Does Mahogany Age Well?

(Dan) · #1 07-17-2014, 03:33 PM

Hey everyone. I'm new to the forum, and this is my first post, so I apologize if this has been discussed before.

A few weeks ago, I bought a solid mahogany top guitar. I really love the sound of it, and I've never had such a good time playing! I was just wondering if anyone could tell me from personal experience how their mahogany guitar has aged. Has the tone changed in any way? Or, has the tone remained pretty consistent over time?

Thanks!

Teleman52 · #2 07-17-2014, 03:39 PM

Edit: oops

(Dan) · #3 07-17-2014, 03:44 PM

Sorry, I should have clarified. I'm just talking about the mahogany top itself aging or breaking in (not necessarily the back and sides since they are laminate anyway).

ljguitar · #4 07-17-2014, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by (Dan)

Hey everyone. I'm new to the forum, and this is my first post, so I apologize if this has been discussed before.

A few weeks ago, I bought a solid mahogany top guitar. I really love the sound of it, and I've never had such a good time playing! I was just wondering if anyone could tell me from personal experience how their mahogany guitar has aged. Has the tone changed in any way? Or, has the tone remained pretty consistent over time?

Thanks!

Hi (Dan)…

Hello and welcome to the Forum! Glad you joined, and glad you are enjoying your Mahogany topped instrument.

The experience I've had with Mahogany topped (All Mahogany actually) guitars were half dozen Martins, and I've liked all of them MORE as they aged.

Steve DeRosa · #5 07-17-2014, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljguitar

...The experience I've had with Mahogany topped (All Mahogany actually) guitars were half dozen Martins, and I've liked all of them MORE as they aged...

Same with mine (a D-15S and a J12-15) - sounded ten years old the first day, and just kept getting better from there; FWIW they seem to open up differently than spruce or cedar tops, though. IME I'd recommend pounding the snot out of it (flatpicking/hard strumming in all positions - even if you have to use a capo) an hour or more a day for the first couple months; you'll be surprised just how responsive - and loud - a hog-top can be...

pgilmor · #6 07-17-2014, 05:46 PM

Mine definitely changed after 1-1/2 years or so. It became looser, fuller, more responsive; a really good single-note player. Strumming takes a little more technique and restraint, but it can still be good. Just requires better technique, which makes me a better player anyway! It's a Woolson, so not exactly an off the shelf model, but I think the results are going to be similar.

Also, I agree with Steve's "pound the snot out of it" method of breaking it in!!

muscmp · #7 07-17-2014, 05:49 PM

dan: welcome to the AGF!

just play, don't worry!

play music!

(Dan) · #8 07-17-2014, 06:16 PM

Thanks guys!

Mooh · #9 07-17-2014, 06:20 PM

I've played some pretty old Martin mahogany guitars and they all sounded pretty good. Same for a couple of luthier built guitars from the last few years. Resonant, strong fundamental, nice midrange, tight bass, smooth highs. For those reasons I bought two all mahogany guitars recently after decades of mostly spruce topped instruments. If it's a time tested back and side wood, I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't be a time tested top wood.

Kerbie · #10 07-17-2014, 06:37 PM

Does anything age better?

brencat · #11 07-17-2014, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Same with mine (a D-15S and a J12-15) - sounded ten years old the first day, and just kept getting better from there; FWIW they seem to open up differently than spruce or cedar tops, though. IME I'd recommend pounding the snot out of it (flatpicking/hard strumming in all positions - even if you have to use a capo) an hour or more a day for the first couple months; you'll be surprised just how responsive - and loud - a hog-top can be...

Some truth to this. I played the heck out of my LA Guitar Sales OM-15 the first 6 months after I got it and the guitar definitely got louder and the sustain increased. I also came to prefer 80/20s on it... specifically the Ernie Ball Earthwood light mediums in 12 - 54 gauge.

Enjoy your new guitar

Ted @ LA Guitar Sales · #12 07-18-2014, 10:31 AM

I have one of our Custom 0-15's and like other Mahogany guitars I've had in the past, it seems to get louder and more resonant by the day. All solid wood guitars will get better over time of course, but in my experience Mahogany, and Koa for that matter seem to benefit even more by being played regularly.

flaggerphil · #13 07-18-2014, 01:26 PM

Mahogany starts out good and just gets better as it ages.

MBE · #14 07-18-2014, 01:32 PM

Short answer: yes.

Long answer: it's a lengthy process and is slower than with the softwoods in my experience.

Wade Hampton · #15 07-18-2014, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBE

Short answer: yes.

Long answer: it's a lengthy process and is slower than with the softwoods in my experience.

This has been exactly my experience with mahogany-topped guitars, as well. They take longer to come in to their full sound.

Something else that should be mentioned, as well, is that even when all-mahogany guitars come into their full sound, they still have a simpler tonal profile than spruce-topped guitars have. You can't get as wide a range of tone colors out of them as you can out of guitars with spruce tops.

Which is no big deal - most players don't tap into the full tonal potential of their guitars, anyway, me included. But for my own playing I do prefer spruce tops because I do use a lot of different colors in my playing.

That's just something to be aware of going in.

Hope that makes sense.

Wade Hampton Miller