3 set of Brazilian Rosewood

[Wilson.fu]

Hello, I am getting a guitar built, the luthier offered 3 sets of Brazilian Rosewood for me to choose from.

Would like to see your opinion!

Set 1


Set 2


Set 3

[Sticky_fingers]

I’d pick number two. To me, coming from hobby carpentry I think that one looks like the one least prone to cracks but I’m no expert and I can only judge from my own experience and looks.

[Mark Hatcher]

I’d suggest you see the sides that go with each set before making any decisions

[joe white]

Based on the backs only, set 2.

[Tim McKnight]

Set 2 is flatsawn. I’d pick 1 or 3 but agree with Mark that sides would need to be seen to narrow it down.

[TomB'sox]

Numero 3 for me, I think it is beautiful. A good builder and a well cared for ie. humified guitar even of BRW should not crack. I go for aesthetics personally.

[warfrat73]

I'm #1 all day, #3 I just don't dig the single dark stripe. #2 a distant 3rd because it's flatsawn.

[Nemoman]

I'm with warfrat73--Numero 1 gets my vote!

[boombox]

Not an expert on BRW, but if I had to choose on looks, Set #1 all the way for me.

[jt1]

Originally Posted by Tim McKnight

Set 2 is flatsawn. I’d pick 1 or 3 but agree with Mark that sides would need to be seen to narrow it down.

Oh, my. Number 2 was cut a few degrees off quartered but most certainly was not flat-sawn.

[alohachris]

Aloha Wilson.fu,

Brazilian Rosewood loves to crack, especially with seasonal changes when it loses moisture to dry indoor heating. BRW guitars fare best when made in a humidity-controlled environment @ 40-50% rh.

In fact, if you are a regular gigging musician who travels a lot, I might go with another RW species for a gigging guitar because of moisture loss or dinging cracks that BRW is prone to.

If you play mostly at home or are a collector, you can control your space to ensure a stable environment to keep a BRW guitar.

Hope you are also ordering a great, humidified case for your new guitar. Always keep your guitar in that case, no matter how tempted to show it off on a stand, or worse, an external wall.

And today, only the lucky, most seasoned luthiers can regularly (& not that often) get their hands on well-quartered, mostly reclaimed sets of BRW, that's why we see so many flat-sawn backs on guitars these days (the last 30 years really), especially from the Kinnaird brothers, Ha! (EZ boys, just kidding).

BRW has been on the international, endangered species CITES list since 1991. And still, our industry uses & promotes it.

But try to take it into Japan or Canada for a gig without authenticated CITES documentation & see what happens. BRW instruments can be confiscated by customs. Some countries actually respect endangered species laws. After using BRW on over 50 guitars, I stopped using BRW as soon as it hit that list. I sold off all my BRW sets to my friend, the late, great Robert Ruck for his incredible classical & flamenco guitars.

Because of its easy-cracking potential, BRW should be well-quartersawn...AND DRY. Otherwise, it's a risk.

So, if it were me, I'd put a moisture meter on all three BRW sets (backs AND sides) to see what your luthier is working with & if the sets can even be used yet. Or have the luthier meter them for you - while you are in attendance. Should be 6-8 percent moisture content to begin with & consistent density across the face.

VERY IMPORTANTLY, Choose the least flat-cut of the sets - (INCLUDING THE SIDES)! It's hard to tell which one - if any - is best from these pictures. There are other factors besides visuals for determining if a set is dry & quartered enough to be stable.

Of course, it is accidents, plus the ignorance & mistreatment by guitar owners that puts cracks in guitars of any species of wood. But BRW just needs a little more help & care than others to avoid cracking. Beware & you'll be OK.

You should have the luthier finish the inside surfaces to retard the moisture exchange rate. That really helped me avoid cracks in travelling guitars as well.

Good luck with your build and with maintaining a stable, crack-free, wonderful BRW guitar, Wilson.fu.

alohachris

[redir]

That looks like good old BRW. As mentioned 2 *might be flat sawn but I've seen many vintage 1800's guitars with flatsawn BRW. Being old it will be more stable. It ain't stump wood.

But 1 and 3 have that silking that is desirable and very pretty. I like that little touch of sap wood on 3 so that would be my choice.

[Loggerenguitars]

Without a doubt or hesitation, absolutely NO:1 !!

But it also depends how the sides will match.

All the best!

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by jt1

Oh, my. Number 2 was cut a few degrees off quartered but most certainly was not flat-sawn.

Zoom in John. Center of each half certainly is flat and center line of a flatsawn cut visually indicative of the chevron grain shape.

[s2y]

I like #3.