Curious...

The standard for marimba wood is rosewood from Honduras. Has there been any experimentation with other hardwoods? There's no doubt about the quality of Honduran rosewood, but what about different woods that have special accoustic qualities (ie Bubinga?) Anybody know anything about that? It would be pretty neat to hear a bubinga marimba.

- Evan

J.C. Deagan & Co. did a lot of experimentation a hundred years ago -- ebony, lignum vitae, etc. They claimed the best wood was a mysterious "Nagaed" (spell it backwards), but it was Honduran rosewood. There is a reason the Central Americans call this specific variety of rosewood, "the wood that sings."

WM

Evan, I agree with William Moersch. Years ago I experimented with many different types of wood--coco bolo, Brazilian rosewood, purple heart, bubinga, pernambuco, etc. While many of these specias had interesting and varied sounds, there is a reason Honduras rosewood is the wood of choice by everyone.
Bill Youhass
Fall Creek