Guibourtia is a flowering plant genus in the family Fabaceae, also known by the common names as Rhodesian copalwood, African rosewood, amazique, bubinga, kevazingo and ovangkol.
Guibourtia contains 16 species that are native to tropical regions of Africa (13 species) and South America (3 species).[1] They occur in swampy or periodically inundated forests, as well as near rivers or at lakeshores.
The trees grow to 40–50 m tall, with a trunk diameter of 1–2 m, often with a heavily buttressed trunk.[2]
The genus is used as a tropical hardwood timber, and is traded under the common names bubinga, African rosewood, amazoue, amazique, kevazingo and ovangkol.[4][5][6]
The timber is also used for inlays[7] and in the manufacture of high-end furniture (especially by contemporary Arts and Crafts artists), on high-end woodworking tools such as the front knobs and rear handles of smooth planes, knife handles and medium-end tobacco pipes.[8]
The timber is often used by luthiers for harps and other instruments, such as bass guitars, because of its mellow and well-rounded sound and the various range of grain patterns. Warwick Bass and Ibanez are known to use bubinga and ovangkol. It has been used in drum shells as well. Drum companies such as Tama offer various high-end drum kits with plies of bubinga in the shells.[failed verification] Crafter also uses bubinga on some of their instruments.[9] Bubinga is also used in both acoustic and electric guitars for its figure and hardness.