| Author | Message | ||
| tdukes
Intermediate Member Username: tdukes Post Number: 130 Registered: 4-2008 |
I see that PRS is using pernumbuca for necks on the Paul's 28 guitars. This upset my violin playing daughter who thought the wood should be made into violin bows. Has Alembic ever used this in a neck? I didn't see it come up on a board search. Does anyone have any idea how this wood would sound? Todd. | ||
| tdukes
Intermediate Member Username: tdukes Post Number: 131 Registered: 4-2008 |
Maybe that should be spelled 'pernambuco' Todd. | ||
| mario_farufyno
Intermediate Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 147 Registered: 9-2008 |
Funny, Pernambuco is a northeastern brazilian state, but I didn't knew it as a name for a tree. Here we know the wood used in Bows as "Pau-Brasil" ("brazil wood"), the very first product Portugal explored in this land. It was called like that because its red color (used to tint clothes back then) that reminded a red hot brazier. And this is how Brazil got its name. Its cientific name is "Caesalpinia echinata" and is related to the "Caesalpinia ferrea", also known as Pau-ferro ("ironwood"?). This wood (pau ferro) is often used as substitute to Rosewood in fingerboards. But I don't know if we are talking about the same wood... | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 8392 Registered: 5-2002 |
According to Wiki, Brazilwood, or Pau-Brasil, is also known as Pernambuco. A quick cruise through Google doesn't show any references to Pernambuco's use as a tone wood in electric guitars and basses, except for the $36,000 Paul's 28, though it does appear to be occasionally found in acoustic and classical guitars. | ||
| tdukes
Intermediate Member Username: tdukes Post Number: 141 Registered: 4-2008 |
I also found this guitar A search on ebay finds tons of bows made from the stuff. I was able to play Paul's 28 #0 which Paul made for himself. I was in a loud room and only played it unplugged so it really didn't make an impression on me. I wonder how it would be as a neck laminate on a Series II guitar. Todd. | ||
| mario_farufyno
Intermediate Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 153 Registered: 9-2008 |
Thanks, Dave! Wow,Tod, what nice guitar you've found... | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6263 Registered: 6-2000 |
We made an Excel bass with Pau Ferro neck laminates for Jeff a few years ago. It's the only one I recall, but that doesn't mean it's the only one. | ||
| dfung60
Advanced Member Username: dfung60 Post Number: 389 Registered: 5-2002 |
I remember reading somewhere that the dust from working pernambuco is particularly toxic. All the exotic rosewoods and ebonies that are used in guitars because of the high internal oil content are known to cause respiratory and allergy problems from the dust kicked up from working on it. It seems like there are way too many stories of luthiers who were unable to continue their craft because they developed allergies from breathing exotic wood dust - I'm pretty sure that Bo'zo who made acoustics for Leo Kottke stopped building guitars because of rosewood allergies. David Fung | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 2273 Registered: 6-2002 |
The FTC thread for Jeff's custom Excel says its neck laminates are Pau Ferro. A quick glance through Wikipedia suggests the two are not the same. Hm ... | ||
| mica
Moderator Username: mica Post Number: 6264 Registered: 6-2000 |
You're right - as my post said, the laminates were Pau Ferro in Jeff's bass. We have not made an instrument with Pernambuco laminates to my knowledge. | ||
| mario_farufyno
Intermediate Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 156 Registered: 9-2008 |
Yes, Adriaan. As I wrote earlier they are just related, although not the same. "Caesalpinia echinata" is the Pernambuco (Brazilwood) "Caesalpinia ferrea" is the Pau Ferro Both Caesalpinia, but not the same wood (and probably not the exact same tone). (Message edited by Mario Farufyno on July 24, 2009) | ||
| altgrendel
Member Username: altgrendel Post Number: 98 Registered: 5-2008 |
Either way, I would think that it would mellow out the tone of the bass a bit. Could be interesting and besides, it's a beautiful wood. According to the last part of that wikipedia article, it's an endangered tree and might be banned from export. (Message edited by AltGrendel on July 28, 2009) | ||
| mario_farufyno
Advanced Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 216 Registered: 9-2008 |
As Mahogany... | ||
| mario_farufyno
Advanced Member Username: mario_farufyno Post Number: 217 Registered: 9-2008 |
Pernanbuco was our first product explored here by Portugal, so it really gone rare. But, as Pau-Brasil (Pernanbuco) is our national "symbol-tree", we've been doing some efforts in Brazil to plant it around recently. It is a wood you can find now at urban parks at Sao Paulo or Rio, but it stills endangered since it should be grown in areas that are now very populated (it did not belong to amazon or other dense forest areas we have), but we hope to preserve it better from now on. |
