Considering a tenor. Mahogany or rosewood?

[phydaux]

I'm considering a tenor guitar. I'm thinking a Blueridge. They have offerings in (laminated) mahogany or (laminated) rosewood.

I'm thinking a tenor guitar will already have a high resister. Maybe rosewood would be too much of a good thing. So mahogany?

That are the forum's thoughts?

[Bowie]

The back is actually one of the smaller considerations, though it tends to get the most attention. The builder will have a far greater impact on the sound than the back wood so I'd make that decision first. Think of it as pairing a wine with dinner rather than picking a meal to go with the wine. Edit; I missed the laminated part. It won't matter.

[Wade Hampton]

Until you get into solid woods, it doesn’t much matter which wood you choose with laminates. Pick the one you think is prettiest.


whm

[phydaux]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Until you get into solid woods, it doesn’t much matter

Strong point. Thanks.

[NickTuneUp]

As other people have mentioned, if it is laminate the back wood doesn't really matter. Between laminate rosewood and mahogany, they sandwich the same cheap wood between two really thin pieces of mahogany and rosewood. Just go with what looks better to you.

I have a used, all sollid, Larrivee T-40R that I can get a really good price on for you. It comes with a 22.8" scale. I frequently put lighter strings on it and tune it up G to G. Below is a demo video of the T-40R and a T-40M (which has since sold).

T-40R




T-40M




T-40M with a capo (this sounds really great!)

[TheGITM]

Just dropping in to add that all laminate is not the same... there are makers that only use the tone woods in their laminate process and no 'filler' wood.

[NickTuneUp]

Originally Posted by TheGITM

Just dropping in to add that all laminate is not the same... there are makers that only use the tone woods in their laminate process and no 'filler' wood.

This is probably true for some guitar makers but I think most are using some type of inexpenisve core wood. I know Taylor Guitars uses poplar between the veneer. Here is an article on that.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by NickTuneUp

This is probably true for some guitar makers but I think most are using some type of inexpenisve core wood. I know Taylor Guitars uses poplar between the veneer. Here is an article on that.

From that Taylor article you link to:

"To be clear, the composite nature of layered wood back and sides won’t produce quite the same level of sonic detail as solid wood backs and sides will. “The veneers will still color the tone, but the guitar becomes more of a reflection of the design."

This has been my experience with "plywood" - two outer veneers with an inner core of a different wood. The Yamaha FG800 range is a good case in point. The veneers of nato, mahogany, rosewood and maple over a meranti core wood certainly color the tone of the 800, 820, 830 and 840 - and the change in timbre is just as you would expect from solid b/s made from those woods. The overall resonance may not be as strong as a solid wood (perhaps a debatable statement as woods "filter" frequencies rather than add frequencies) but the difference between each Yamaha model is certainly very audible.

Regarding the tenor (a 4 string I presume?). My first thought would be to go for mahogany to pronounce that bit of punch that tenor guitars usually have. I would think that the scooped mids of rosewood would be "scooping" right in the frequencies you actually want! I could be completely wrong, so if you get the chance, play both!!!!