MASSIF AUDIO DESIGN
DOMESTIC WOODS
​
BEECH
Beech is a workhorse of the hardwoods. Despite being under appreciated due to its sometimes bland appearance, Beech can be as dense and hard as the toughest Rock Maples. Beech is typically a pale cream colour.
​
BLACK CHERRY
Black Cherry develops a rich, reddish brown patina as it ages and is most affected by direct sunlight. Sapwood along the outer edge of the slab has a pale yellowish colour. Mineral deposits (black sap) are occasionally present. A very dense North American hardwood, typically Cherry does not take well to stain and is best left as is.
BLACK WALNUT
Local to the eastern US and Canada, Black Walnut has arguably the most character in its grain and variation from blond sapwood to deep heartwood. Walnut is known for its shock resistance, dimensional stability and strength. A highly popular wood with heartwood that ranges from a lighter pale brown to a dark chocolate brown. Sapwood is pale yellow-grey.
​
ROCK MAPLE
Also known as Hard Maple and Sugar Maple, this wood is the stiffest, strongest and most dense of all the maples. Sapwood is an off-white cream colour; heartwood tends to be a darker reddish brown. Figures like Birdseye*, Spalting* and curly grain patterns can sometimes been seen. (*see Exotic Woods)
WHITE OAK
Because of its density/closed cellular structure, White Oak has been used in construction and ship building for centuries. White Oak is the hardest Oak available. Not traditionally known as a stellar tone wood but can be nice when stained black and paired with something like maple or black walnut.
​
​
EXOTIC WOODS
WARRANTY AGREEMENT
Wood is a living, organic material and is subject to changes in temperature, humidity, and things of that nature. Many woods have inclusions that are natural to the species. and will not be regarded as defective or damaged. While we make every effort to utilize properly aged wood we cant always predict what will happen in the future. Likewise, if small changes and small natural defects in the wood is something that would bother you, possibly Massif’s wood products are not for you.
​
Massif’s liability for defective merchandise is limited to replacement or repair of that merchandise.
Massif Audio Design provides a limited one year warranty to the original purchaser of Massif wood racks and platforms from an authorized dealer, that the furniture is free from defects in material and workmanship as noted. This warranty does not apply to purchasers of as-is or distressed products or display samples or to products that have been modified. Color and finish variations are natural in wood and are not covered by this warranty. This warranty applies under conditions of normal household use but does not apply to fading (furniture should not be placed in direct sunlight) or defects that result from negligence, soiling, improper cleaning, misuse, abnormal use, accident, or commercial use.
Massif will, for one year following the date of the original purchase, at Massif’s option in its sole discretion, repair or replace, or provide a substitute for, any piece or part found by Massif to be defective in material or workmanship. Any costs for packing and shipping are not covered under this warranty. Service claims under this warranty should be made through the retail store from which the product was purchased. To obtain proper service under this warranty, the original purchase receipt should be kept. Due to the nature of small business and providing custom and customer specific products we are unable to issue refunds.
AFRICAN MAHOGANY
(Tropical West Africa)
African Mahogany has a special light-refracting optical phenomenon to its grain giving it a lot of depth. Typically the colour will darken with age.
BIRDSEYE MAPLE
(North America)
Birdseye Maple is not technically a distinct species of Maple, but rather, a figure that’s occasionally found in Rock Maple trees. The figure resembles small bird’s eyes. Reportedly caused by unfavorable growing conditions for the tree. The Rock Maple attempts to start numerous new buds to get more sunlight, but with poor growing conditions the new shoots are aborted, and afterward a number of tiny knots remain.
BLOODWOOD/SNAKEWOOD
(Tropical South America)
Bloodwood has a lustrous, vibrant red colour. Color can darken to a brownish red with exposure to daylight. Bloodwood is very closely related to snakewood. Snakewood is very rare and fully figured pieces are even more rare and very expensive. There is generally a problem with pith checking (that is, the center of the logs tends to have long voids and splits after drying). Typically only 25% of a log will have the famous snakeskin figure. Both figured and unfigured sections are prone to superficial hairline splits that sometimes cannot be seen until after the wood is fully worked and a finish is applied. However difficult, we feel snakewood is easily worth it.
BOCOTE
(Mexico and Central/South America)
Bocote is eye-catching with striking dark stripes against a yellow-brown surface. While it is as stiff and strong as Rock Maple, it is considerably heavier. Smells like dill pickle potato chips when being cut, luckily that smells dissipates quickly.
BUBINGA
(Equatorial Africa)
Also known as African rosewood Bubinga ranges from a pink/red to dark red/brown. Sapwood is straw coloured. Bubinga frequently has a variety of figures. Bubinga has an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. Super fun to say as well.
CHECHEN
(Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, Guatemala, Belize, and southeastern Mexico)
Also known as Black Poisonwood because the living tree has toxic black sap that causes reactions likened to poison ivy. No toxins are left in the wood. Colours are similar to that of a rosewood.
(Genuine) Lignum Vitae
Caribbean, Central America
Lignum Vitae is extremely hard and dense, rarest of the rare.
Arguably the true iron wood. Also extremely beautiful. As rare as it is gorgeous. Considered a fine tone wood, very prone to tiny hair line splits and checks in the grains and easily destroys shop tools. Noted for its use in nuclear subs.
JATOBA
(Central America, Southern Mexico, West Indies)
Heartwood varies from a light orangish brown to a darker reddish brown, sometimes with contrasting darker grayish brown streaks. Color tends darken upon exposure to light. Sapwood is a light grayish yellow, clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Grain typically has a course texture. Jatoba is exceptionally stiff, strong, and hard, but often lacks character and is better looking when paired with a dark accent wood.
PADUAK
(Central and Tropical West Africa)
Heartwood color can vary, ranging from a pale pinkish orange to a deep brownish red. Most pieces tend to start reddish orange when freshly cut, darkening substantially over time to a reddish/purplish brown (some lighter pieces age to a grayish brown).
PAU FERRO
(Tropical South America)
Color can be highly varied, ranging from reddish/orange to a dark violet/brown, usually with contrasting darker black streaks. While not a Rosewood, it is so close in appearance that is often referred to as Bolivian rosewood.
SPALTED MAPLE
(North America)
Any type of Maple that has begun the initial stages of decay, and was then dried, preventing further decay, is called Spalted Maple. The decay gives the wood dark contrasting lines and streaks yet is still strong, stable and usable.
ROSEWOOD/Mpingo
(Dalbergia species)
There are hundreds of species of rosewood ranging in territory from South American to Africa to South Asia.
Rosewood is extremely strong, and nearly twice as dense as oak. Colours can range from a pinkish hue (Tulip wood) to even solid black (mpingo). Most rosewoods are exceptional tone woods and have become highly regulated. Authentic Brazilian rosewood,Kingwood, Laotian rosewood, cocobolo and Siam rosewood are favourites of Massif customers, sadly, more difficult to come by these days.
​
Mpingo is a true rosewood and should not be confused with other black woods like ebony. They're about as related as oak and maple are.
​
ZEBRAWOOD
Has a fairly coarse texture and open pores. Grain is usually wavy or interlocked. Zebrawood is strong and stiff, with a fairly high density, however, the wood is much more favored for its bold and unique striping.
​