautiful finish, it is a popular tonewood for small and major manufacturers. Subjective toneâ&#x20AC;Ś Cuban Mahogany tends to be denser than Honduran and hence has more rosewood-like qualities, with a better developed midrange and low end. Availability Plantations occasionally yield logs wide enough for guitar sets, although old growth timber is now on the CITES appendix II. Although raw timber trade is regulated, finished articles can be traded freely.

SPONSOR FEATURE

Luthier: Jay Lichty OM

This guitar was custom built for Shohei Toyoda. He was the 2012 winner of Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Fingerstyle Guitar Competition for best player and best arrangement, all the while playing his Cuban mahogany Lichty guitar in the competition. Shohei had a very specific sound he was going for and Jay felt that the combination of Cuban mahogany and a Lutz top would be the right combo, along with an LR Baggs pick-up. Shohei was completely thrilled with his guitar so it all worked out great.