Hi guys! Koen here!
I just dropped in to say that I noticed this thread and am definitely working on getting more exposure with reviews etc. I just sent the most recently finished Magistra over to Soulhenge in Luxembourg: (here's the unboxing, the review will follow later this week on his...
They use Pau Ferro which has similar grain structure and properties and looks to Rosewood but it is not part of the "Dalbergia" family.
Pau Ferro | The Wood Database - Lumber Identification (Hardwoods)
It is definitely not Ovangkol.
If this is any help:
For snakewood you should look at Amsterdamsche Fijnhouthandel
It's the dutch fine wood store located in Amsterdam, and we have literally tons of very good quality snakewood. I recently came across a piece that could be used for a top, it's wide enough.
I will post some...
Tung oil tends to get grey if you play the guitar everyday. Eventually it will rub off and the maple gets stained by your fingers. I would recommend a lacquer or an oil like Danish oil because it hardens.
I guess it's just a matte black finish without using a filler for the ash.
The paint will suck in deep because of the large open grain.
And than you sand it to a grid 400 to maybe 1000/1200 (using a straight sanding block) between the painting layers, because the sanding paper wont reach into...
I didn't have the bridge at that point, so I couldn't drill the holes yet. It's a hipshot hardtail.
Been busy:
So how do you like that colour?
Cheers,
Q