It is also known to be strong and durable. Dreadnoughts for fingerstyling - Mahogany vs Rosewood Dreadnoughts for fingerstyling - Mahogany vs Rosewood. Much of the tone depends on the build of the guitar. It is quite popular for the backs, sides and necks of acoustic guitars. However, genuine mahogany is sourced from three species of trees: the Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq., S. macrophylla King, and S. humilis Zucc. ---I am also not sure if the Mahogany wood in … Also, furniture made from rosewood can be left unfinished due to the rosewood’s natural color, lightly waxed, or heavily varnished and polished, as rosewood is able to take polish very well. This has in turn led to CITES listing Swietenia mahagoni on its endangered list, while S. macrophylla King, and S. humilis Zucc are listed as vulnerable. Due to the demand of mahogany, these trees are also grown on plantations located in Asia, specifically in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Fiji. Rosewood to my ears does sound fuller and I get more sustain. Post Oct 13, 2019 #1 2019-10-13T05:20. Of course, both of the rosewood guitars are dreads, and the mahogany guitars are an OM and an 00, so my data is no doubt skewed. Thats why most of the old school bluegrass guys prefer it. Joined May 22, 2011 Messages 7,410 Reaction score 167. I also have two rosewood Martin custom shop dreads that have great midrange because of the build. I have a Rosewood 12-string and a new Mahogany 6 string so the direct comparison is slightly out of whack but I find the Rosewood tone darker, deeper and more lush, a big chord on the 12-string is one beautiful tone where the Mahogany is drier, clearer, more pronounced mids, more like 6 individual strings working perfectly with other. In addition to furniture, mahogany is also used for boat building. Many people prefer the color of rosewood to that of mahogany… This is especially true for the Brazilian or Rio rosewood. Maple vs. Rosewood The builder's execution of design will have significant on how the woods he chooses sound. As an adjective mahogany is made of mahogany. This is a type of tree that has seeds that are enclosed, be it in pods, a shell, a covering or in a fruit. Which do all of y'all prefer? The real difference is not in the kind of furniture you can use the woods to create, but on the differences between the two wood essences. Hardwood trees are also slower to grow, taking their own time. Other models at the time, like the high-end Martin D-28, came with rosewood sides and back. Mahogany Vs Rosewood: Which is the Best for Back and Sides? Hardwood is the wood that comes from an angiosperm tree. Conventional wisdom says that rosewood has pronounced bass and trebles and a scooped midrange, while mahogany is strong and balanced across the midrange, without the emphasis on the upper and lower end of the spectrum. I play only with my fingernails, and even when strumming, I just use my nails though I just started experimenting with some picks. "Any one at all familiar with musical instruments, has undoubtedly noticed to what a… Mahogany is also a type of tropical hardwood. Natural rosewood has texture and tiny pores. Thread starter AcornHouse; Start date Jul 24, 2020; AcornHouse Senior Member. You will find various shades of rosewood, ranging from rich brown to purple. This is a tough one, but always fun to talk about. He played the same instrumental piece on each and the similarity in sound was uncanny. I have a Rosewood 12-string and a new Mahogany 6 string so the direct comparison is slightly out of whack but I find the Rosewood tone darker, deeper and more lush, a big chord on the 12-string is one beautiful tone where the Mahogany is drier, clearer, more pronounced mids, more like 6 individual strings working perfectly with other. Due to this, most hardwood is dense. Mahogany is quite easy to sand, cut and turn on a wood lathe. I do think Rosewood is a step above Mahogany re price points, mostly. As nouns the difference between mahogany and rosewood is that mahogany is (countable) any of various tropical american evergreen trees, of the genus swietenia , having a valuable hard red-brown wood while rosewood is the fragrant wood of , a brazilian tree in the legume family, which has a sweet smell. Mahogany first became a popular material for guitars due to the attractive appearance and the fact that it was cheaper than rosewood, according to the World Resources Institute. However, due to the high demand for mahogany, has led to overlogging of the trees. Ultralight123. General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion, http://www.reverbnation.com/doubleshotprague, http://www.pantheonguitars.com/tonewoods.htm. Since wood is an organic material* there are at times vast differences between the tonal characteristics of any single slice of any single log taken from various locations on a single tree. It is kind of amusing/interesting to read given the current opinions on Brazilian Rosewood and Mahogany. Rosewood is also used to make handles, flooring, billiard cues, chess pieces, etc. Which is more suited for a picking on the couch at home. Rosewood vs. mahogany. They understand that the guitars role in a bluegrass band is primarily rhythm, and rosewood gives them the bass they need. I would add to the above observations, of which I agree, that guitar construction can blur the lines a little between these combinations. Jul 24, 2020 #1 I made a short video to compare the sound of rosewood back & sides to mahogany. The Martin has deep bass and crystaline highs but lacks in the midrange (typical of Martin Rosewood guitars) whereas the Gibson is nicely balanced across the tonal spectrum yet still has that peaking midrange we all love in a good Gibson. These trees are native to the Central and South America.