Rosewood?

[Popbumper]

Curiousity has the better of me, perhaps a luthier question? OK, understand MAPLE fretboards - maple is maple. But when one says "rosewood", what exactly are we talking about? The term "ROSEwood" immediately alludes to the thorny wood on rose bushes - and I'm sure that's NOT what we're referring to here.

Any takers? Thanks.

Chris

[electracoyote]

Rosewood is a tree

Rosewood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Rickett Customs]

There are literally many types of wood in the Dalbergia genus, that are considered "rosewood". Let's see, in the Dalbergia genus, there's different species, but they include:

Honduras Rosewood
Guatemalan Rosewood
Indian Rosewood
Cocobolo
Palisander
Nicaraguan Rosewood
Bahia Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
Kingwood
Tulipwood
East Indian Rosewood
African Blackwood
African Ebony
Zebrawood

[Popbumper]

....nice to get a horticultural education! Given the myriad of varieties, are there those that would "more generically" be chosen by a manufacturer that mass produces guitars? I would think so, given considerations of cost constraint and supply chain integrity. Thanks.

Chris

[FunkMetalBass]

Brazilian and Honduras rosewood are seemingly the most common. If memory serves, Brazilian rosewood is becoming increasingly rare, so builders are switching to Honduras rosewood.

[Keith Guitars]

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

Brazilian and Honduras rosewood are seemingly the most common. If memory serves, Brazilian rosewood is becoming increasingly rare, so builders are switching to Honduras rosewood.

Just to clarify:

Brazilian Rosewood was the preferred variety until the 1970s when supplies became very restricted. This was in large part to the wood being listed on the CITES list of restricted imports.
It is now (and has been for some time) illegal to import Brazilian Rosewood except if it has been documented as old stock, or was harvested from stump wood or other previously cut material.

Indian Rosewood is by far the most common choice for factory guitars. Many of the other "rosewoods" including some of those listed above are not "true" rosewoods, in the genus Dalbergia.

Good basic reading on this here:
Rosewood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Cheers,
Martin

[Popbumper]

Very informative guys, great group here, many thanks!

Chris

[FunkMetalBass]

Originally Posted by Keith Guitars

Just to clarify:

Brazilian Rosewood was the preferred variety until the 1970s when supplies became very restricted. This was in large part to the wood being listed on the CITES list of restricted imports.
It is now (and has been for some time) illegal to import Brazilian Rosewood except if it has been documented as old stock, or was harvested from stump wood or other previously cut material.

Indian Rosewood is by far the most common choice for factory guitars. Many of the other "rosewoods" including some of those listed above are not "true" rosewoods, in the genus Dalbergia.

Good basic reading on this here:
Rosewood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Cheers,
Martin

I was close.

Thanks for clarifying.

[allexcosta]

Just another bit of info if I may...

In Brazil musicians and luthiers say Jacarandá when referring to Brazilian Rosewood. We call all other species just Rosewood...