Scientific name: Dalbergia baronii
Origin: Madagascar
Other names: Palisander, Palosanto de Madagascar
Average density: 58lbs/ft3 – 935kg/m3
Uses: Guitar back and sides, fingerboards, bindings, bridges, headplates
Its color is varied and can range tremendously, from violet through shades of orange brown and chocolate tone. This wood usually darkens during its drying and finishing processes. The trees from the region where it is found are not of great diameter. The characteristic black streaks, known as “spider webbing”, are always on the outer part of the trunk. In order to obtain as much pattern as possible we cut the backs flat sawn. The sides, however, are perfectly quarter sawn and have less pattern as they are cut from the center of the log. Due to the narrowness of the trees, the pattern changes rapidly as we cut throughout the log, which can produce a slight asymmetry. Visually, Madagascar Rosewood is close to Brazilian Rosewood. It is also lighter in weight and many builders claim that the lower weight, gives it a lively sound that surpasses Brazilian Rosewood. It has a strong and sustaining tap tone. We will never find two identical Madagascar rosewood guitars, each set is different and that is part of its beauty.