Do YOU think Pernambuco is beautiful?

[moga]

Looks great~ but
how about the sound?..

[dodadedadude]

If we are purely judging it by aesthetic.... I do not like the color... but I would most definitely rather own an amazing sounding pernambuco guitar than an amazing looking but average sounding guitar... Tone definitely seals the deal for me.... looks are bonuses...

[Sage97]

Other than pictures, I've never really seen one. It's not my favorite look but I don't dislike it either.

[lclyman]

Originally Posted by dodadedadude

If we are purely judging it by aesthetic.... I do not like the color... but I would most definitely rather own an amazing sounding pernambuco guitar than an amazing looking but average sounding guitar... Tone definitely seals the deal for me.... looks are bonuses...

Originally Posted by moga

Looks great~ but
how about the sound?..

I described my very own experience with a Pernambuco guitar in this thread:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=183326

As I have had the great pleasure of extensively playing this guitar for over 10 months now I can easily say that my initial overwhelmingly favorable sonic and visual impressions have not only held true, but continue to grow...

It is impossible though, in my opinion, to separate the builder from the woods...

I'm quite sure some one out there could make a mediocre sounding instrument with Pernambuco....but you'd have to try extra hard..!!

LC

[Bruce Sexauer]

Pernambuco is so difficult to get in guitar sized pieces that "the truly mediocre" guitar may never be built as the material is simply not available through commercial channels; you have to know somebody.

The wood I am using was cut from the forest in Brazil about 30 years ago, according to my source. The larger dimensional chunk languished at the sawmill for the interim as it was not the stuff of bowmakers dreams. I offered enough $$$ for it to make things happen. Pernambuco is a very endangered material and is controlled though harvest constraints rather than through international sanction. Needless to say, mine preceded these issues. The tree itself is usually too small to make a conventional guitar from. I have read that a mature tree is just 8" in diameter! There are giants in the world, and my tree must have been one such as I have 9" from the center of the tree in my widest fully quartered sets. The first Pernambuco I acquired (the infamous "crackwood") was slab cut but the board was 12" wide, so the bigger trees can't have been that uncommon. It too was cut 30 or 40 years ago. The big run on Pernambuco was in the 1700's when it was removed to Europe for it's unique color in the dye industry. The bowmakers discovered it on the docks of Europe and were initially secondary users. There are actually 3 variants in Brazil marketed as Pernambuco, and a number of other close relatives. The subtleties of these variants is beyond me, but all that I have gotten my hands on is GREAT STUFF. There are said to be 5 main variants of BRW, but the market in the US (and our ears) makes no big distinction there.

I have attempted to described the sound advantage of Pernambuco enough to realise that I am not going to succeed at doing so. Suffice to know that I believe it enables a clarity, purity, beauty, blah blah blah, beyond anything else i've heard. The first guitar I made from it did not at first inspire me to notice the difference, it is more subtle than that. But as I had the instrument around for a while I found myself absolutely enchanted with it, and eventually I realised that it had something beyond what I look for. I have made ten now, and all have some of this quality, though a couple of them are beyond the others. I expect to be able to learn to exploit this quality with greater success through experience, in fact I already feel that I am. My next test will be graded in a couple of weeks.

[tkuane]

I think the wood looks fine!

It's always nice to hear or read about a reputed builder trying to bring out the best out of a tonewood he believes has great potential. I wish you the best of luck!

[moga]

Isn't James( from Schoenberg)s' Bruce Sexauer guitar made out of Pernambuco ?..(Eric explained to me but name just doesn't click to me..sorry for my ignorance!)

then I played it.. and I thought it sounded like mahogany.. but with great bass tone.~

[Bruce Sexauer]

James may have a Pernambuco Sexauer, but his P sounds so little like Mahogany that I have to assume you played something else. Perhaps his Jatoba? At least it looks like Mahogany!

[moga]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

James may have a Pernambuco Sexauer, but his P sounds so little like Mahogany that I have to assume you played something else. Perhaps his Jatoba? At least it looks like Mahogany!

Bruce, right..~JATOBA that is~~..

I am visiting Santa Rosa & Novato area next spring again~.. i would like to visit Eric's store (well, I will) ..
I am in love with Schonberg guitar (Recording King)..so i am planning to get signature one..(used at least)~

I saw one sold at OM28.com http://www.om28.com/schgtrs/schpern.html

[Fliss]

I think it looks nice, but in a subtle way - quietly handsome rather than flamboyant.

Fliss

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Raystrack

Warm but it looks like a utility wood to me - something to make a desk from. I'm firmly on the dark side

I'm pretty much in agreement with this.

[Bruce Sexauer]

That would be an expensive desk! Probably 6 figures for the wood, not that you could get it.

[Larry Pattis]

Boy, I am just *not* seeing this "utility wood" thing...it has a warm Koa-like color, and great (IMO) distinct grain lines.

Very striking.

I love dark, straight grained woods as much as anyone, but the photos Bruce has posted are of a beautiful wood...again, IMO!

To each their own...

[vicov]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

That would be an expensive desk! Probably 6 figures for the wood, not that you could get it.

.....but your question was "do you like the way it looks". I'm with those that don't.

[Bruce Sexauer]

"but"?

I fully expect that not everyone will appreciate what is essentially Orange. I am extremely interested in seeing what the proportion is, also how many would consider it a dealbreaker assuming the guitar is as good as I suggest. I would have made this a poll if I'd thought of it.

OK, I made this a poll.