East Indian Rosewood, Malabar, Bombay Blackwood (Dalbergia latifolia) comes from India and Sri Lanka. It is quite a hard wood of dark purplish brown colour with blackish streaks, light violet to almost black colour. This true rosewood is darker than most rosewoods but quite attractive. East Indian Rosewood works well with machine or hand tools and finishes smoothly. This wood has a very strong aroma, it is nearly out of trade due to restricted felling policies. Its combination of beauty and tonal qualities made it popular for guitar sides and backs, it has been the choice wood for many famous guitar manufacturers over the past 50 years.
