Brazilian Rosewood Smell?

DMBfan · #1 10-02-2009, 11:36 AM

I have a Taylor 914ce L7 with Brazilian Rosewood and a spruce top. I noticed that it has a very pleasant smell that is kind of sweet. All of my friends ask me what I put on it and use to polish it thinking that might be the cause, but the polish smells nothing like the guitar and I use the same polish on all my guitars and none of them smell as good. So, I was wondering if anyone else who has a Brazilian Rosewood guitar could tell me if theirs has a similar fragrance.

Thank you

nonameguitar · #2 10-02-2009, 11:47 AM

Brazilian Rosewood has a very admiring smell for me. You can feel this if you are in the same small room with it. I heard that some companies used to make a perfume from Brazilian Rosewood too. (I don't know how)

SuperB23 · #3 10-02-2009, 11:47 AM

My Mayes does for sure!! It is funny you say that because I had a friend ask me the same thing about it with the polish!

They do smell really nice!! I think its a highly addictive smell!!! GAS

wooglins · #4 10-02-2009, 12:12 PM

That is why is called Rosewood I believe. I never bothered to notice with my new 716ce as I dont keep it in the case but it has a very sweet smell. I just got it back from the Luthier so it has been in the case for a few days. Here is a definition that states some origin information.

rosewood

popular name for the ornamental wood of several species of tropical trees, especially for the heartwood of certain leguminous trees of the genus Dalbergia of the family Leguminosae (pulse family). Brazilian rosewood, or jacaranda (D. nigra), is one of Brazil's finest woods, important in commerce for 300 years but now close to extinction. It is obtained from the purplish-black heartwood of old trees, is rather oily, fragrant-whence the name-and durable and is used whole or in veneers for piano casings and other kinds of cabinetwork and for tools, instruments, brush backs, and other articles. The oil obtained from the wood and leaves is used in fragrances and soaps. Honduras rosewood (D. stevensonii) is now used chiefly in percussion instruments (e.g., the marimba and the xylophone) where Brazilian rosewood was formerly employed. Among Old World species are the East Indian rosewood, or black rosewood (D. latifolia), which is a deep, rich purple streaked with golden yellow to black, and the very hard African blackwood (D. melanoxylon), which is used as a substitute for ebony. Rosewoods are sometimes used locally for domestic remedies, and several-including trees of other genera also called rosewood-have been introduced into the S United States as ornamentals and for lumber. The genus is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Leguminosae.

GTomcan · #5 10-02-2009, 06:21 PM

http://www.acousticgallery.com/photo..._full_frts.JPG
http://www.acousticgallery.com/photo...acks_angle.JPG
This was almost too much to do this shot, 5 Brazilian's! The smell of all this wood at same time, I have almost recovered but suffered some brain damage

, Like walking through a Rose Garden, I've found some will have it and some will not. Love the ones' that have it!

Glennwillow · #6 10-02-2009, 08:09 PM

You guys must have a much better sense of smell than I do. (I am not a smoker.) I don't smell anything from rosewood, Brazilian or EIR. I sure smell mahogany, though.

- Glenn

Taylorplayer · #7 10-02-2009, 09:51 PM

To me, the smell's about the same... But the sound, however -- that's where I notice the difference.

Here come the flaming arrows again .... :-)

Taylorplayer · #8 10-02-2009, 09:57 PM

(see above) - oh what the heck, read the ones below as well.....

nuclearFishin · #9 10-02-2009, 10:16 PM

The smell is one of the sure ways to identify Brazilian. It has a very distinct smell that smells very similar to bazooka bubble gum. A lot of time if you can't smell it, scratch the wood a little bit and you should smell sweet bubble
gum.

Taylorplayer · #10 10-02-2009, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuclearFishin

The smell is one of the sure ways to identify Brazilian. It has a very distinct smell that smells very similar to bazooka bubble gum. A lot of time if you can't smell it, scratch the wood a little bit and you should smell sweet bubble
gum.

Ah-ha! I knew there had to be a trick. So that's how they sell all those Pac Rim imports so inexpensively.

Take a local grade of Rosewood (which every decent country seems to possess at least one or two varieties of), spray a little "Bazooka Bubble Gum Air Fragrance" (artificial, of course) inside -- and -- there you have it. Instant Genuine Braz. Smelling Guitars coming your way for much less than the going rate! Pure Genius! :-)

tadmania · #11 10-03-2009, 05:14 AM

My Goodall Brazilian dread smells wonderful. I didn't know the wood had that scent until this one. I pass it around just for that experience. Yummmm!

Chazmo · #12 10-03-2009, 07:38 AM

I think a lot of what you smell in a modern Taylor is the case and glue.

My 1995 Martin HD-28 is, I think, a true wood smell of EIR. A little tangy, quite pungent, not really sweet. I've been told that BRW smells a little like bubble gum, but I'm not sure.

usb_chord · #13 10-03-2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chazmo

I think a lot of what you smell in a modern Taylor is the case and glue.

In most cases, I agree. The majority of Taylors I've played pretty much smell like glue. The model that especially comes to mind is the 614ce. The martins generally tend to smell more natural. However, The sinker/braz taylor I own smells very "sweet" and "woody".

Quote:

My 1995 Martin HD-28 is, I think, a true wood smell of EIR. A little tangy, quite pungent, not really sweet. I've been told that BRW smells a little like bubble gum, but I'm not sure.

The OM Marquis I owned was so pungent in smell that it irritated my eyes. The smell was definitely similar to what you described.