Wenge

Family: Fabaceae / Millettieae - Order: Fabales - Class: Magnoliopsida

Scientific name: Millettia laurentii

Trade name: Wengé

Also known as Wengè, Mpande, Dikela, Mibotu, Bokonge and Among

Origin: Central Africa and southern regions of Tanzania, Mozambique, also in the Republic of Congo.

Instrumental uses:
Guitar back and sides, fingerboards, bridges, head plates and bindings.

Tonal properties:

Has a kind of glassy tonal character, with tight bass and very good high frequency response. Great note separation, very punchy with a good sustained and loud sound.

Used in bridges and fingerboards will help the transmission of resonance in all frequencies by the characteristics of this wood.

The grain is straight with a coarse texture and large Diffuse Porous pore structure, providing great response properties.

The wood is rather difficult to saw and work, glues well but need attention on the finishing.

The wood is moderately heavy, is very stiff and very resistant with an average dried weight nearly of 54 lbs/ft3 or 870 kg/m3. 

It is native from Central Africa and southern regions of Tanzania, Mozambique, also in the Republic of Congo.

Millettia laurentii is found in semi-deciduous, sometimes in periodically inundated swampy forests.The tree reaches a height of 16 to 32 m. The bole is usually straight, unbuttressed. The trunk diameter attains 100 cm.

The sapwood is whitish, it has a thickness of 2 to 3 cm. The heartwood is yellowish brown toning down to purplish brown, with pink-brown thin stripes, it is clearly demarcated.

CITES status is unrestricted. Is reported on the IUCN Red List as endangered.