Mahagony vs. Rosewood-Neck?? tonal Differences??

[SirPsycho]

Hi Volks!

Just bought a wounderful piece of a heavy flamed Redwood for a Top on my future guitar (Les Paul-Style Set-Neck guitar) and now I'm thinking of the other components.

This are the ingriedients:

Redwood-top
Mahagony body
Cocobolo-Fretboard

now I'm thinking of the Neck and I'm thinking of either a Classical Mahagony neck (I already built a guitar with a mahagony neck) or a solid Rosewood-Neck like the higher priced PRS guitars.

How are the tonal differences between a mahagony and a Rosewood-neck? much brigter???

thanks bye

[Knarbens]

Never heard of rosewood necks before. Interessting.
But isn't rosewood quite a bit heavier?
My guess is, it would sound some colder!? Not sure on that one though.

[EvLectric]

SirPsycho - You freak of nature! (I assume you're a peppers fan by the name)
Maybe ask on the PRS forums since they would have more experience with them. I think they would be brighter, but they might know more. Maybe checking/asking at Warmoth, since I know they make them too.

Ev

[SirPsycho]

Hi! thanks for your answers....

Yes I'm a freak of nature and a huge fan of the old (!) Rchp ;-)

Nobody else have clue?

I also looked in the PRS Forum and here is what a Forum-Member said and it sounds good to me :

"I also own guitars with a lot of different neck woods (Black Limba, Mahogany, BRW, IRW, and Maple), and have had a somewhat different experience than others on this thread. To me, rosewood necks have a somewhat lower treble response than Maple, Mahogany, or Limba. To me, they also have a slightly reduced bass response compared with Maple. I can't hear a difference in bass response compared with either Mahogany or Limba. However, I consistently hear a richer midrange from rosewood necks compared to all the others - especially in the lower mids. To my ears, Maple has almost a mid scoop thing going on while the Mahogany and Limba seem like they have a nice, balanced response across the spectrum. Rosewood necks sound (to my ears, anyway) like they have a slightly compressed sound with a somewhat increased emphasis on low mids.

Oh, and in case anyone is curious, I can't hear a difference between BRW an IRW. "


bye

[t_hamill]

hi guys.

I have 2 guitars with one piece brazilian necks by jason schroeder and one with rosewood/maple 5 piece laminate construction. There is a slightly darker smoother tone from the guitars to my ears but to be totally truthful you could probably achieve a similar sound with a pickup swap. The feel of an unfinished brazilian rosewood neck is amazing, really slick and nice.

I'm not sophisticated enough to really appreciate the subtle differences between indian and brazilian so for a self build I'd say save a chunt of cash and get a nice indian billet. The schroeder tour guitar has a indian rosewood neck and it was superb also.

One you try a nice rosewood neck you'll be hooked so be warned!

[SirPsycho]

Originally Posted by t_hamill

hi guys.

I have 2 guitars with one piece brazilian necks by jason schroeder and one with rosewood/maple 5 piece laminate construction. There is a slightly darker smoother tone from the guitars to my ears but to be totally truthful you could probably achieve a similar sound with a pickup swap. The feel of an unfinished brazilian rosewood neck is amazing, really slick and nice.

I'm not sophisticated enough to really appreciate the subtle differences between indian and brazilian so for a self build I'd say save a chunt of cash and get a nice indian billet. The schroeder tour guitar has a indian rosewood neck and it was superb also.

One you try a nice rosewood neck you'll be hooked so be warned!

Thanks!

Yes i've read that the feel of the unfinished RW-Neck is awesome und supereasy and fast playable....

If built a guitar with a RW I'wll use an Indian RW....

Do you have a front pic of those Axes?? Very curious ;-)

bye

[mudfinger]

I would love to have a guitar with a rosewood neck. I love the feel of it. Tone? Don't care; pickups have more of an effect, and I'm not chasing vintage tone. Feels good, sounds good? Is good.

[dougk]

Its a great feeling raw neck:



Its HEAVY though. Make sure you account for that, it'll be about a pound heavier than if you built it from mahogany. Great tight bottoms and mids. For the love of god, don't try to carve it with a spoke shave or other hand tools its HARD.

[H.E.L.Shane]

Im my experience.. other than the obvious weight issues...

a rosewood neck ads "Bite".. similar to the way an Ebony fingerboard has more bite than a rosewood or maple board.

while i wouldn't call it "Cold" or tinny.. its definately not goin to warm up a guitar, however, it may give a "mushy' guitar some clarity.. if you follow what i'm sayin


there is a definate tonal difference.... and thats coming from a guy who scoffs at some of the "tone wood" theories!!!

[BCRGreg]

Having owned a few guitars, my experience is that rosewood necks enhance upper mids to the point that I don't care for the tone. They add weight, impart a nasal quality to the acoustic tone(and therefore the electric tone) and aren't worth the added expense.

[SirPsycho]

Hi!

Thanks a lot for your repilies.... hmmmm this got me thinking.....

The biggist pro point why I'd use a RW-Neck is the Feel of the unfinished neck.....

Con-Point: I don't have a machine to make the neck - exept a jig saw and router. I make my neck-shapes with a rasp and sandpaper and the extra weight.

But on the otherside I have a Sipo-Neck already neck-angeled and the head routed so this will save me some time.

I've to think about this...

and btw if anybody is interested in - this will be the Top ;-)

bye

[t_hamill]

I don't need to be coaxed too much to post a few front pics!!

[dbtk44]

IIRC the 1968 LP Customs had solid rosewood necks, and ebony fretboards. Gibson did a reissue ( a reissue of a reissue? )....had to have been either late 90's or early 2k's, can't remember at the moment.

Just going by memory, seems the reviewer said the tone was pretty dark, but the thing just had almost infinite sustain, mostly due to the really rigid rosewood neck.

Wish I had first hand experience to share on this subject, but...hope this helps some!

[LeftyRighty]

the only rosewood electric I've ever seen was the one Harrison used on the Let It Be sessions. If I recall correctly, he said he didn't like the way that guitar sounded.

I think the fact that there aren't more rosewood bodies and necks kicking around out there says something.

I really like the look of that redwood, it's got a great looking big old flame.

Be careful working with the cocobolo, it's on the list of unhealthy woods to work with. Make sure you wear a mask when your cutting and sanding it. Gloves aren't a bad idea either. I've heard of a few people who got deadly ill from that stuff. Warmoth (think it was them) just swore off using it to make fingerboards. This stuff's no joke.