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Click on pictures to enlarge.
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Australian Blackwood (Acacia
Melanoxylon)
The mainstay of many Australian makers,
myself included. Very similar to Koa, some logs highly figured.
Blackwoods are small fast growing trees that spring up everywhere in
open ground in my part of the world. Even though they are very common
they don't often grow very big, or get very old, so getting mill-able
wood from them can be tricky. Rarer still are the highly figured logs,
which can be incredibly beautiful.

Dry density aprox 640kg/m3
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Queensland Silky Oak (Cardwellia
sublimis)
Lightweight and fairly soft, Silky oak is
figured by very prominent rays which to my eye, are best when cut just
off the quarter. Gives a warm mahogany like sound. A stable timber but
not strong and takes dents easily.
Dry density aprox 550kg/m3
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Rose mahogany, NSW Rosewood (Dysoxylum
fraseranum)
Now scarce, this aromatic timber is a bit
harder and heavier than mahogany with a similar fine interlocking grain.
The deep cherry colour is very even as is the grain. Makes beautiful
guitars when I can get it.
Dry density aprox 720kg/m3
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Mountain Ash, aka Victorian Ash,.
(Eucalyptus regnans)
I think Vic Ash is one of my
favourite Australian tonewoods, along with Blackwood and W A Sheoak. I
like to use Blackwood and Vic Ash partly because they grow locally to me
and I like the idea of using wood from my area. Mainly I like them
because they work really well as tonewoods.
The Ash is a similar density to Blackwood, however in guitars I find it
has a feel of a lighter wood, perhaps because its so strong. I use it
often for necks and find it very reliable.
As back and sides it sounds great and is very stable (most Eucalypts
I've tried have not been stable enough with changes in humidity)
Unlike Blackwood, Ash are massive
trees, that can live to a great age.
Dry density aprox 680kg/m3

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Western Australian Sheoak (Casuarina
fraserani)
A bit lighter than the eastern casuarinas
although still very substantial. Very large ray figure, typical of the
sheoaks and rich colour. It has a hard surface and I find it makes fine
instruments. Can be used for fretboards but I prefer Bull
oak (Casuarina luehmannii) for this purpose
Dry density aprox 720kg/m3 (bull oak 1050kg/m3)
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Super hard Acacias for fretboards include
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Gidgee (A.cambagei) ADD 1330kg/m3
Mulga (A.aneura) ADD1200kg/m3
Myall(A.pendula) ADD 1100kg/m3
Brigalow(A.harpophylla) ADD 950kg/m3
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