Rosewood vs Maple?

[Cheab]

Tone and volume wise........how would you describe the difference in sound? Looking at a couple of 12 stringers. A 72 Maple and a 78 Rosewood. Can't say I've played either before.

 

[krysh]

hard to tell. even two guitars with the same woods sound different. I like rosewood better.
it is all in your ears, you have to find out on your own.

 

[Neal]

Very generally, rosewood produces a darker, "chimy" tone, with greater resonance and sustain, given the fact that it is harder than maple. Great for strumming.

Maple is brighter, with a shorter note decay and greater individual note definition. Those that record often choose maple because it Is is said to record "truer". Great for fingerpicking.

Neal

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

I just posted this on another thread about 12 strings.

Guild built several models with arched backs. An arched back is laminated. Laminated backs may not produce the same tone as solid wood does.
With that said, choose a Guild 12 string with the tone that you like and don't put too much thought into what the back wood is.

A lot of Guild's Maple back and sides guitars were laminated arched backs.
These guitars will sound different from solid wood backed guitar.

So as I said before, choose the Guild that has the sound that you like and don't get to caught up in the woods used to make it.

 

[txbumper57]

Hey Cheab, Here is a link to some Sample soundclips of my Guilds, The second to the last is my F512 Rosewood 12 string. This should give you an idea of what to expect from rosewood.

http://letstalkguild.com/ltg/showth...-Anni-D55-D26-F50R-F512&p=1682454#post1682454

 

[Cheab]

Thanks!

 

[fretless]

i think the arched back maple jumbos project better, and that they are less muddy than the rosewood 12s in my experience

 

[adorshki]

i think the arched back maple jumbos project better, and that they are less muddy than the rosewood 12s in my experience

No real ownership experience here, but I could point out that Justin Hayward of Moody Blues and Roger from Supertramp both use JF30-12's, maple archbacks, and when you consider they could probably afford anything they want, that says something.
AT least that it suits their styles if nothing else.

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

Maple is known to record much better than Rosewood.
I can see why recording artists like Maple Guilds.

 

[jeffcoop]

The way I play, note separation and definition are not my friends. Not surprisingly, I prefer rosewood!

 

[richardp69]

It's real hard for me to pick one over the other. I like Neal's comments above and for the most part I agree with what he says. But, very little is absolute in life. I own and have played some maples, especially archbacks, that have every bit the depth, low end and volume that a really nice rosewood does. So, I love em both but to be honest, a really nice Mahogany is probably my over all favorite.

 

[davismanLV]

I can only compare two guitars. Different woods AND different builds. Both Guild dreadnoughts. The D65S is a spruce top with solid maple sides and a laminated, arched maple back. The sound is full and rich. The notes are crisp and distinct. There is a brightness to it that is very pleasant. Projection and sustain are extremely good, but with the arched back you would expect that. The DV72 is a spruce top, solid rosewood sides and back (flat) dread. Same full and rich sound, but there is a woody tone to it. Like Neal says, it has a "chimey" aspect to it, and a bit more bottom end rumble.

You can hear the difference. Don't ask me to pick one over the other. I love them both for their differences. If every guitar sounded like the other, then we'd only need one guitar. How sad would that be? I have no sound clips. :encouragement:

 

[marcellis]

Spruce top? Maple.

Cedar top? Rosewood.

 

[crank]

Here are a couple of sound samples from my New Hartford F412. Maple laminate arched back, maple sides, spruce top. She is still a baby, purchased new at LMG 4 less than 2 years ago.

This is just me noodling around in the living room recorded on a Little Zoom H4.

http://www.reverbnation.com/marcf/song/23557371-country-boy-at-heart

http://www.reverbnation.com/marcf/song/23557475-i-know-your-rider-drone

 

[guildman63]

Here's my F-47M with a spruce top and maple back.



Excellent note separation with chords, and excellent for fingerpicking. And one gorgeous backside as well! :adoration:

 

[marcellis]

Maple is known to record much better than Rosewood.
I can see why recording artists like Maple Guilds.

I agree with this. That is my experience too. My best recordings are almost all with Maple B&S guitars - mostly Guilds.