Nato wood

The timber of tropical trees in the genus Mora, a hard but inexpensive hardwood used on budget instruments.

It behaves much like mahogany in a general sense, being workable and reasonably stable, but it is heavier and coarser, and its voice is usually described as plain and slightly boxy rather than rich. Its value is economic: it can be used for necks and bodies at a cost that keeps inexpensive instruments viable, and it is generally hidden under opaque finishes. On acoustics it appears as a soundboard material only on the cheapest models, where it is outperformed by spruce.

Example: a budget acoustic with a nato neck and body plays perfectly well for a beginner, though it will not develop the voice a solid spruce top would.

typical use: Bodies and necks on budget acoustic and electric models, and soundboards on inexpensive instruments.

Nato wood

See also