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Rosewood vs Mahogany guitars
Posted on 4/15/22 at 4:36 pm
Posted on 4/15/22 at 4:36 pm
I've never owned a mahogany guitar, only rosewood. I play a lot of bluegrass and like a deep bass growl and always assumed rosewood was best for that.
However, I recently played a Martin D18 Golden Era that was bassier than any of my rosewood guitars.
Is this typical of mahogany or did I just happen to play a particularly bassy mahogany?
However, I recently played a Martin D18 Golden Era that was bassier than any of my rosewood guitars.
Is this typical of mahogany or did I just happen to play a particularly bassy mahogany?
This post was edited on 4/15/22 at 10:22 pm
3
Posted on 4/15/22 at 5:28 pm to SidewalkTiger
My hunch is the latter and you got the exception, not the rule. Mahogany tends to have a spongier midrange and subsequently a flatter EQ curve. Emphasis on "tends."
Truth be told, tone profiles should be taken with a grain of salt, that's why we play so many guitars before we find what speaks to us. Wood is like fingerprints or snowflakes, and uniqueness factor is exponential as the quantity of wood employed increases. A high-end acoustic will have a two-piece soundboard, at least two bent side pieces, usually a two-piece back, at least three pieces of wood comprising the fingerboard, the neck trunk and the neck block, and the ribs, the braces, the kerfling ... that's a LOT of competing voices.
Truth be told, tone profiles should be taken with a grain of salt, that's why we play so many guitars before we find what speaks to us. Wood is like fingerprints or snowflakes, and uniqueness factor is exponential as the quantity of wood employed increases. A high-end acoustic will have a two-piece soundboard, at least two bent side pieces, usually a two-piece back, at least three pieces of wood comprising the fingerboard, the neck trunk and the neck block, and the ribs, the braces, the kerfling ... that's a LOT of competing voices.
Posted on 4/15/22 at 6:15 pm to SidewalkTiger
Wood literally makes no difference in tone and barely makes any perceptible difference on sustain. Fretboards are all about comfort and durability. Pick something that looks good, stays in tune, and feels comfortable to play. The only thing that really matters on a guitar (as far as tone is concerned) is pickup type and position.
ETA: what I wrote is true of electric guitars, not acoustics.
ETA: what I wrote is true of electric guitars, not acoustics.
This post was edited on 4/16/22 at 1:49 am
Posted on 4/15/22 at 6:40 pm to kingbob
quote:
The only thing that really matters on a guitar (as far as tone is concerned) is pickup type and position.
There are quite a few people who will argue the point in the neck affecting tone. Some people are even introducing carbon fiber rods into the neck to get a brighter tone. I don’t really have a definitive opinion on it, but I will say there’s a pretty obvious difference in between the tone of a semi hollow and solid body guitar, so why wouldn’t a denser neck play a part as well? Who knows?
This post was edited on 4/15/22 at 6:41 pm
Posted on 4/15/22 at 6:43 pm to TheFretShack
quote:
My hunch is the latter and you got the exception, not the rule. Mahogany tends to have a spongier midrange and subsequently a flatter EQ curve. Emphasis on "tends."
Truth be told, tone profiles should be taken with a grain of salt, that's why we play so many guitars before we find what speaks to us. Wood is like fingerprints or snowflakes, and uniqueness factor is exponential as the quantity of wood employed increases. A high-end acoustic will have a two-piece soundboard, at least two bent side pieces, usually a two-piece back, at least three pieces of wood comprising the fingerboard, the neck trunk and the neck block, and the ribs, the braces, the kerfling ... that's a LOT of competing voices.
This was always my belief as well.
I'm wanting to buy one really good acoustic that I love the feel, sound, and look of, it's really tough though because I like the look of a Martin Ambertone the best but there's very few to play in my area.
Posted on 4/15/22 at 6:46 pm to kingbob
Begun the tonewood wars have.
Posted on 4/15/22 at 7:22 pm to kingbob
quote:
Wood literally makes no difference in tone and barely makes any perceptible difference on tone. Fretboards are all about comfort and durability. Pick something that looks good, stays in tune, and feels comfortable to play. The only thing that really matters on a guitar (as far as tone is concerned) is pickup type and position.
I didn't clarify very well but was speaking about acoustics.
Posted on 4/15/22 at 8:48 pm to SidewalkTiger
I've heard it said, more than a few times," 95% of an acoustic guitar's sound comes from the top wood, the back and sides are like the EQ". I agree with that, but it's hard to speak in absolutes, when talking about natural products like wood. There are going to be variations in every piece used.
As far as that D-16 goes, a friend has one and it is a sweet sounding guitar, and about as perfect a tone for grass and old school country as you can ask for.
I am currently shopping for a new acoustic, and have been trying out a lot of different ones. I have been trying a lot of different combinations of wood for the back and sides. I'm only considering guitars with solid spruce tops and electronics, in the 1 thousand dollar range though. The past few weeks, I've tried guitars with back and sides of walnut, maple, cherry, sapele, ovangkol, mahogany and everything else. I liked all of them and it's hard deciding. Nut width and the way the neck feels are probably going to be my deciding factors, all of the spruce top guitars have the ballpark sound that I want, no matter the back and side material.
Really wanting to try one of the Seagull Spruce top Entourage dreadnoughts with cherry back and sides. They have a 1.72" nut width(perfect) and I really like the Seagull necks and the Godin electronics, not to mention they are a couple hundred bucks more affordable than the others. They are just hard to come by right now, around here.
As far as that D-16 goes, a friend has one and it is a sweet sounding guitar, and about as perfect a tone for grass and old school country as you can ask for.
I am currently shopping for a new acoustic, and have been trying out a lot of different ones. I have been trying a lot of different combinations of wood for the back and sides. I'm only considering guitars with solid spruce tops and electronics, in the 1 thousand dollar range though. The past few weeks, I've tried guitars with back and sides of walnut, maple, cherry, sapele, ovangkol, mahogany and everything else. I liked all of them and it's hard deciding. Nut width and the way the neck feels are probably going to be my deciding factors, all of the spruce top guitars have the ballpark sound that I want, no matter the back and side material.
Really wanting to try one of the Seagull Spruce top Entourage dreadnoughts with cherry back and sides. They have a 1.72" nut width(perfect) and I really like the Seagull necks and the Godin electronics, not to mention they are a couple hundred bucks more affordable than the others. They are just hard to come by right now, around here.
This post was edited on 4/15/22 at 9:45 pm
Posted on 4/15/22 at 10:24 pm to auggie
How did you like the walnut?
Posted on 4/15/22 at 10:34 pm to SidewalkTiger
quote:
How did you like the walnut?
I liked it fine, and that guitar didn't have any finish on it yet at all.
The man that built that one, likes to string up his guitars and play them some before he finishes them. I would love to have that guitar, but he doesn't install any electronics at all, and I need that.
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