TOOL
Mahogany back & sides
Dry, focused and punchy — the working musician’s back wood.
| Typical density | 0.53 – 0.65 g/cm³ |
|---|---|
| Tone | Dry, focused, strong fundamental, fast decay |
| Grain | Interlocked, straight to lightly figured |
| Colour | Reddish brown, darkening with age |
| Common species | Honduran, Sapele, Khaya (African) |
| Typical use | Backs, sides and necks on steel-string guitars |
| Side thickness | 2.0 – 2.3 mm before bending |
|---|---|
| Back thickness | 2.4 – 2.8 mm |
| Bending temperature | 150 – 165 °C with a bending iron |
| Moisture at glue-up | 6 – 8 percent |
| Stability | Very good; low seasonal movement |
| Price band | Moderate |
Mahogany gives a guitar a dry, fundamental-heavy voice with a fast decay. Where rosewood adds a wash of overtones, mahogany stays out of the way: chords sound clean, single notes stay defined, and the guitar records without the low-end boom that has to be equalised out later.
It is also dimensionally stable and pleasant to work, which is why it has been the standard back and side wood for a century. Genuine (Honduran) mahogany is the traditional choice; Sapele is the usual modern substitute and is slightly harder and brighter.
At this stage
Mahogany bends cleanly at a moderate temperature and holds the shape without much spring-back. It is the most forgiving wood to learn side bending on.
Suits these instruments
- Dreadnought
- OM / Orchestra
- Parlour
- Archtop
Works with
- Spruce top
- Titebond or hide glue
- Nitrocellulose lacquer
- Truss rod
- Mahogany dust is a respiratory sensitizer. Extraction or a respirator is required when sanding or routing.
- Bending irons run at 150 °C and above. Burns are the common injury in this step — keep your hands behind the wood and use a wet cloth.
Working notes
- Scrape the sides after bending rather than sanding them — sanding fuzzes the interlocked grain.
- Match the back and side sets for colour before you start; a mismatched set is obvious under a clear finish.
- Mahogany necks are stiffer and lighter than they look, which is why the same species turns up in both roles.
- Sapele is harder than genuine mahogany and will dull edge tools faster.
Related
Spruce top
The default soundboard: stiff along the grain, light, and loud.
Cedar top
Opens fast, plays warm, and marks if you look at it wrong.
Rosewood back & sides
Deep bass, long sustain, and a wall of overtones.
Maple neck
Stiff, stable, bright — the electric default.