Mahogany or Rosewood?

[ladytexan]

For those LTGers who have both mahogany and rosewood models, can you, please, describe the tonal differences between the two woods? My only reference point is the difference between my two Martins (of similar body size and type). I have no experience with a Guild rosewood b/s'ed guitar.

The question is precipitated by a "Toni, you need a rosewood Guild" inner voice GAS attack. HELP..........

Thanks,

Toni

 

[marcellis]

Tonal differences to my ears?

Hog = Mostly mid-range, very punchy. (That's less so w/a Spruce top).

Rosewood/Spruce = lower lows, rounder, clearer highs, less mid-range than Hog.

Rosewood/Cedar = sheer velvet. I love this sound.

Maple/Spruce = Less bass, not as round in the bass & lower mid-range.
But it absolutely kills in the upper mids & highs.

I've always thought that Maple/Spruce Guilds were the real "Martin-killers".

I'm personally not a fan of Spruce-top Mahogany guitars.
I had a Westerly D40 (1978) and I much preferred my all Hog 1972 D25.

OTOH, my arch-top is Hog/Spruce. It's deep and it's loud.
***

My preferences for my style of playing:

(tie) 1. Maple/Spruce (for recording)
(tie) 1. Rosewood/Cedar (for live)
2. Solid Hog
3. Rosewood/Spruce
4. Hog/Spruce

 

[dayuhan]

The question is precipitated by a "Toni, you need a rosewood Guild" inner voice GAS attack. HELP..........

Toni, you need a Rosewood Guild. Then a maple Guild, and then...

Does that help?

I own a rosewood and have played a number of hogs, but I couldn't begin to say whether the differences were a function of the woods or the body styles or the individual guitars or the mood I was in while playing them. I can definitely say you need a rosewood Guild though. We all do. If we already have one, we need another!

 

[EddieZ]

Toni,
I live in Austin, if you'd like to try some pm or email me. I have a 512 and a 212XL, a D55 and some D25s one a hog top arch back.

Regards,
EddieZ

 

[killdeer43]

Toni,

I'll keep it simple:
Rosewood = Rich and mellow sound.
Mahogany= Bright and lively sound.

At least that's what my original issue ears tell me, :wink:
Joe

*And then there's the choice of strings.......

 

[evenkeel]

Toni,
I'll keep it simple:
Rosewood = Rich and mellow sound.
Mahogany= Bright and lively sound.

I'll just add rosewood is a bit dark, more bass with crisper highs. Mahogany in addition to bright and lively, good descriptions by the way, is warmer and a bit more mellow. My maple GF-30 has some of the crispness of of rosewood but none of the low end, rumble. It's also not as warm and mellow as Mahogany, but even a bit brighter and more lively.

 

[bunuel]

My dos centavos: mahogany is very balanced w/ fundamental tones, not as much richness & sustain as--Rosewood, which tends to have deeper bass & more overtones. I've found that most of what rosewood delivers gets lost in a band mix, while mahogany delivers in the same situation.

I haven't found this to be particular to Guilds--seems to hold for wide variety of decent guitars, including Martins.

All of the foregoing is based on other things being equal. But they seldom are. for instance, body style also makes a sig. difference. Other factors being equal, smaller parlor bodies tend to have strong mids, dreads have a sorta scooped mid sound & jumbos tend to have a profound bottom end.

Regardless enjoy the search!

 

[fronobulax]

Do tone woods really make a difference? :wink:

Everyone worries about whether the guitar has a mahogany back or a rosewood back, but maybe it’s about your beer gut pressing on the guitar’s back.

(from the article referenced here)

 

[adorshki]

Do tone woods really make a difference? :wink:

Everyone worries about whether the guitar has a mahogany back or a rosewood back, but maybe it’s about your beer gut pressing on the guitar’s back.

(from the article referenced here)

I'm gonna have to try me out one o' them "beer guts". :lol: .

 

[mbaker824]

For those LTGers who have both mahogany and rosewood models, can you, please, describe the tonal differences between the two woods? My only reference point is the difference between my two Martins (of similar body size and type). I have no experience with a Guild rosewood b/s'ed guitar.

The question is precipitated by a "Toni, you need a rosewood Guild" inner voice GAS attack. HELP..........

Thanks,

Toni

Hi, Toni. If by "help" you mean you're looking for someone to talk you out of your need for a rosewood Guild, you have absolutely come to the wrong place. :lol:

My only Guild at present is a mahogany/spruce D25, so I can't offer much in Guild-specific terms. For reference, though, the Taylor web site has a pretty good representation of the tonal differences among the various tonewoods. http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/fe ... oods/Tone/

Mark

 

[Ridgemont]

For those LTGers who have both mahogany and rosewood models, can you, please, describe the tonal differences between the two woods? My only reference point is the difference between my two Martins (of similar body size and type). I have no experience with a Guild rosewood b/s'ed guitar.

The question is precipitated by a "Toni, you need a rosewood Guild" inner voice GAS attack. HELP..........

Thanks,

Toni

Hi, Toni. If by "help" you mean you're looking for someone to talk you out of your need for a rosewood Guild, you have absolutely come to the wrong place. :lol:

My only Guild at present is a mahogany/spruce D25, so I can't offer much in Guild-specific terms. For reference, though, the Taylor web site has a pretty good representation of the tonal differences among the various tonewoods. http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/fe ... oods/Tone/

Mark

While I am not the biggest fan of Taylor guitars, I find their website to be one of the best online resources for guitar shape and wood characteristics. Guild, Martin, Gibson, etc. could learn a thing or to as to how a website should be used.

 

[Ridgemont]

Do tone woods really make a difference? :wink:

Everyone worries about whether the guitar has a mahogany back or a rosewood back, but maybe it’s about your beer gut pressing on the guitar’s back.

(from the article referenced here)

I'm gonna have to try me out one o' them "beer guts". :lol: .

I find the beer gut to emphasize lower registers which starts to make the guitar bottom heavy.

 

[West R Lee]

Well Toni, absolutely a matter of personal preference, but it's impossible for me to not love the deep, rich tone of a rosewood guitar. And in order of my preference would probably be, rosewood, mahogany, then maple, but I can certainly see why others like the balanced tone of mahogany and the sparkling treble of a maple guitar.

West

 

[taabru45]

Everyone worries about whether the guitar has a mahogany back or a rosewood back, but maybe it’s about your beer gut pressing on the guitar’s back.

(from the article referenced here)[/quote]
I'm gonna have to try me out one o' them "beer guts". :lol: .[/quote]
I find the beer gut to emphasize lower registers which starts to make the guitar bottom heavy.[/quote]

......and the player too..... :lol: :lol: Steffan

 

[adorshki]

Everyone worries about whether the guitar has a mahogany back or a rosewood back, but maybe it’s about your beer gut pressing on the guitar’s back.

I'm gonna have to try me out one o' them "beer guts". :lol: .

I find the beer gut to emphasize lower registers which starts to make the guitar bottom heavy.

Are they interchangable or do I need to get one for each guitar?

 

[taabru45]

Sometimes with a 'big bottom end' you can play along..... :lol: Steffan

 

[fronobulax]

Sometimes with a 'big bottom end' you can play along..... :lol: Steffan

Big Bottom and not a Guild in sight

 

[ladytexan]

Everyone,

Thanks for your responses. Quite illuminating. It seems that the difference(s) between a Guild rosewood vs. a mahogany b/s'ed guitar parallels what I find with my Martins. BUT, I need to play a rosewood Guild. Thanks, EddieZ, for your offer.....may just take you up on that one.

Toni

 

[adorshki]

Everyone,
Thanks for your responses. Quite illuminating. It seems that the difference(s) between a Guild rosewood vs. a mahogany b/s'ed guitar parallels what I find with my Martins. BUT, I need to play a rosewood Guild. Thanks, EddieZ, for your offer.....may just take you up on that one.
Toni

That might be the best thing about this place. I met a jamming buddy here recently.
Also you can now prpoudly say that one of your threads was veered right off the road and right back on! (As it should be)

 

[bluesypicky]

Hog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD2wqeGa ... re=related

Rosewood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xjt5RMzK ... re=related

(Exact same recording equipment used for both)