What Is Zebrawood?
Better known as zebrawood or Zebrano, Microberlinia brazzavillensis hails from the tropical regions of West Africa, primarily Gabon and Cameroon. It has long been used in the manufacture of furniture and flooring, and in recent years, it’s also become a popular choice for modern applications like high-end car interiors and, yes, guitars.
As the name suggests, zebrawood is famous for its distinctive, interlocking grain pattern that alternates between dark brown and creamy streaks, creating a visually stunning effect. With open pores and a fairly coarse texture, the wood is relatively easy to cut, although interlocking grains can cause a headache when it comes to planing - as can the wood’s pretty unpleasant odour!
How Is Zebrawood Used in Guitars?
On paper, zebrawood should be much more versatile than it is. However, in reality, its use in guitar manufacturing is quite limited.
With its well-balanced, warm tone and striking appearance, zebrawood is a great choice for both acoustic and electric guitar topwood. It’s also a good choice for the back and sides of acoustic instruments. However, given its considerable density, it’s too heavy to be a reasonable solid body option.
What’s more, with a Janka hardness rating of around 1,800, zebrawood has all the resonance and hardness that should make it an excellent fretboard material, somewhat similar to rosewood. However, the wood is notoriously brittle, making it too delicate for this application. Along with the characteristic open pores that would need some serious filling, other woods are just more convenient to use instead.
How Does Zebrawood Sound?
So, how does zebrawood stack up in the sound department? With its decent density, it falls somewhere between maple and rosewood in terms of hardness. This and the wood’s unique grain structure produce a well-balanced (if not slightly warm), full sound. Somewhat similar to rosewood, zebrawood has excellent dynamics, with clear mid-tones and good performance in the high-end.
The wood’s sustain is impressive, and its tonal complexity adds depth to your music, making each strum and pluck richer. Thanks to its bright highs and warm lows, musicians often compare zebrawood’s sound to that of the more common Koa or Bubinga.
Is Zebrawood Sustainable?
Today, sustainability is every bit as important as sound quality. The overharvesting of exotic woods can and has led to deforestation and environmental damage. More to the point, many of the classic tonewoods are now in short supply, forcing guitar makers to look elsewhere for alternatives.
Zebrawood’s sustainability isn’t the easiest to gauge. On the plus side, the wood doesn’t appear in the infamous CITES Appendices, a database of wild animals and plants facing the threat of extinction. However, the most common source of zebrawood, Microberlinia brazzavillensis, does appear as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, owing to a population reduction of over 20% over the past three generations. What does this mean? Well, essentially, the species isn’t necessarily endangered right now, but if current usage continues for too much longer, it could be.
Durability & Maintenance
Beyond its impressive aesthetic qualities and sound profile, zebrawood also offers fantastic durability, making it a practical choice for guitar construction. Its excellent hardness means it can resist plenty of dings and scratches, which is great if you frequently transport your instruments. However, like all woods, zebrawood still requires proper maintenance to retain its natural beauty and structural integrity.
To keep your zebrawood guitar in top condition, you’ll need to regularly clean the surface with a soft, damp cloth and avoid using harsh chemicals that could damage the finish. It’s also advisable to keep the instrument in a stable environment with controlled humidity to prevent cracking or warping.
Is Zebrawood a Good Tonewood?
It’s clear that this exotic hardwood offers more than just visual appeal. Its acoustic properties-bright tones, excellent sustain, and a balanced sound-make it a worthy contender in the realm of tonewoods. Moreover, its hardness and ease of care further increase the wood’s allure.
So, is zebrawood a good tonewood? Absolutely! If you’re seeking a blend of aesthetics and acoustic excellence, this could be an exceptional choice.
Zebrawood Alternatives
If zebrawood’s unclear ecological status is a concern for you, fear not - there’s a number of alternatives you could explore instead. One such option is maple, which is well-regarded for its bright tones and attractive grains. Often used for the backs and sides of guitars, maple provides a resilient structure and a visually appealing appearance, ranging from creamy whites to rich browns.
Another great alternative, aurally speaking, is rosewood. Praised for its warm, dynamic sound and even frequencies, this tonewood is one of the all-time great, particularly in acoustic instruments. However, while still widely available, rosewood is another example of a potentially unsustainable guitar material.
Looking at fretboards, where zebrawood’s potentially brittle nature is undesirable, ebony is the obvious choice. However, once again, this wood has some sustainability concerns, so consider one of the more sustainable ebony clones, like wenge, or even an engineered fretboard.
Find Your Perfect Zebrawood Guitar
With its unique grain patterns and rich sound profile, it’s no wonder that zebrawood has become increasingly popular in the world of guitar construction. However, with its uncertain sustainability status, it’s important to consider alternative options, too. Whichever you choose, remember to properly maintain your instrument for continued exceptional performance.
Ready to find your perfect zebrawood guitar? It sounds like you need to try out our Finder tool! With just a few clicks, you can explore a wide range of axes tailored to your preferences, compare various options, check out detailed specifications, and delve into user reviews. Start your journey towards discovering the guitar of your dreams today!
