Wenge (Millettia laurentii)

Wenge wood comes from central and west Africa, where it grows in large, straight trees. The wood grain is tight, with a chocolate brown, almost black hue. The grain texture is coarse and may show large to very large pores. The grains are relatively uniform, though some blanks have very interesting figurations, with black mineral streaks. A tough wood to work with, it dulls the tools rapidly and may develop thin – and somewhat toxic – splinters.
It is one of the hardest, stiffest and heaviest woods used in the guitar and bass building. It is more common as a neck wood and has been widely used as an alternative to Ebony for the fingerboard. In recent years, some luthiers started using it as a back and sides wood, with fascinating results. Tonally is quite similar to Indian Rosewood, but with increased projection and a lively, responsive quality. Deep, well-defined bass, great trebles with a nice, resonant, ringing tone, and an even, balanced harmonic spread.