Dumb question, but why is rosewood not used as a top wood?

[juice22]

I tried searching for this but didn't find much, so I apologize if this has been covered.

With the popularity of solid mahogany guitars, and actually just purchasing one myself... why are there no solid rosewood guitars? It seems that as far as back/sides go it's common for one or the other. Just curious.

[Kip Carter]

Now that might be interesting... and all rosewood body? hmmmmm.

[juice22]

Originally Posted by Kip Carter

Now that might be interesting... and all rosewood body? hmmmmm.

That's what made me pose the question... seems like surely someone tried it and for some reason it didn't stick, otherwise you'd be seeing it as an option out there. Would it just be cost-prohibitive? Overtones like crazy?

[MBE]

Originally Posted by juice22

I tried searching for this but didn't find much, so I apologize if this has been covered.

With the popularity of solid mahogany guitars, and actually just purchasing one myself... why are there no solid rosewood guitars? It seems that as far as back/sides go it's common for one or the other. Just curious.

To put it very simply, because they never sound good.

To be a bit more technical (but still simple), it is a denser wood with a poorer stiffness:weight ratio than any of the "successful" top woods. The lighter a top can be (while remaining adequately stiff), the more it vibrates and the louder and more vibrant the tone.

Rosewood tops make for quiet, dull acoustic guitars.

[juice22]

Originally Posted by MBE

To put it very simply, because they never sound good.

To be a bit more technical (but still simple), it is a denser wood with a poorer stiffness:weight ratio than any of the "successful" top woods. The lighter a top can be (while remaining adequately stiff), the more it vibrates and the louder and more vibrant the tone.

Rosewood tops make for quiet, dull acoustic guitars.

See, now that just makes sense.

Thanks for the concise answer. I figured that was the case.

[DenverSteve]

My understanding is, similar to above, is that because Rosewood is twice the density of Sitka Spruce (for example), it is too stiff/dense for a top wood.

[Kip Carter]

Makes sense... I'm betting someone has made one or two that way just to try it but density of the wood would be a bridge too far. The only way you could over come that would be to make the top thinner so it could resonate better.

Just not worth the effort for the return potential.

[MBE]

Originally Posted by Kip Carter

Makes sense... I'm betting someone has made one or two that way just to try it but density of the wood would be a bridge too far. The only way you could over come that would be to make the top thinner so it could resonate better.

Just not worth the effort for the return potential.

Even making it as thin as possible while maintaining adequate strength, it ends up being heavier than equivalently strong tops of other woods.

There are some rosewood top budget acoustic-electrics out there. The rosewood might be a plus for a stage guitar on a stadium...by resonating less, it'll be more feedback resistant. Of course at that point you might as well be playing a solidbody with a piezo pickup...

[Sixfir]

This Cordoba has

[robj144]

They do make them. Here is a Yairi:

[Willy D]

I have one built by Trevor Kronbauer - sounds at least as good (or better) than it looks, and she's a beauty. Lots of volume - very well balanced and somewhat unique tone compared to the Martins, Gibsons et al that I test drove before buying this one - bottomline: it works ... real good.

Cheers

[devellis]

As some have suggested, in the right hands, anything is possible. I wonder if some of the guitars (not all) pictured are actually laminated tops with only a rosewood veneer.

Making a great sounding rosewood topped guitar strikes me as quite a challenge, for the reasons already mentioned (density, dampening properties). That doesn't mean it can't be done. But it likely won't sound like what a lot of people expect from a guitar and it probably takes a lot more skill and patience than most factory-built guitars get. I say all this never having built a guitar but having played a bunch.

[MrBJones]

Not stupid at all! (I asked the same thing back in January this year )
HERE is the thread.