Anybody experienced with acoustic guitars can rattle off a list of woods that are non-traditional and the qualities of those woods. One non-trad wood that you see more and more is sapele. (You may see it spelled sapelli or sapeli.) It isn't NEW as it has been used for some time, in spite of what some might think. It looks like mahogany and numerous sources say it also has similar tonal qualities.

Sapele is sometimes called African mahogany and has the same reddish-brown color. When you buy guitar such as a Martin D-15 you may find it is made of either mahogany or sapele. Tops, as well as backs and sides can be made from sapele. Some electrics are even made from the wood. A cursory search shows companies such as Taylor, Martin, Ibanez and Larrivee all use sapele in their guitars. Many boutique guitar makers use it as well.

The lowdown on the wood and all its strengths can be found at Exotic Hardwoods. Some of the interesting tidbits at this site include the statement that the wood is "relatively secure" in most of it's range but is becoming vulnerable in some areas. Do a search on sapele and you will find two by fours and flooring as well as guitars being made from it which means that if it is secure it is also cheap and will not be secure for long if it is irresponsibly harvested.

The wood ranges from Ivory Coast to Cameroon and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Uganda. The Exotic Hardwoods site says that "The best grades of sapele are reported to feature a fine pencil stripe of uniform width." This is worth keeping in mind when looking at a sapele instrument.

The site also says that the wood is obtainable from environmentally responsible sources but they do not define what that means. A good source place to check about enviromentally responsible use of wood is the Forest Steward Council. The FSC certify companies who harvest wood in sustainable and responsible ways. A number of guitar makers have talked to or signed on with the FSC (and even some who have not work to be responsible in their use of exotic wood).

Sapele can grow to be 150 feet high and have a diameter or 72 inches. The wood carves easily and can be glued easily as well. It polishes up nice too. The Exotic Hardwood site also says sapele is comparable to oak in strength. Guitars made from sapele should, if well made and maintained, sound good, bright, be good looking and durable. Don't be afraid if you see the name but by all means check to see if the manufacturer supports responsible forestry practices.

Look for more on exotic acoustic guitar woods at Gearwire.