Australian blackwood

A dense, golden-brown wattle timber from south-eastern Australia and Tasmania, also sold as Tasmanian blackwood.

It comes from Acacia melanoxylon, the largest of the wattles and the one that reaches instrument-grade dimensions. The figure, a fiddleback curl over dark streaks, makes it a natural substitute for koa, and it is stable enough to use for backs and sides without much trouble. It is commonly described as sitting between maple and mahogany: a present but not brittle top end over a warm, slightly compressed midrange, with good volume for a small body. Supply is limited because the trees are slow growing and selectively harvested, and the dust is a recognised skin and respiratory irritant.

Example: A small-bodied acoustic with Australian blackwood back and sides gives much of the sweet, slightly compressed voice associated with koa without the Hawaiian price.

typical use: Acoustic backs and sides, and occasional solid bodies and veneers.

Australian blackwood

See also