PAU FERRO/BUBINGA
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Pau Ferro Sets Click on Part ID to add to shopping cart More info below
PART No. Description Price ea. 6 - 12 13 - 24 Pau Ferro, 2-pc back, best, Temp. out $40.00
$37.00 Pau Ferro, sides, best $40.00
$37.00 Pau Ferro, 2-pc back, standard Temp. out $35.00
$32.00
Pau Ferro, sides, standard $35.00
$32.00
Bubinga Price PART No. Description Each
6 - 12
13 - 24
Bubinga back, classic/steel str., figured, See Weekly Special Bubinga sides, classic/steel str., figured, Bubinga back, classic/steel str., good Bubinga sides, classic/steel str., good 
Click on image to enlarge.
Right, mostly quartersawn back sets at right. Fairly typical of the Pau Ferro we're getting these days.
PAU FERRO
San Francisco builder, Alastair Fordyce's Pau Ferro classical Guitar, Far left and immediate left. Below, Pau ferro sets strapped, preparing to ship out.
Pau ferro (Machaerium scleroxylon), one more among many names for this attractive wood (Morado, Palo Santos, Caviuna, Bolivian rosewood, Brazilian ironwood, etc.) makes a nice guitar, but for a heavy and rosewood-like wood, interestingly has more of a maple than rosewood taptone. As well as being appealing with its warm look and strong contrast in the grain pattern, it is very nonporous so that it is almost fun to finish. There is one caveat, however, and that is that it does cause allergic reactions in about 15% of the population.
Example of quartersawn Pau Ferro.
BUBINGA Steel string builder Jeff Robertson and guitar of figured Bubinga. Close-up on lower left.
Bubinga, sometimes called "African Rosewood," is not a rosewood, and in fact there are several African species that are commercially sold as Bubinga. Of these several species the most common is Guibortia africana and is the one which is the one you see pictured here. Frequently found with a variety of figure, including "bees wing," "quilt," and "curl," Bubinga, even when plain displays a lot of "movement" in the wood because of its interlocking grain. Interlocking grain also accounts for Bubinga's good stability, and the difficulty of bending its sides.
It's still relatively inexpensive and is an underated tonewood: it's one of the best values in backs and sides.
Pictured at left is standard, or typical wavey-grained Bubinga.
Close-up of Jeff's guitar below. At left is example of standard bubinga. Click to enlarge.
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