Mahogany v Rosewood

TimmyO · June 2019

thomasross20 said:

I've been lusting over a proper Martin, I must admit... but why... at nearly £3k and given I'm not gigging... my Larrivee does a great job. I might still go to the guitar shop this weekend for a play, though.

Along the same lines (and sorry I know this is an acoustic forum!) I have the mahogany PRS and basswood Suhr but a mahogany Suhr would kill both them I think. But the cost would be more than I'd get for the other two combined so what's the point. Maybe better to keep the money and just play what I've got!

If playing live I would be fine just taking my Taylor Mini. Playing at home it is nice to have a proper good acoustic. Must stop these thoughts lol.

Most sports car owners don't race, Most carbon-fibre-driver-owners only golf for fun - if you love your music and owning a Martin will help you feel good, go for it :-)

earwighoney · June 2019

thomasross20 said:

I've been lusting over a proper Martin, I must admit... but why... at nearly £3k and given I'm not gigging... my Larrivee does a great job. I might still go to the guitar shop this weekend for a play, though.

Along the same lines (and sorry I know this is an acoustic forum!) I have the mahogany PRS and basswood Suhr but a mahogany Suhr would kill both them I think. But the cost would be more than I'd get for the other two combined so what's the point. Maybe better to keep the money and just play what I've got!

If playing live I would be fine just taking my Taylor Mini. Playing at home it is nice to have a proper good acoustic. Must stop these thoughts lol.

Tommy,

If you have the funds to get yourself a nice Martin, then you should do it. It doesn't matter whether you'll play it live or not. If you can afford and it brings you pleasure then it's a worthwhile purchase.

£3k for a Martin is a lot though. IMO there are other avenues I'd take that might not sound 100% like a Martin but might get you most of the way there for a lot less. Unless you really want a Martin and then look around for a S/H one.

thomasross20 · June 2019

To be honest I was looking at even higher-end Larrivees and the bang for buck there is so much more!

ToneControl · June 2019

thomasross20 said:

To be honest I was looking at even higher-end Larrivees and the bang for buck there is so much more!

Based on what I've tried I'd choose Larrivee over Martins at each price point

artiebear · June 2019

I would totally agree with the view that high end Larrivee' guitars are superb ( had my OM10 since 1999 ), so are standard series and above Martins ( I have 4, the youngest being around 20 years old ) They just have a different voice. Larrivee guitars have superb fit and finish, so have Martins. The big thing with any acoustic is that, just like any electric it can be made to play however you want it, it just takes a few different tweaks to get there.
As for Rosewood v Mahogany, both great choices just a different flavour.Rosewood in general seems to have a more delayed ( reverb ) response against mahogany being more direct. therefore perceivably drier. In terms of different rosewoods, my Indian R/W guitars seem to absorb more high frequency than the 4 Brazilian guitars I have. The Brazilian guitars just have more of everything across the frequency spectrum as well as having more natural reverb.
Basically, its down to the maker, the luck of the draw regarding the properties of the materials and the taste of the player as to what is best.
Right now here in my living room there is a Sitka/Koa, a Sitka/ mahogany ( both Collings ) and my absolute favourite right now an HJ Williams German spruce / Honduras rosewood , they all sound great because the builders know what they are doing regardless of the wood choices.

thomasross20 · June 2019

I went to try some guitars today but annoyingly as soon as I entered the stores about 4 people pounced and spent more time talking than anything else.

Anyway I'm not into those all-mahogany Martin's. Rosewood OO28 sounded great (very good and felt solid) bit small, prefer OOO. Best one was a 4k mahogany one, some rare old 450 year old wood. Good balance between mahogany and rosewood. Martins were expensive, big time. I just couldn't do it.

Edit - think I might be lusting for a rosewood guitar now

TimmyO · June 2019

I drove myself crazy with the whole Rosewood Vs Mahogany thing in the past. I made it worse by wanting one 'great at everything' guitar and spent too much time comparing things.

They really are just different options. I think I'm starting to realise that 2 guitars if the same model can vary a fair bit, let alone differences in this sort of thing, so even the broad general differences can be contradicted when you get a particular guitar in your hands.

thomasross20 · June 2019

Yes... I have to have the guitar I'm thinking about buying "in my hands" - you just cannot tell unless you're actually playing the thing.

earwighoney · June 2019

TimmyO said:

I drove myself crazy with the whole Rosewood Vs Mahogany thing in the past. I made it worse by wanting one 'great at everything' guitar and spent too much time comparing things.

Likewise.

I've painfully/expensively come to the conclusion back/side woods aren't as important as I thought and there are other things which make more of a difference but the most important thing is finding the right voiced guitar for your own needs/ergonomics are the most important factor of all.

ToneControl · June 2019

thomasross20 said:

Yes... I have to have the guitar I'm thinking about buying "in my hands" - you just cannot tell unless you're actually playing the thing.

Sadly, not even then:

the soundboard matures over months and years, can be accelerated with a Tone-Rite. You won't know what it will sound like eventually, even by trying it
in a shop, the acoustics, background noise and string condition rarely allow a fair comparison
your playing and ears can develop to better-use a certain guitar, hard to see that when you are trying it for the first time

This is why I usually don't buy new!

VimFuego · June 2019

I think I got lucky when I got my larry, I didn't have a player or tone in my head that I wanted to sound like, so I could just buy a good sounding guitar. And luck would have it that's what I ended up getting.
I haven't felt the need or desire to buy or try any other guitars, I'm happy with the one I have. I've have tried a few other guitars at things like get togethers and sessions that I've liked, but I've never felt 'my god I must get that'.

I guess my point is, so long as you have a nice sounding, quality instrument, you'll be happy. I realise that the whole GAS industry is predicated upon people chasing down that elusive tone, so what I say may be nonsense.

thomasross20 · June 2019

Must admit my Larrivee is one hell of a guitar.
It's just GAS.

Must admit the rosewood Martin I tried did feel nice and solid.

I know I've asked a few times @VimFuego but what one to you have again?

VimFuego · June 2019

OM05, spruce and mahog. I think the top has that baked thing done to it, can't recall what it's called now tho.

TimmyO · June 2019

VimFuego said:

OM05, spruce and mahog. I think the top has that baked thing done to it, can't recall what it's called now tho.

The general term is Torrefaction but Martin call their process VTS

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Mahogany v Rosewood

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