Growing Region: South America, including the Chiquitano dry forest of Bolivia and Brazil, home to 90 endangered species. Pau Ferro is one of 6 primary trees that make up the 20-meter canopy of the Chiquitano forest

Availability: An excellent substitute for Brazilian rosewood. Available with FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certification. Our 2 sample drums are made from 100% FSC certified pau ferro.

Weight/Hardness/Density: Pau Ferro weighs in at 3.85 pounds per board foot, and maple weighs 3.4 pounds per board foot. Pau Ferro scores 1780 on the Janka hardness scale, and maple scores 1450. (The Janka scale is a measurement of how many pounds of force is required to force a steel .44” ball ½ of its depth into the wood).

Cost: Three times that of maple.

Habitat Concerns: In August 2001, Shell and Enron built the 390-mile long Cuiaba natural gas pipeline through Bolivia’s 15 million-acre Chiquitano forest. This is South America’s largest tropical dry forest, and likely the largest dry forest in the world. The Chiquitano forest is a transition zone between the Amazon in the North, and scrub forests in the South. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) lists nearly 90 endangered species, including the Jaguar, as living in this fragile area. According to Robert Garner at Soundwood (division of Flora and Fauna International), dry forests such as Chiquitano are more threatened than the rain forests. With the Cuiaba pipeline comes service roads, which opens up the areas to logging, mining, cattle ranchers and hunting. The roads also disrupt wildlife and destroy parts of the natural Eco-system. The largest threat comes from the spread of agriculture and human habitation into the area, which is now accessible due to the opening of the pipeline service roads. This will also disrupt the lifestyles of over 250 indigenous communities in the area. Many organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund, suggested the pipeline be placed elsewhere. Shell and Enron went ahead with the pipeline, but promised to fund conservation and indigenous programs. Enron has since declared bankruptcy.

Comments: The dust of this wood can cause dermatitis, itching, swelling, redness of the face, hands and scrotum, sore mouth, throat and eyes.

Timbre/Tonal Color: Higher fundamental pitch than maple. Nice round tone with good body. Layered and full sounding. Plenty of high frequencies with just enough mid and low frequencies to round it out and support the highs.

Dynamic Range: Really speaks out nicely when laid into. Maple sounded more monotone in comparison to the voices of the pau ferro. The character sound of the drum remained consistent from pp (very soft) to ff (very loud).

Tonal Range: The note dropped in pitch slightly as we moved from the center of the drum toward the rim. This was true on our 6 x14 and the 4 x 14. The sweetspot extended about 2 inches from the center of the drum.

Tuning Range: The pau ferro went as low as the maple comparison drum but with more depth to the sound, and it went as high as the maple drum.

Resonance/Decay: Principal note is equivalent in length to maple, but the drum was cleaner giving it a “faster” sound and feel.

Cross Stick: Rim shots have a great sound and “bark” in a distinct voice, making the maple seem more monotone. The cross stick was lower in pitch than the maple, contradicting its higher pitched drumhead sound. Cross stick was very “clave” like. Rich and full sounding. The area for cross stick was slightly larger than on our maple drum.

Volume: Equal to maple.

Sensitivity: Very articulate. Slightly less over ring and “quicker” than maple.

Comments: Good workhorse. Versatile. Pau ferro has a solid feel and good stick response.

By Greg Gaylord & Robert “tree-hugger” Bowler.
Photo credit Frankie Frost