nato

[kupp]

I read an advertisement for a Fender A-style mandolin, and it said it had a nato neck. What the heck is nato? The only nato I have heard of is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. I have never seen a nato tree. Where do they grow? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Lee]

Scientific name is Mora Excelsa. It a hardwood, yellowish color and grown in the tropics. Resists rot, very strong and lightweight.

[Lee]

Scientific Name Mora excelsa
Family Caesalpiniaceae
A.T.I.B.T. Standard Name Mora
Other name Nato, Dakama, Pracuuba
Wood Appearance Mora (and Morabukea which is similar in structure) heartwood varies from chocolate-brown to reddish-brown.
- Sapwood wide with yellowish to pale brown colour.
- Texture is coarse.
- Grain straight often interlocked and somewhat wavy or irregular.
- Bole 50-80 feet long, rounded or flattened, diameter 24-36 inches.
Physical and Mechanical Properties A very heavy, very hard wood, large movement, dries very slowly with appreciable degrade. Outstanding strength properties, particularly resistant to wear.
Weight between - 900-1000kg/m3 (56-68 lb/ft3 ) seasoned.
Natural Durability Heartwood very durable and extremely resistant to preservative treatment. Mora is markedly fire resistant.
Timber Processing Drying - Kiln Schedule B. Slow, must must be carried out carefully because of risk of distortion and checking.
Working - Difficult to saw, because of its density and interlocked grain. With the same qualification it can be planed, finishes smoothly, turns easily, splits with great difficulty.
Assembly - Difficult to nail but holds nails and rail spikes well. Pre-boring is necessary.
Finishing - Staining and polishing satisfactory.
Uses Best suited for heavy construction work, jetties and foreshore work. Particularly suitable for sleepers, wagon bottoms, and for both traditional and mosaic flooring and shipbuilding.
Supplies Very common in Guyana. Abundant and regular supplies assured.

[Jasper]

My first mandolin was a Bean Blossom (bottom of the line model) I got for $125 at a pawn shop. It was literally 100% nato. I thought it was synthetic material, so thanks for this thread and the follow-on info. It didn't have the best acoustical characteristic, but in the hands of my instructor, it sounded pretty good. I got rid of it because the action was was high it just killed my fingers, and I didn't see a reason to spend $75 for a set up on a $125 mandolin.

I think it is just a step above the PLY tree in the wood family http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Paul Kotapish]

Nato has become one of the most popular woods for acoustic guitar necks in the moderate-to-budget range. It is also becoming more common for back-and-side sets for less-expensive solid-wood guitars, ukes, and mandolins.

Most builders describe it as very similar to mahogany--which covers a lot of territory--and in fact it is sometimes called eastern mahogany. I've never heard it wildly lauded as a tone wood, but it seems to perform very well for necks, blocks, and so forth, and with the growing scarcity of quality rosewood and mahogany, it will probably be more common as a tone wood on acoustic instruments.

As with most tone woods, the results that nato yields generally depend more on the luthier than on the raw materials, but good materials never hurt. Nato might not be glamorous, but it can me made to do the job.