Bubinga is a wood that has been used for years with success. It is a better tonewood than it’s been given credit for—probably because low price is not usually commensurate with high quality. Harder and heavier than either Brazilian or Indian Rosewood, Bubinga is sometimes known as African Rosewood, although it’s not a Dalbergia. The most common varieties being used for instruments include Didelotia africana and Guibourtia demeusei, one of four Guibourtias known as Bubinga. It has a medium texture with interlocking grain, and when finished gives a mottled “bees wing” appearance. It’s pinkish-mauve cast oxidizes to a nice brownish-red over time. Because of its interlocking grain, it can be like some of the more difficult Mahogany to bend. Overall, Bubinga is one of the best values in a tonewood.
Waterfall is a natural, if not novel, name for the kind of figure found in these sets of Bubinga. Similar to a very soft, broad and undefined quilt pattern, waterfall is aptly named. The liquidy, three dimensional texture of the wood seems full of fluid motion. Very trees exhibit this kind of figure and we do not expect there to be ready replacements once our current batch is sold out. Those looking for a great sounding wood with a decadent, dramatic appearance will want to take advantage of this offering while they can.
