Pau Ferro — Lutherie Encyclopedia

Pau FerroType: tonewoodA South American hardwood that has emerged as a popular fingerboard alternative to rosewood, offering a tonally similar warmth with a lighter, more varied appearance and no CITES restrictions.## Botanical Description Pau ferro (*Machaerium scleroxylon*), also marketed as Bolivian rosewood or morado, is a South American hardwood native to Brazil and Bolivia. Despite the "rosewood" marketing name, it belongs to a different genus (Machaerium) than true rosewoods (Dalbergia), though both are in the legume family (Fabaceae). The heartwood is highly variable in color, ranging from reddish-brown to dark chocolate with dramatic orange, tan, and black streaking. The grain is typically straight to slightly interlocked, with a fine to medium texture. Pau ferro is dense and hard, though slightly less so than Indian rosewood, and it lacks the characteristic oiliness of true rosewoods. The wood has a faint, slightly sweet scent when worked. ## Tonal Properties Pau ferro occupies a tonal middle ground between rosewood and ebony, though it leans closer to rosewood. It produces a warm, clear tone with slightly more brightness and presence in the upper frequencies than Indian rosewood. The bass is full and defined, the midrange is smooth, and the trebles have a pleasant clarity without the sharp edge of ebony. Some players and builders describe pau ferro as having rosewood's warmth with a touch of ebony's crispness. The slightly lower density compared to rosewood can contribute to a marginally brighter response, but the differences are subtle and highly dependent on the specific piece of wood. Overall, pau ferro is a tonally excellent fingerboard material that satisfies players tr…