Rosewood, Mahogany or Maple? Why?

[gearbasher]

6 minutes ago, Larsongs said:

Beating your Guitar to death is not what I meant about playing it like you own it.. 

I forgot where I heard this expression, but: "You never really own something until you're able to  give it away."

Edited October 16, 2023 by gearbasher

[E-minor7]

6 hours ago, fortyearspickn said:

American colloquialism.   A person, male or female, who is part SnowFlake and part Blonde. 

4 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

If you are sincerely asking and not just being incredulous we are reduced to this (as I am), it’s another dated, playground pejorative deployed by a certain excitable group against the other side who usually just respond “I’m rubber, you’re glue…”   

4 hours ago, fortyearspickn said:

Em7  -   another term we use here  to suggest the other person or persons  melt at the mere thought of a heated discussion.   Merriam-Webster is constantly challenged by the new words and new definitions of existing words too.   So - it is understandable some here don't appreciate the nuances.  I'm sure every country has their own words to describe the same things:  Putz comes to mind.  Cheeky Monkey...     Even the term  'wood'  has a double meaning. (Got to keep coming back to 'guitars'  so I don't get criticized by the ...  WHOOPS, almost used another pejorative !  

Thanx guys - some of you may recall I'm from faaaar away over the pond. 

Just trying to gather a little knowledge (as we play).

Choice is                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          be wise and just let it pass

                                               or

                         dig into it and be wiser

This one is becomin' too complicated though - goin' for some p-corn instead. . 

                                                                                                                                                              C ya

 

[Larsongs]

The top guy doesn’t play it like he owns it.. It owns him..

Greg Koch, in the Lower video, may not be your style but he plays it like he owns it.. Any Guitar he plays…..

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Larsongs

[PrairieDog]

1 hour ago, Larsongs said:

The top guy doesn’t play it like he owns it.. It owns him..

Greg Koch, in the Lower video, may not be your style but he plays it like he owns it.. Any Guitar he plays…..

I know what you are getting at, the familiarity/ability to make the instrument an extension of yourself, rather than just an attachment.  However, in this head to head, it seems like we are also seeing/hearing very different/maturity skill sets.  

I’m going to be far more tentative than any of you, just because I don’t have the chops back in my fingers again, yet.  But it has nothing to do with being afraid of “hurting” or damaging my DIF, I just have to do too much “thinking” about what comes next when I play, as I rebuild muscle memory (50 years and too many bonks on the head since my career was sidelined in those poor choices of youth.)  

Until I get past that part, I’m not going to have any semblance of fluidity or “easy” with my guitars.  

The happy bit for me is the connections are being reforged exponentially faster as I’m getting it all back in my bones.  

It’s an amazing gratification  when I’m noodling around without thinking and some little riff gem pops through and I can yell, “THAT’S IT!”

Then I proceed to flog it to death because it feels so good, chuckle. 

Edited October 16, 2023 by PrairieDog

[E-minor7]

3 hours ago, PrairieDog said:

I know what you are getting at, the familiarity/ability to make the instrument an extension of yourself, rather than just an attachment.  However, in this head to head, it seems like we are also seeing/hearing very different/maturity skill sets.  

I’m going to be far more tentative than any of you, just because I don’t have the chops back in my fingers again, yet.  But it has nothing to do with being afraid of “hurting” or damaging my DIF, I just have to do too much “thinking” about what comes next when I play, as I rebuild muscle memory (50 years and too many bonks on the head since my career was sidelined in those poor choices of youth.)  

Until I get past that part, I’m not going to have any semblance of fluidity or “easy” with my guitars.  

The happy bit for me is the connections are being reforged exponentially faster as I’m getting it all back in my bones.  

It’s an amazing gratification  when I’m noodling around without thinking and some little riff gem pops through and I can yell, “THAT’S IT!”

Then I proceed to flog it to death because it feels so good, chuckle. 

Sounds as if you had a set back due to some unfortunate incident. Or were you ambushed by age. . 

[Murph]

17 hours ago, Larsongs said:

They say it’s because Rosewood allows a scooped Mid Range which is considered ideal for Guitarist’s who Sing…

 

I've heard that description for decades, but it never really fit my J-45. To my ears, the walnut sounds more scooped than rosewood, my J-45 is WAY louder than my J-15 and they have the exact same body specs.

But, having said that, I've heard other rosewoods that weren't as loud as my J-45.

Ya gotta figure though, the top has a helluva lot to do with those nuances, so maybe it's all moot...

[Dave F]

1 hour ago, Murph said:

 

I've heard that description for decades, but it never really fit my J-45. To my ears, the walnut sounds more scooped than rosewood, my J-45 is WAY louder than my J-15 and they have the exact same body specs.

But, having said that, I've heard other rosewoods that weren't as loud as my J-45.

Ya gotta figure though, the top has a helluva lot to do with those nuances, so maybe it's all moot...

My experience with walnut was I thought it was a louder brighter version on rosewood. The issue I have is it exposes my flaws more than rosewood. 

[fortyearspickn]

2 minutes ago, Dave F said:

My experience with walnut was I thought it was a louder brighter version on rosewood. The issue I have is it exposes my flaws more than rosewood. 

That's why I keep mine stuffed with socks. 

[Murph]

7 minutes ago, Dave F said:

My experience with walnut was I thought it was a louder brighter version on rosewood. The issue I have is it exposes my flaws more than rosewood. 

I'd agree the walnut is brighter. But (in my case) not louder. But, like I said, the top has a lot to do with that.

My J-45 (rosewood) is a booming cannon for some reason.

[62burst]

3 hours ago, Murph said:

I'd agree the walnut is brighter. But (in my case) not louder. But, like I said, the top has a lot to do with that.

My J-45 (rosewood) is a booming cannon for some reason.

Set a straight edge on top of your frets & see where it contacts the bridge- I'm betting' your J-45R has a great neck angle, and the saddle height & resulting string break makes for some fairly decent dynamics. . . that stuff is also a big part of the equation when combined with the slope shoulder body design of the J-45. 

[Murph]

Indeed.

[generaldreedle]

On 10/7/2023 at 6:37 PM, E-minor7 said:

Admit finding the D-28 a bit too conventional - actually slightly boring. The HD-28 and HD-28V however, are stunning guitars that could go to the end of this world.     

But yes, mahogany has something very seducing to it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         What interests me is that rose offers that broader perhaps also deeper power, , , and still quite often (not only in this tempel) falls behind the gentler or more rounded hog. .  

I have an HD 28 baked top that in many ways is a perfect guitar, does everything well, deep and resonant but not too boomy, articulate but not too dry

[generaldreedle]

On 10/6/2023 at 1:21 PM, RBSinTo said:

I've got one of each.

Martin D-28, Gibson j-45, and Guild GAD jf-30.

The Martin sounds like an orchestra, the Gibson like a Quartet, and the Guild like the Quartet amplified.

I like them all, and since I don't pretend to be a musical maven, usually just play them based on which particular case I open at the time.

RBSinTo

I have the same lineup almost!  HD 28 baked top, southern jumbo, JF 30, love them all

[E-minor7]

2 hours ago, generaldreedle said:

I have an HD 28 baked top that in many ways is a perfect guitar, does everything well, deep and resonant but not too boomy, articulate but not too dry

Aha, , never heard of the torrifried HDs. Like to try it. 

[generaldreedle]

28 minutes ago, E-minor7 said:

Aha, , never heard of the torrifried HDs. Like to try it. 

When I tried them out (back in the day when the Seattle Guitar Center had good guitars), I tried it against the D28 I had, a regular HD28 and the HD28V.   To me the torrified hit all the sweet spots, the HD28V had a neck I didn’t like and was really too boomy

[Dave F]

3 hours ago, E-minor7 said:

Aha, , never heard of the torrifried HDs. Like to try it. 

I had a Martin CS D41 15 with the aged top. Sounded very nice.

[E-minor7]

3 hours ago, generaldreedle said:

When I tried them out (back in the day when the Seattle Guitar Center had good guitars), I tried it against the D28 I had, a regular HD28 and the HD28V.   To me the torrified hit all the sweet spots, the HD28V had a neck I didn’t like and was really too boomy

My HD-28V is bit of a polite beast. I like it a lot - actually bond with it*. Chose it over another very decent ex, which lived here too. Back'n'forth-back'n'forth it went for years. . . 🤓😵🤓😵😆

                                          Still the post above makes me even more curious. 
 

                                                          *but yes, had to sand the neck a good deal. No prob as the guit was slightly mojoed already. . 

[JuanCarlosVejar]

Maple and Mahogany for me .

i have some guitars in storage but at home I currently have :

Maples :
SJ 200 TV

J 200 Mini 75th Anniversary.

L 200 Emmylou Harris 

Elvis Costello Century of Progress

Epiphone Century Archtop Zenith 

Mahogany :

Hummingbird TV

Hummingbird Standard 

L 00 VOS 

Epiphone Paul McCartney USA Texan 

Bonus :

Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat ( all mahogany body with a maple neck) 

the maples for the most part I enjoy the quick almost ghostly decay of the notes .

the mahogany models I enjoy for their woody/fundamental tone.

I stay away from Rosewood for the most part … especially Martins . They never sound clean in my hands … it’s always a mud fest  . I did find 1 Rosewood Martin that I enjoyed it was an OM 28 Standard and I was thinking of putting some money down on it , but someone else eventually purchased it before I made my mind up. 

I did recently play a 42 Banner Reissue Sourthern Jumbo (upside down since I’m a lefty)  in Rosewood that sounded like a million dollars .

so let’s say 98 percent of the Rosewood guitars I have been able to get my hands on have sounded like junk (to me at least )

JC

[BoSoxBiker]

I've got two guitars that leave plenty of room for my vocals lousy singing voice. A Maple (Dove) and a Rosewood (SJ-200 Pre-War). I had a Standard SJ-200 (Maple) that also left room for my lousy singing voice.  I had a Taylor 614(Maple) that did not leave room for vocals. I still have a Martin D-41(Rosewood) that does to some extent. 

My 3 Hogs are a mixed bag. My 2018 Hummingbird Standard is improving it's lower end tones with each passing year. The other two Hogs are sloped shouldered with mixed results. My 2021 HC "1942 Banner"J-45 is a cannon with a monstrous mid-range, which was opposite of what I expected. My 2021 Bourgeois Slope D HS is nearly as boisterous as the J-45, but the tone is more balanced and does leave a little bit of room if not for how loud it is.

So which wood is my favorite? I haven't a clue. If I rank my guitars in order of favorites, they end up being RW-Maple-RW-Hog-Hog-Hog. I think, for the sake of science, that I should get a RW Slope next. 🙂  

[generaldreedle]

On 10/19/2023 at 2:18 PM, E-minor7 said:

My HD-28V is bit of a polite beast. I like it a lot - actually bond with it*. Chose it over another very decent ex, which lived here too. Back'n'forth-back'n'forth it went for years. . . 🤓😵🤓😵😆

                                          Still the post above makes me even more curious. 
 

                                                          *but yes, had to sand the neck a good deal. No prob as the guit was slightly mojoed already. . 

Here is a video of the guitar, not enough playing but you may get the idea

 

 

[Dave F]

6 hours ago, BoSoxBiker said:

I've got two guitars that leave plenty of room for my vocals lousy singing voice. A Maple (Dove) and a Rosewood (SJ-200 Pre-War). I had a Standard SJ-200 (Maple) that also left room for my lousy singing voice.  I had a Taylor 614(Maple) that did not leave room for vocals. I still have a Martin D-41(Rosewood) that does to some extent. 

My 3 Hogs are a mixed bag. My 2018 Hummingbird Standard is improving it's lower end tones with each passing year. The other two Hogs are sloped shouldered with mixed results. My 2021 HC "1942 Banner"J-45 is a cannon with a monstrous mid-range, which was opposite of what I expected. My 2021 Bourgeois Slope D HS is nearly as boisterous as the J-45, but the tone is more balanced and does leave a little bit of room if not for how loud it is.

So which wood is my favorite? I haven't a clue. If I rank my guitars in order of favorites, they end up being RW-Maple-RW-Hog-Hog-Hog. I think, for the sake of science, that I should get a RW Slope next. 🙂  

If I had to pair my voice to a guitar, I would have to sell everything I have and take up the air guitar.

[E-minor7]

4 hours ago, Dave F said:

If I had to pair my voice to a guitar, I would have to sell everything I have and take up the air guitar.

😅^ I'd like to hear your choice of b-pins. .

8 hours ago, generaldreedle said:

Here is a video of the guitar, not enough playing but you may get the idea

 

Thx - sounds really good. Would more than like to try it.                                                                                                                                                                                           Scalloped 5/15 braces like the straight HD, , ,  as Brians says here, , , before playing some fine test stuff.

                                                                        1 of 100 made - well, 7 years ago. Perhaps they were continued.

[Larsongs]

3 hours ago, E-minor7 said:

😅^ I'd like to hear your choice of b-pins. .

Thx - sounds really good. Would more than like to try it.                                                                                                                                                                                           Scalloped 5/15 braces like the straight HD, , ,  as Brians says here, , , before playing some fine test stuff.

                                                                        1 of 100 made - well, 7 years ago. Perhaps they were continued.

Recently I bought one of these.. It is a beautiful looking & sounding Guitar.. It was too much like my D-35 for me to justify keeping it.. I highly recommend it though for anyone who doesn’t already have a D-35..

[E-minor7]

7 hours ago, Larsongs said:

Recently I bought one of these.. It is a beautiful looking & sounding Guitar.. It was too much like my D-35 for me to justify keeping it.. I highly recommend it though for anyone who doesn’t already have a D-35..

Still my guess would be that the 35 is a bit tighter (like 1/4  un-scalloped) - the HD slightly wider deeper (like light bracing). 

[Larsongs]

22 minutes ago, E-minor7 said:

Still my guess would be that the 35 is a bit tighter (like 1/4  un-scalloped) - the HD slightly wider deeper (like light bracing). 

Not sure what you mean by tighter? But, my D-35 is 48 years old & has aged gracefully & has developed a beautiful Sound.. If I get another Martin I will have to go up to at least a D-41 to get something that might sound better.. If I could bring myself to sell a few Guitars I would get a D-45 or a  new Pre War J-200 which were originally Spruce and Rosewood if I’m not mistaken..