African Mahogany is usually an acceptable substitute for it’s more expensive cousins, genuine and Honduras mahogany. The latter two are generally the most beautiful of the mahoganies, but the instability present in Central America keeps most hardwood industry buyers out of the areas. African mahogany tends to be a bit more figured and a slightly lighter color. It is also not as reactive to ultraviolet light. During production, we rarely have to cover the machined pieces with black plastic to avoid “shadows” on the freshly machined pieces. All in all, the average person cannot distinguish African mahogany from it’s counterparts.