Mahagony b/s vs Rosewood

[Herb Hunter]

Until a few months ago, I owned both mahogany and rosewood guitars for over ten years. At one time I had three rosewood guitars and two mahogany.

In my experience, typically, mahogany guitars are brighter, rosewoods are warmer.

Taylor on mahogany: "The mahogany used in our 500 Series produces a bright, clear tone..."

Taylor on rosewood: "tonal characteristics that include a strong bass response and long sustain."

[werx]

Same agreement with everyone else. Mahogany is dry, woody, warm, and mellow in comparison with Rosewood's deep bass, sparkly highs, and more overtones. Mahogany gives a more fundamental sound, Rosewood is more airy or "jangly". Though I can see how someone could hear it as the opposite, so it's strange.

Jon

[bransonb]

Originally Posted by Bendial

Hi All,

I know it all comes down to preference but I'm wondering what type of sound characteristics you can expect from each type of wood for the back and sides (assuming they both had the same top), generally speaking. I know each guitar is very different (and even two rosewood guitars may sound completely different) but I'm just asking for the "typical" characteristics.

Got just the thing for you, Bendial. If you would like to actually hear the difference, take a stroll over to the Larrivee Forum and check out the Larrivee Sound Clips. Larrivee builds most of their models in both mahogany and rosewood, and the sound clips offer an excellent comparison of the two tonewoods.

http://www.larriveeforum.com/smf/index.php?topic=5947.0

[ruiz00tx]

Originally Posted by bransonb

Got just the thing for you, Bendial. If you would like to actually hear the difference, take a stroll over to the Larrivee Forum and check out the Larrivee Sound Clips. Larrivee builds most of their models in both mahogany and rosewood, and the sound clips offer an excellent comparison of the two tonewoods.

http://www.larriveeforum.com/smf/index.php?topic=5947.0

Great link, thanks.

[emmonsh]

Originally Posted by fitness1

Sure you don't have those flipped???

i agree. i just went from a mhogony to a rosewood on the same guitar. the rosewood is more woody while the mahogony is brighter.

[ramsa]

Mahogany vs rosewood?
I tend to think of mahogany as being an overall brighter material...
Lighter, and maybe not as visually exciting.

Some examples of each can be stunning in tone and look.

I like the sound of "hog" better, I believe.

Maple can be interesting as back/side material also though...

[Lewguitar]

This is fascinating. (Maybe I need to get a life? ) I wonder if we're all hearing the same things but it's the words we're using to describe what we hear that are different?

[Sugar Bear]

Let's put this into a frame of reference a bit more familiar to me.

Here is a nice Martin D-18V, with Mahogany back and sides.

Here is a Martin HD-28V, with East Indian Rosewood back and sides.

Now you can decide for yourself what's bright, what's warm, and add your own superlatives.

Sugar Bear

[ramsa]

Originally Posted by Sugar Bear

Let's put this into a frame of reference a bit more familiar to me.

Here is a nice Martin D-18V, with Mahogany back and sides.

Here is a Martin HD-28V, with East Indian Rosewood back and sides.

Now you can decide for yourself what's bright, what's warm, and add your own superlatives.

Sugar Bear

You can't use use Martin as an example...
They've always had it backwards!


Dave

[fitness1]

I was starting to think I was in Bizzaro World.....


Here's my take. Mahogany is a lighter wood. Tonally, it's normally more focused, more fundamental with better string separation, brighter overall (especially in the low mids) with more pronounced treble range (whatever you want to call it....chimey, etc)

Rosewoods are much heavier, have a darker overall tone (again, especially in the low/mids), less fundamental (more overtones) and a more controlled treble range (I guess I'd call it smoother)

I've gone through over 150 guitars in the last 7 or 8 years and found this to be almost across the board. As a result, I've ended up with one Walnut (middle of the road) and one Sapele (mahogany family)
My classical is also Sapele because I like the "snap" in the trebles.

[rmyAddison]

I have a D-18GE and an HD-28V, pretty similar but the GE does have an Adi top.

They sound nothing alike and fantastic together because they don't step on each other.

The Hog is fundamental, the rosewood has way more overtones.

The Hog is better defined, more room between the notes, the rosewood is warmer.

The Hog projects better, more often used for bluegrass lead over rosewood. The rosewood fills better, better for rhythm.

Fitness1's assessment matches mine prety much. Neither wood is "better" just different.

I am starting to lean towards Adi/Hog regardless of body style, I might need an OM GE...

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by rmyAddison

I have a D-18GE and an HD-28V, pretty similar but the GE does have an Adi top.

They sound nothing alike and fantastic together because they don't step on each other.

The Hog is fundamental, the rosewood has way more overtones.

The Hog is better defined, more room between the notes, the rosewood is warmer.

The Hog projects better, more often used for bluegrass lead over rosewood. The rosewood fills better, better for rhythm.

Fitness1's assessment matches mine prety much. Neither wood is "better" just different.

I am starting to lean towards Adi/Hog regardless of body style, I might need an OM GE...

If not here, elsewhere I said both as a joke and seriously to just get the 00-18V and HD-28 or variations and all problems will be solved.

[dandy505]

Originally Posted by billgennaro

i'll go with the analogy that rosewood offers more overtones to give the guitar a "piano-like" sound (notes blend together). mahogany tends to offer more in the way of fundamental (less overtones) and the sound of each individual string is more easily recognizable. i'll even throw in that maple is even more fundamental than mahogany.

I like your comparison. to add to it...
Rosewood is dark and deep sounding but can get muddy and unclear, too much going on with overtones. mahogany is clearer, drier, more defined, simpler, less overtones. maple steps further yet; is clear, clean, bright, distinctive note separation, excellent for recording.