Sapele: 5 Great Choices for Your Next Guitar

If you are looking for an acoustic guitar that produces a warm, well-balanced, woody sound that is similar to Mahogany, you should consider a guitar made of Sapele. If you’ve read some of our other articles on tonewood, you know we think Sapele is a great wood for acoustic guitars. In this article we discuss the benefits of Sapele as a guitar wood, and offer 5 great suggestions for guitars made from Sapele wood.

What Is Sapele?

Sapele, pronounced “se-PEE-lee”, is a relative newcomer as a tonewood for guitars. Although you may have heard terms such as “Sapele Mahogany”, or “Khaya Mahogany” a Sapele wood tree is a distinct species from Mahogany. Sapele has become popular in the past 10 years or so because of its relative abundance compared to genuine Mahogany wood. Sapele is harvested in Africa, and is relatively sustainable.

Appearance of Sapele

Sapele is a reddish brown wood with a natural luster. Sapele exhibits an attractive “ribbon figure” when quartersawn, which you will often see on the backs of guitars made from Sapele.

Compared to Mahogany, figured Sapele is found much more readily, while figured Mahogany is both expensive and rare. It is not unusual to see both Quilted Sapele, as well as and Sapele with Pomelle figuring.

Pomelle figure Sapele

Sapele Wood Guitar Tone

Sapele has a warm and woody sound. One of the notable characteristics of Sapele tonewood is an evenness of tone across its frequency range. The graphic below is a representation of Sapele’s frequency response:

Sapele frequency response diagram

As you can see, the frequency line is straight, which indicates a balanced, even tone. In practice, the tonal response from Sapele will be more linear (balanced) than some popular tonewoods.

Sapele vs Mahogany

Of all the common tonewoods, Sapele sounds the closest to Mahogany. Many feel that Sapele offers slightly more presence and sparkle in the treble range than Mahogany. In addition, Sapele also has a little more bass response than Mahogany. See our article on Mahogany vs Sapele for a deeper dive into how these tonewoods compare.

Sapele vs Rosewood

Sapele doesn’t reach as low in the bass or as high in the treble range as Rosewood, but renders all its frequencies in a more balanced way. Because of its balanced response, Sapele won’t sound “scooped” in the midrange like Rosewood can sometimes sound. And, like Mahogany, Sapele emphasizes the fundamental note rather than overtones. Check out our article on Rosewood vs Mahogany for more info on the the sound of Rosewood.

How Good Is It, Really?

This clip of a Julien Sublet OM is a great example of how good Sapele can sound. Video courtesy of The North American Guitar at CVE:

Video courtesy of The North American Guitar at CVE

5 Great Choices for a Sapele Guitar

If you are shopping for a Sapele guitar, here are 5 great choices. One of the great things about Sapele is that because it is relatively abundant, materials cost for guitar makers is less than comparable tonewoods. This is due to the abundance of Sapele lumber compared to Mahogany, and not because Sapele guitar wood is inferior. With Sapele, you essentially get the sound of Mahogany, but at a lower price point. In addition, the visual interest of Sapele is generally superior to Mahogany, and makes for a great looking instrument.

1. Taylor 317e Grand Pacific

Image credit: Taylor Guitars

The Taylor 317e Grand Pacific is an acoustic guitar that features a solid Sitka Spruce top and Sapele back and sides. The 317e’s Grand Pacific is voiced for a different type of sound than other Taylors, offering a smoother, more traditional tone. In other words, it’s every bit a Taylor, but is voiced for a warm, rounded tone. Taylor states that the 317e “hearkens to old-school acoustic recordings.” (I have to think that they are referring to Martin guitars here!). The 317e features  Expression System® 2 electronics. The Grand Pacific line is a good contender for a guitarist who appreciates Taylor’s excellent playability but is looking for a more traditional tone.


2. Martin 000-10E

Martin Guitars throws its hat in the Sapele ring with its all-Sapele 000-10E. This is a very versatile and beautiful solid wood  guitar. You read it right: This Martin is constructed of solid Sapele all around: Back, Sides, and top!

This guitar has a beautiful, rich brown stain. I always feel that satin finishes work well with Sapele, and the ribbon striping of the Sapele gives this guitar a luster. The sound is as you would expect from a Martin, with the slight bit of extra treble clarity that Sapele provides.

Considering that  an all Mahogany Martin will cost you a lot more, the solid wood construction of the 000-10E which makes the this guitar well worth considering. The Martin 000-10E features Fishman MX-T electronics.


3. Ibanez AEWC32FM Acoustic-Electric Guitar

The Ibanez AEWC32FM is a sweet looking acoustic guitar from Ibanez that comes in multiple colors. The Amber Sunset Fade is the most traditional color, and looks great with its flamed maple top. Other colors include Indigo Sunset Fade, Dark Green Sunset Fade, and Black Sunset Fade. The headstock has a matching veneer, which is always a classy touch.

The AEWC32FM is a compact, thinline acoustic electric, so don’t expect dreadnought-level volumes. While the acoustic sound is credible, the AEWC32FM is best used plugged in. Ibanez is known for making acoustic guitars that electric players love, and this guitar, with its speedy neck and low action, is no exception.

One of the thoughtful features on the  AEWC32FM is the string through bridge. Although it is a wooden bridge, the strings are loaded through the back of the bridge, without the use of bridge pins.


4. Eastman PCH Series PCH1-OM

Eastman is known for value, and the PCH1-OM is a good example of that. The Eastman PCH1-OMPN is an “OM size” guitar with a Sapele back and sides and Eastman’s “Thermo-Cure” Sitka Spruce Top.

The Eastman PCH1-OM is available in two colors, Thermo-Cure Natural and Classic. I like the Classic for its rustic good looks and rich reddish hue. At this price point there are some concessions to be made, and the open-pore finish on the back and sides is an example of it. That said, the finish looks good, but isn’t quite at the level it would be on Eastman’s more expensive models. However, the PCH1-OM offsets this with a torrified (Thermo-Cure) gloss top, which is an awesome feature for a guitar in this price range.

The Eastman PCH1-OM is positioned to be a great first guitar, or inexpensive couch strummer. And, it’s equipped with a geniune Rosewood fretboard.


5. Taylor GS Mini-e Mahogany Acoustic Electric

Image credit: Taylor Guitars

We recently reviewed the Koa version of this guitar and we were very impressed to say the least. Although this model is named the GS Mini-e Mahogany, the back and sides are actually constructed of Sapele. The Mahogany in the name refers to the solid Tropical Mahogany Top.

Mahogany, like the Koa used in the the GS Mini Koa, is a hardwood, which gives these models a tone that is distinct from Spruce. Hardwood tops, in contrast with Spruce, have a more direct, fundamental-focused sound.

The GS Mini models from Taylor are great sounding guitars in a compact form. The GS Mini-e Mahogany’s portable size and scale length of 23.5″ makes it manageable for a beginner, but also an excellent travel or practice guitar for a more experienced player.

Conclusion

If you like the sound of Mahogany guitars, you should consider giving Sapele a spin. You’ll get the same woody, fundamental tone as Mahogany, but at a lower price and potentially better looks. And because of the relatively good supply of Sapele, the quality of Sapele wood for guitars is often superior to today’s Mahogany. This is especially true for factory-made (i.e., non-luthier built) guitars such as the ones we’ve featured in this article. And although traditionalists will sometimes dismiss Sapele as a lesser tonewood, the rising popularity of this wood paints a different picture. Happy Playing!

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