Article: Richards Guide To Acoustic Guitar Tonewoods: Rosewood

Jul 16, 2023Acoustic Guitar Advice

Richards Guide To Acoustic Guitar Tonewoods: Rosewood

Rosewood is a common and popular choice for the back and sides of an acoustic guitar due to its rich, warm sound and beautiful appearance. Rosewoods are known for their complex overtones, deep lows, and brilliant highs. There are several types of rosewood, each with unique characteristics and tonal properties, which have traditionally been used in guitar construction:

Brazilian Rosewood

Due to its superior tonal qualities, Brazilian Rosewood is often considered the holy grail of tonewoods. It's known for its deep bass and brilliant trebles, and produces a loud, full, and balanced tone. However, due to environmental concerns, this type of rosewood has been heavily regulated since the late 1960s and is no longer widely available. This makes Brazilian Rosewood guitars quite rare and expensive.

Indian Rosewood

Because of the unavailability of Brazilian Rosewood, Indian Rosewood has become the standard and most common rosewood used for guitar construction. It has rich low tones and a sparkling high end, making it one of the most balanced and versatile tonewoods. It's also praised for its beautiful grain and aesthetic appeal.

Madagascar Rosewood

Known for its sonic qualities that fall somewhere between Brazilian and Indian Rosewood. It has a similar tonality to Brazilian Rosewood, with a wide tonal range and excellent projection, but has a slightly lighter color.

Cocobolo Rosewood

This Central American hardwood is heavy and dense, with a bright tone similar to Koa or Maple but with the deep, resonant bass response of traditional Rosewoods. It's also highly figured and visually striking, often in hues of red, orange, and yellow.

Honduran (or Amazon) Rosewood

Although less common in acoustic guitars, this variant is a valued tonewood with warm basses and clear trebles.

East Indian Rosewood

East Indian Rosewood has a deep, warm, resonant tone and a sleek, dark appearance. This wood has become very popular due to its availability and lower cost.

Santos Rosewood

Also known as Pau Ferro, this variant is actually not a true rosewood but has similar tonal characteristics. It provides strong mids and highs and is visually appealing.

However, it's important to note that due to regulations such as the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), the use of true rosewoods in instrument manufacture is becoming more restricted as many species have become endangered. More sustainable, yet tonally similar, alternatives are being sought by many luthiers

Written by Richard Cholerton

Acoustic Guitar Advice

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Best Tonewood for acoustic guitar back and sides

Acoustic Guitar Advice

Best Tonewood For Acoustic Guitar Back & Sides

For me - there is no difference between "personal" and "business" life - It is all "my life". Interconnected and therefore highly personal. Every guitar I sell (EVERY) is one I can tell you the backstory - about the people who make them - the ethos of the brand and how they align with my own - they are a genuine personal recommendations based on 28 years in the industry.

With the industry dominated by marketing, hype, and "blinkered" brand loyalty - retailers focus on what they get asked for - with little effort in raising awareness of guitars that are better than the one you asked about. This leads to a lot of poor buying decisions!

Here is a quick introduction to the brands I often refer to as "my babies" but really you could simply refer to them as "benchmarks". Check the prices - check the specs - check the quality and back story - and find me a brand that does it better - or even close. The fact is you cant buy a bad guitar from Richards Guitars - you will only find the best - set up to your personal requirements.

My "Personal Collection"

Art Meets Craft - Artisan - Unique

Hand Made In Slovakia

I have the honour and privilege to be Englands exclusive dealer for Dowina guitars. A completely unique approach to guitar building that blends passion, art and craft producing the most inspiring and wondrous acoustic guitars that represent so much more than the materials they are made from.

Dowina is more than just a guitar - its an experience that you will appreciate and remember for a lifetime.

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Detail - Clarity-Power-Resonance-Beauty

Furch Changed Everything...

I introduced Furch to to the UK over 20 years ago - with my good friend Keith Twine who has since retired.

At the time I was a leading supplier of brands such as Gibson, Martin & Taylor. Experiencing Furch guitars made me realize there is what you "know" and what you "should know". Just because you DON'T - doesn't mean it doesn't exist!

What does all this mean? Forget what you think you know and open your mind to the possibility that you can find better - and we will guarantee you an experience you will never forget - with help from Furch and my other personal finds from over the decades.

Buy Furch Guitars Online

Inspirational quality, tone & feel at a price you never thought would be possible.

A Benchmark British Brand

With an incredible Back story - A Truly Brtiish yet global brand utilising the shared skills of the Gordon Smith Team in England and a small boutique workshop in China - The result? Unbelievable quality that far surpasses that of recognised mass produced brands at the same price.

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Hand Made - Standard Setting - Affordable

We Were The First UK Dealer for Eastman Guitars...

....and continue to be their largest and most experienced dealer in the UK supplying Eastman guitars throughout Europe.

Originally known for their extraordinary quality, hand made arch tops - produced by violin makers - as their reputation spread they developed into the World of electric and acoustic guitar production which continue to be made by hand.

Eastman have now become a hugely dominant force in the Guitar World producing the "best in class" in any guitar genre they opt to focus on.

Nobody knows them better or can provide you a better experience.

Whether you decide on the showroom experience or buying online you could not be in safer hands.

Buy Eastman Guitars Online

Quality - Versatility - Innovation

Canadas Finest

I have specialised in Godin guitars since 1995.

Godin have been solving problems for performing acoustic and electric guitar players for over 30 years, producing the most divine instruments which are stylish, of the highest quality whilst serving the practical needs of the modern performing professional

You could say Godin is the antithesis to Gibson! Godins reputation is built largely on the word of mouth of professionals and session musicians who need their instruments to be highly reliable and consistent night after night.

Get one in your hands, and you will soon understand their unique contribution to the evolution of the guitar.

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Perfection

Hand Made In Italy

I have to thank Stuart - Director of UK Distributor Selectron for thinking of me when he made a very special find in the guise of Luigi - A man building what can only be described as playable works of art. An extraordinary man - extraordinary guitars and I can only thank Luigi & Stuart for thinking of me as a perfect fit to help represent Luigis work in the UK.

Buy Valenti Guitars Online

Hand Made In Ukraine

Valiant Guitars

Breathtaking guitars made by men who continue their passion literally in a war zone.

The human story is inspiring but no less than the impeccable, meticulous qualitywith an enormous dash of the secret ingredient so many guitars can never find - MOJO!

View Our Valiant Guitars

The most comprehensive collection of affordable electric guitars money can buy.

We will help you find The best playing - Affordable electric guitar

I have been promoting Vintage brand guitars since the day they were "born" some 20+ years ago! In this time they have just got better... and better... and better! Not just that but the range has just become EPIC. Something for everyone!!

In the past couple of years ProShop has become one of the mmost exciting UK hand built guitars- using the Vintage range as the building blocks to create wonderful and exciting guitars that would normally cost thousands of pounds.

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Lava me4

I am satisfaid, strings are a bit higher.. Otherwise is really nice and pleasent sound.. Need time to get use to strings...

Puts a smile on my face!

My second guitar from Richards Guitars and I couldn’t be more delighted. I wanted a good quality guitar for everyday gigging. My trusty Yamaha APX500iiEW is a great workhorse but lacked the tone I wanted.
My Auden Chester Neo 45 is too good to be used on the road. The LAG T70 ACE fitted the bill perfectly. The clarity and brightness of sound from the spruce top is just what I wanted at an affordable price. The staff at Richards Guitars know their stuff and never try to “up-sell” they just want you to get the guitar that is perfect for your needs and budget. Many thanks to Jon and Jake.

Richards Guitars Service is Impeccable

I am extremely happy with my Danelectro DC59, Richards Guitars really do pay attention to detail regarding the setup of the instrument. The guitar arrived well packaged and was really well set up to the point where it was a joy to play. I will definitely be using Richards Guitars for future purchases, it really is worth the wait to receive a guitar that has been given the care and attention it needs before being shipped out.

The overall buying experience was much better than I had experienced from many of the faceless box shifters that dominate the U.K guitar marketplace.

I cant thank Richard and his team enough for such an amazing instrument and the Danelectro DC59 is no exception it resonates beautifully and I was also impressed with the decent build quality.

The Danelectro DC59 is a phenomenal guitar at this price point. Richards Guitars unique service and pre-shipping set up is the icing on the cake.

Thank you ever so much for a very special instrument that feels so good to play and will be treasured going forward.

Thank you SO much. I am so grateful that you have shared this experience and allowed us to share it with future customers.

We strive so hard to ensure you get the experince you detail and so glad its worked out so well for you.

Feel free to make use of the 6 and 12 month check and reset too, if you are in the area :)

Thanks again

Richard

Discreet, hight fidelity and idiot proof

Richard and his staff fitted this amp for me in a Furch GN2 and it works like a breeze. What really surprised me is how true the sound behind the amp sounds. I recorded and couldn't tell what was recorded behind the amp and without it. Incredible

So pleased you love it - I have spent my life in retail trying to distinguish which products suit my ear - and then I have to hope our customers agree. I suppose its no coincidence that the brands I love tend to focus on Fishman and LR Baggs - as their prefered pickup systems :) Thank you for the review.

Great guitar, extremely versatile and looks very cool. Straight out the box and did two gigs with it. Excellent service from Richards Guitars.

Thank you so much for your review. I am so grateful you took the time. Much appreciated.

We are here for you if you need us!

Locking tuners don't fit

String broke after 3 days. Ordered locking tuners. wouldn't fit it because of the silver things inside the head stock holes. Do you know any locking tuner brands that will fit it. I had to bring it to local shop to get restringed I don't do standard tuning only locking. Apart from that a great guitar
Recommend it to anyone.

Hi there, thank you for your feedback. We apologize for the inconvenience you experienced with the locking tuners not fitting on your Vintage V100AFD Electric Guitar. We recommend checking out brands like Grover or Schaller for locking tuners that may fit better. We're glad to hear that you are enjoying the guitar overall and we appreciate your recommendation. Please let us know if there is anything else we can assist you with. Thank you!

Excellent service! Lovely mandolin!

A great guitar for the price

A great guitar for the price. The build quality is great, set-up was on the spot and sound is on a par or above with what I have seen in this price range. Highly recommeded!

Hi there! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're so happy to hear that you are enjoying your Eastman PCH1-OM acoustic guitar. We take pride in providing high-quality instruments at an affordable price, and we're glad that you've had a positive experience with the build quality and sound. We appreciate your recommendation and hope you continue to enjoy your guitar.

We are here if you need us and thanks again!

Fantástica guitarra. Muy buen trabajo del equipo de Richard Guitars

Muy buena comunicación con el equipo de Richard Guitars. Inicialmente solicité el modelo E30ME. Durante el traslado a la tienda de Londres la guitarra sufrió un desperfecto, por lo que me ofrecieron un descuento en este modelo Deluxe. Acepté y no puedo estar más contento. El único problema (culpa mía) fue el pago de impuestos y aranceles cuando el paquete llegó a España por proceder de fuera de la unión europea.
Pero la guitarra es perfecta. Muy buena puesta a punto por parte del equipo. Acabados muy buenos. El Ovangkol luce precioso y el sonido que emite la guitarra es fantástico.
Muy contento con la compra.

Your review in English...

Very good communication with the Richard Guitars team. I initially requested the E30ME model. During the transfer to the London store the guitar suffered damage, so they offered me a discount on this Deluxe model. I accepted and I couldn't be happier. The only problem (my fault) was the payment of taxes and duties when the package arrived in Spain because it came from outside the European Union.
But the guitar is perfect. Very good setup by the team. Very good finishes. The Ovangkol looks beautiful and the sound the guitar makes is fantastic.
Very happy with the purchase.

And my reply!

Thank you for your kind words and for choosing our Eastman E3OM Deluxe guitar. We are glad to hear that you are satisfied with the communication and service provided by our team at Richard Guitars. We apologize for the inconvenience caused during the transit of your guitar, but we are happy that we were able to offer you a discount on the Deluxe model. We understand the frustration with taxes and tariffs, but we are pleased to hear that the guitar itself is perfect and that you are enjoying its beautiful Ovangkol finish and fantastic sound. We appreciate your business and hope you continue to enjoy your new guitar. Thank you again for your review.

Gracias por sus amables palabras y por elegir nuestra guitarra Eastman E3OM Deluxe. Nos alegra saber que está satisfecho con la comunicación y el servicio brindado por nuestro equipo en Richard Guitars. Nos disculpamos por las molestias ocasionadas durante el tránsito de su guitarra, pero nos alegra haber podido ofrecerle un descuento en el modelo Deluxe. Entendemos la frustración por los impuestos y aranceles, pero nos complace saber que la guitarra en sí es perfecta y que estás disfrutando de su hermoso acabado en Ovangkol y su fantástico sonido. Apreciamos su negocio y esperamos que continúe disfrutando de su nueva guitarra. Gracias de nuevo por tu reseña.

ricardo

Love this guitar!

Bought my first Furch earlier this year and it was also the first purchase from Richards Guitars. I absolutely love this guitar, it has a great sounds and is so tactile… l love playing it and everyone compliments the sound. I fabulous but from a great dealer.

Thank you for your positive review! We are so happy to hear that you love your Furch Violet Gc-SM Deluxe Acoustic Guitar and that you had a great experience purchasing it from us. We strive to provide high-quality products and excellent customer service. Keep on playing and making beautiful music :)