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  #1  
Old 04-19-2013, 09:36 PM
steelerboy329 steelerboy329 is offline
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Default What is African Ebony closest to...Maple, Mahogany, or Rosewood?

I really want one of the new 614ce Spring Limiteds, but I'm not sure what to expect. I don't think any of my local dealers will be getting any so I would pretty much have to order it without having a chance to play it.

I'm trying to get an idea about how it compares to maple, mahogany, and rosewood. Here's why.

- I already have a 616ce that I really like and don't want another guitar like it.
- I tend to favor rosewood to mahogany (I'm also looking at an 814ce).
- If it's closer to maple and mahogany I'll probably go with the 814ce.
- If it's closer to rosewood I'll probably go with the limited.

I'm not asking if it sounds exactly like one of these, but which one it's closest to to give me an idea.

Any help/comparisons would be appreciated.
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Old 04-19-2013, 09:51 PM
peteom peteom is offline
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Desert ironwood?
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Old 04-19-2013, 10:03 PM
krisls krisls is offline
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I assume we're talking fretboard and maybe bridge here. Ebony is probably closest to a heavy duty Rosewood. It's darker and heavier and pretty hard to come by these days. Only ever owned one guitar with an ebony fretboard and bridge and it was a lovely guitar a K Yairi Dread. Have played a few others and I always like them.

Ebony is a lovely wood sort of dark chocolate to rosewoods milk.

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Old 04-19-2013, 10:16 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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Having made several guitars from African ebony, of the three choices you've given - maple, mahogany or rosewood - it is closest to rosewood.


Last edited by charles Tauber; 04-19-2013 at 10:21 PM.
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Old 04-19-2013, 10:19 PM
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jrmyrnsm jrmyrnsm is offline
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I had the same internal struggle when I saw them released as well... Since I would be buying it sight unseen, I was worried I might not like the sound... They are some of the most beautiful production guitars I've ever seen though! I'm still waiting for someone to get one and put up a review here! Good luck!
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Old 04-19-2013, 10:49 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Steelerboy, before you go ordering any guitars with ebony back and sides, be certain to play one first.

Yes, they look exquisite. But the handful of guitars with African ebony backs and sides that I've encountered in the decades I've been involved with the custom and high end acoustic guitar world have tended to LOOK a lot cooler than they sounded.

Plus, they weigh a TON....

The main reason most guitar builders and guitar companies don't build guitars from African ebony is the scarcity of the wood in widths large enough for guitar sets. But, honestly, even when you can find a set wide enough it's not all that great a tonewood, either.

If you want a black guitar, there are easier ways to get one without sacrificing tone or having to carry around an instrument that weighs as much as a corpulent third grader....


Wade Hampton Miller
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Old 04-19-2013, 11:12 PM
stevenlongs stevenlongs is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
Steelerboy, before you go ordering any guitars with ebony back and sides, be certain to play one first.

Yes, they look exquisite. But the handful of guitars with African ebony backs and sides that I've encountered in the decades I've been involved with the custom and high end acoustic guitar world have tended to LOOK a lot cooler than they sounded.

Plus, they weigh a TON....

The main reason most guitar builders and guitar companies don't build guitars from African ebony is the scarcity of the wood in widths large enough for guitar sets. But, honestly, even when you can find a set wide enough it's not all that great a tonewood, either.

If you want a black guitar, there are easier ways to get one without sacrificing tone or having to carry around an instrument that weighs as much as a corpulent third grader....


Wade Hampton Miller
That's really interesting!

Apparently, it is twice as dense as the woods used in OP's similar 616ce:

bigleaf maple: 545 kg/m^3
african ebony: 1,035 kg/m^3

yikes!

May not be a bad thing though. Solid feel in one's hands?
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Old 04-19-2013, 11:23 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stevenlongs View Post
That's really interesting!

Apparently, it is twice as dense as the woods used in OP's similar 616ce:

bigleaf maple: 545 kg/m^3
african ebony: 1,035 kg/m^3

yikes!

May not be a bad thing though. Solid feel in one's hands?
Well, a five pound pig of lead has a "solid feel in one's hands," too. That doesn't mean that hammering lead thin enough to make guitar backs and sides out of it is a good idea.....

Okay, I'm being a bit unfair. That's not the most appropriate comparison I could make. Ebony definitely has more potential as a tonewood than lead, titanium OR depleted uranium.

But none of the African ebony guitars I've had my hands on have sounded so good that I felt even the slightest longing to own an ebony guitar myself.

As opposed to Macassar ebony, which is a wonderful tonewood. I've liked the sound of most of the Macassar ebony guitars I've played. I can't say the same for for African ebony.

Look, I'm not trying to be a spoilsport here, piddling on everybody's parade. But try before you buy, that's all I'm saying. Don't get sucked into a decision you might regret simply because you've been beguiled by the wood's visual appearance.


Wade Hampton Miller
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Old 04-19-2013, 11:36 PM
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Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
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Technically, rosewood, but actually, none of the above.
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Old 04-19-2013, 11:52 PM
Danieldaniel Danieldaniel is offline
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Looks like african blackwood, which also weighs a ton.

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Old 04-20-2013, 04:41 AM
Huckleberry Huckleberry is offline
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I'm not sure if African ebony is very different to maccassar ebony - I've never played an African ebony guitar - but I have to say that two of the best sounding guitars I've ever played are made from maccassar ebony. I bought them both.

The tone of maccassar, as far as it can be attributed to the back and sides rather than the design, builder etc., is closest to a good rosewood, but with less 'ring' which translates to greater clarity, particularly in the bass.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
Steelerboy, before you go ordering any guitars with ebony back and sides, be certain to play one first.

Yes, they look exquisite. But the handful of guitars with African ebony backs and sides that I've encountered in the decades I've been involved with the custom and high end acoustic guitar world have tended to LOOK a lot cooler than they sounded.

Plus, they weigh a TON....

The main reason most guitar builders and guitar companies don't build guitars from African ebony is the scarcity of the wood in widths large enough for guitar sets. But, honestly, even when you can find a set wide enough it's not all that great a tonewood, either.

If you want a black guitar, there are easier ways to get one without sacrificing tone or having to carry around an instrument that weighs as much as a corpulent third grader....


Wade Hampton Miller
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Old 04-20-2013, 05:00 AM
steelerboy329 steelerboy329 is offline
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Wow, thanks guys. I have actually been told similar things buy my guitar tech. He said the ebony guitars he has played were not the greatest sounding (not to say they sounded bad or anything). Not to mention I had no idea about the weight either. I'm definitely going to wait to play one first.
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Old 04-20-2013, 08:08 AM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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One of the instruments I've made from African ebony is a 10-string classical guitar. Although not tuned well, you can hear it and judge for yourself the sound quality: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kioqmZgk2Q

As for weight, I haven't found that the guitars that I have made using it were inordinately heavy.

As with any guitar, I recommend that one play the very instrument one is intending to buy, prior to buying it. Don't buy on brand name or looks.
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  #14  
Old 04-20-2013, 08:31 AM
ewh2 ewh2 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
to carry around an instrument that weighs as much as a corpulent third grader....
'corpulent third grader'?

Genius.

Of the new Taylor Ltd's, the Granadillo 41x series looks intriguing. Personally I'd be more inclined towards that series.
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Old 04-20-2013, 08:46 AM
Bikewer Bikewer is offline
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If you got this month's Wood & Steel, the Taylor magazine, you'd find a rather extensive article on these guitars.
Seems Taylor got hold of ONE tree that had been legally harvested and yielded some 300 back and sides sets.. So that's the run.

According to Mr. Taylor, these are making up into guitars that are not extremely heavy, and the one on cover of the mag is very distinctive looking.

I think you can read all the content online, nice pic:

http://www.taylorguitars.com/wood-and-steel
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