Wenge Drop Top Soundboard

Botanical name: Millettia laurentii

Origin: Central and West Africa

Other names: Awong

Average density: 54lbs/ft3 - 870kg/m3

Uses: Electric guitar bodies, tops, fingerboards, necks

The color of the sapwood is whitish or pale yellow and the heartwood varies from dark brown to purplish black with fine brown streaks, it can look similar to African blackwood, though is lighter-weight. The color of green wood will darken when exposed to light. The straight grain is coarse or thick, with large pores that need to be filled if a perfectly levelled finish is desired. Wenge is cut from large straight trees growing in central and West Africa. It has been widely used for guitar and bass necks, fingerboards, bodies and tops.