Brazilain Rosewood..any similar Rosewoods?
 

I own a few guitars and by far the one with the best overall tone for me is my Santa Cruz 00 with Brazilain Rosewood back and sides and an adarondak top.

Are there other woods that have similar tonal qualities to the Brazilain rosewood? I've been searching to no avail. Guatemalan? Madi?

Just curious as to what the experts think? Thanks

Amazon Rosewood is in my opinion indistinguishable from Brazilian.
This is my 00-28VS custom with Amazon.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0...D720/ry%3D480/


http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0...D550/ry%3D400/


.....Mike

I've been told by more than a few--Madagascar Rosewood is sometimes very close, then Cocobolo. FWIW

I see there has been some previous discussion on the AGF regarding Jacaranda.
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f.../t-177471.html

I've read where some luthiers consider African Blackwood even tonally superior to BRW. I've never heard a guitar in ABW but I can tell you it's probably the ultimate tonewood for woodwind instruments.

Yep!

Humans get picky about political borders. Trees simply grow past them.

Guatemalan Rosewood (Tucarensis) gets high marks from some top luthiers in this category....I believe John Arnold had it on his list which got published on UMGF.

That is the nicest Amazon I have seen, Mike. I have never heard an Amazon guitar but I have heard they are as you said- indistinguishable with BRW.

Madagascar is in the same ballpark in my opinion.

This is my Flammang AJ75. Adi/African Blackwood. It's David's take on an
Advanced Jumbo. Long scale. Comparing it to BRW is kind of tough. I would only say it's different.

ABW is much less expensive than BRW. It's more dense, tough to work with (bend), and probably less photogenic than BRW.

It's outstanding. I have never heard anything quite like it. It has no ceiling to it- can get very loud and remains clear.
But it is so sensitive and responsive to the lightest touch. Great guitar.

I would recommend it as an alternative to BRW. But I don't think it sounds the same.

A pic of it under construction- the grain is more visible

http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_3939.jpg

Finished- sorry about the reflections (their not mine)

http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...y/AJ75back.jpg

Top
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/44...91d7454ed2.JPG

Any of the following woods could have the similar tonal characteristics with BRW:

African Blackwood
Amazon Rosewood
Bois de Rose
Burmese Blackwood
Burmese Rosewood
Cocobolo
East Indian Rosewood
Honduran Rosewood
Kingwood
Madagascar Rosewood
Sissoo
Tulipwood
Yucatan Rosewood

... ... because they are related species!

Wow
 

What a Gem Flammang! Just beautiful. I'd love to hear it.
Sorry I have nothing to add

They are the same Genus, not of the same species, therefore they are not necessarily similar. Some of those you have mentioned are very different.


Thanks Willysunday, I am very happy with what Martin picked for this guitar.


......Mike

For me, and all things being somehow equal (?), after Brazilian RW I tend to like African Blackwood and Honduran RW (in that order) as substitutes for my ears, but Madagascar and Amazon can be good as well. I think the quality of all these woods can vary quite a bit and unless you are dealing with a smaller shop or builder you trust, you really don't know what you're getting. My experience has been that the right builder with the right woods can do wonders... regardless of where the wood came from.

And when all else fails, I just go with mahogany. :wink:

I asked the shoppe that i bought my acoustic recently to make me comparison sound clips..as I saw George Lowden loves the Redwood/African Blackwood combination.
One was a 050 Master Sitka/Koa..and other Redwood/African Blackwood F50..
The large Koa sounded brighter & more open and impressed me right away..the African BW sounded boxy and when I heard it ,it was "oh no..

Don't go by the names..better try in person or at least some how hear & compare it to something you know.
If were looking for a Braz Rosewood replacement Id probably have one made in Madagascar Rosewood.

Perhaps it should be mentioned that due to limmited availabillaty and quality the differences in price of aforementioned woods can be pretty large, not even to mention that it's almost impossible to find instruments with straightgrained quartersawn wood of some of the afore mentioned species.
For instance Madagascar.
On top of this some of these woods can not easily travel through customs without appropiate documentation.

Ludwig

Thanks for all of the input and I learn more each day I visit this site. You guys are such a wealth of information and I appreciate the responses.