Terminalia elliptica (syn. T. tomentosa)

In short, Indian Laurel and Indian Rosewood fretboards sound surprisingly similar. Both offer excellent playability and balanced tones, with Rosewood’s tone being slightly warmer. Their colors differ slightly, with Laurel being medium brown in contrast to dark brown with near-black streaks of colour, deeper brown hue of Rosewood. Its grain is typically straight, though it can be slightly interlocked or irregular with fiddleback and mottle grain patterns. The texture of Indian laurel is medium-to-coarse. 

--"An exqusite wood that resembles East Indian Rosewood in color and texture, but showcases relatively straight grain. Expect irregular dark stripes among a medium-dark tan to gray color."--

It is a common tree in China, Australia, Central Asia, and Tropical Asia. Indian laurel is not listed in the CITES Appendices, nor is it listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Indian laurel (most commonly referred to as “laurel”) is a superb fretboard tonewood and also works well as a back and sides material of the guitar. It's hard and dense with a rich harmonic profile, brilliant highs and a punchy low-end. The color of Laurel tonewood is light brown to dark brown. You will observe medium to coarse texture with straight grain. The work with this tonewood is easy, thanks to its high hardness (10,390 N / 2,336 lbf Janka) and good finish. It's considered too heavy for solid bodies and necks and is disregarded as a soundboard wood. The excellency of a fretboard tonewood like an Indian Laurel is clear through the tonal experience it gives. You will get nothing less than a perfect tune on a guitar made with Laurel. Its density and hardness are as apt as they can get for a guitar. The overtones and highs of Laurel are rich and brilliant, respectively. Talking about the low end it maintains, it’s warm. The lows and highs can shine brightly because of scooped midrange. If you are looking for a durable tonewood, Indian Laurel is the one. For a perfect experience with your guitar, you need to maintain the right tension between the strings. Laurel has the appropriate rigidness and elasticity for the maintenance of tension in the string.

The best thing about the wood of Laurel is its elasticity, which enables you to feel the guitar in the right manner. You will realize the softness once your fingertips touch the fretboard.  If you have budget limitations, you can pick Indian Laurel tonewood. As a tonewood, Indian laurel is a lively wood with rich overtones and brilliant highs. It maintains a warm, sustaining low-end and its midrange is slightly scooped, allowing the lows and highs to punch and shine through.