Hard and a little oily, especially the darkest specimens. Timber from Indonesia and from plantations is faster grown with paler colouration. Very dimensionally stable, and the clear favourite for classical guitar back & sides, and a large proportion of fingerboards. CITES recognises that this is an essential wood for luthiers, even so, there are indications that quality and availability are decreasing as the price increases. Looking for temperate zone alternatives is now imperative.