Mahogany vs. Rosewood B/S?

[Shades of Blue]

Back and Side wood choice is not BS!

In all seriousness, there is a huge difference to my ear and the difference lies in the overtones. If I was playing a mahogany guitar, I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference, but when I play a rosewood guitar, I hear LOADS more overtones and harmonic qualities. Sometimes, I can hear a chorus of harmonies in the soundhole of an acoustic, almost like reverb.

[redir]

It seems to me that the tonal difference between any species of wood for the back of a guitar would make more of an actual difference if the guitar was designed with a live or active back. A reflective back is just that, it reflects the waves back to the top and creates a guitar with greater projection. An active back will vibrate more freely when a string is plucked and the top waves hit the back and couple through the sides. Then one might actually be able to 'hear' the wood of the back better.

Generally speaking of course

[Aristophon]

Originally Posted by JC.

I have 2 Martin OMs - a rosewood and a mahogany. Same builder, same body size, same scale length. For me as a player, there's a big difference. I think of the Rosewood like a single coil strat (cleaner, brighter) and the mahogany like an LP humbucker (thicker, warmer). The Rosewood also has more volume and bass response.

I like them both very much. I'd probably save the Mahogany from a burning building.

Any listener who isn't a guitar nerd wouldn't notice the difference.

This is an excellent post! You've managed to give a vivid, living prose description of the sonic differences.

I have two Seagull Solid wood Maritime dreadnoughts. One is Spruce/Mahogany, the other Spruce/Rosewood. Structurally the same, but there is a difference in tone. The Hog will be rescued if there's a fire.