What is the difference between Brazilian rosewood and Indian Rosewood?

This can be difficult to gauge if you don't have any known samples to compare, but Brazilian Rosewood should have fairly sparsely spaced pores, while East Indian Rosewood should be almost riddled with pores.

Is Brazilian rosewood better than Indian rosewood?

To most, Brazilian has better clarity in the bottom and a almost bell like tone in the trebles. Indian rosewood has become the general substitute for Brazilian rosewood. Generally speaking, this wood is not as attractive as Brazilian and It has a noticeably purple color and the grain markings are coarser.

How can you tell Brazilian rosewood from Indian rosewood?

Brazilian is mostly dark brown with some black grain lines, occasionally being close to black on wider areas, and with some with tan areas. Some very old sets can be a lighter brown. Indian has again a dark brown base color, but not as dark as Brazilian, and with a lot of purple overtones.

Which is the best rosewood?

Is Brazilian rosewood expensive?

The prestige of Brazilian rosewood, an expensive material to begin with, rocketed once production was halted. Rarity, coupled with the cachet of authentic Danish modern designs (and the names attached to them), has made mid-century Brazilian rosewood furniture one of today's most coveted grails.

Is Brazilian Rosewood Better Than Indian Rosewood? Lets Find Out!

What is so special about Brazilian rosewood?

Brazilian rosewood is highly desirable, exceptionally rare and heavily regulated. It is regarded as one of the finest tonewoods; hard, stiff, and highly resonant with a glass-like ring that sustains; it has a floral scent, similar to roses, thus the name.

Why is Brazilian rosewood illegal?

Why is Brazilian rosewood so heavily regulated? In 1967, Brazilian rosewood had become so popular for instruments and other wood products that the Brazilian government became concerned that this precious hardwood could be wiped out, so the government outlawed the export of rosewood logs.

What wood is closest to Brazilian rosewood?

There are various other woods that can be used as alternatives to rosewood. These woods include: Macassar ebony, ziricote, bubinga, grenadillo and pau ferro. Macassar ebony and ziricote are higher end woods whereas bubinga, grenadillo and pau ferro are more moderately priced.

When did they stop using Brazilian rosewood in guitars?

Supplies grew extremely thin in the late 1960s, however, and Martin and others stopped using Brazilian rosewood in 1969, moving over to Indian rosewood, then other varieties. In 1992, Brazilian rosewood was added to the CITES treaty, strictly banning its exportation.

How can I tell if my rosewood is real?

Even texture with an orange/yellow-red to deep purple with black bars color range: Even if artificial dyes can reproduce the color, if with an uneven texture it can be confirmed the product is not made of rosewood. Fake rosewoods products have a thick color or light colors with white color in some space.

Does Gibson still use Brazilian rosewood?

Since 1991, Brazilian Rosewood has been listed as an endangered species and has therefore been used sparingly by guitar makers. However, there have been some small runs here and there of Gibson guitars that do have Brazilian fingerboards, particularly during 2001-2003.

Where does the best rosewood come from?

rosewood, any of several ornamental timbers, products of various tropical trees native to Brazil, Honduras, Jamaica, Africa, and India. The most important commercially are the Honduras rosewood, Dalbergia stevensoni, and the Brazilian rosewood, principally D.

Is Indian rosewood a good tonewood?

Indian rosewood's sweeping frequency range at both ends of the tonal spectrum has made it one of the most popular and musically rich tonewoods. Its deep lows can assert a throaty growl, while bright, sparkling treble notes ring out with bell-like, high-fidelity clarity.

What wood has the best tone?

Spruce. This evergreen, found in northern temperate regions of the globe, is literally top choice: the ideal wood for the soundboard, or top, of an acoustic guitar. Its look — light in color, even in grain — is appealing though somewhat plain; what sets it apart is its beautiful tonal properties.

What kind of rosewood does Gibson use?

North American rosewood is also used by Gibson — it's a trustworthy source and sustainable. Madagascan and Amazonian Rosewood is also widely used. * Brazilian Rosewood is unusual these days, because of rarity and exorbitant cost.

What wood is best for guitar fretboard?

What does Brazilian rosewood look like?

Color/Appearance: Brazilian rosewood can vary in color from a darker chocolate brown to a lighter purplish or reddish brown, with darker contrasting streaks. The black streaks can sometimes form a unique grain pattern that is sometimes referred to as “spider-webbing” or “landscape,” very similar to ziricote.

Does Fender use Brazilian rosewood?

In 2017 when CITES imposed restrictions on instruments featuring rosewood, Fender made a few changes. Now that those restrictions have been lifted, Fender use a combination of rosewood, pau ferro and ebony.

How do you finish Brazilian rosewood?

Shellac is the best sealer for oily woods like rosewood, but you can't topcoat it with polyurethane, as it won't adhere. If you want to finish the rosewood, either spray it with lacquer or apply a coat of resin-based varnish.

Where does Brazilian rosewood come from?

D. nigra, commonly known as Brazilian rosewood, is native to the Atlantic coast of Brazil. It is one of the most highly valued hardwoods, well-known for its durability, pest resistance, beauty, acoustic properties, and distinct rose scent.

Is Indian rosewood hard?

Janka Hardness is 2,440 pounds of force. Drying and Shrinkage: Indian Rosewood dries well but it is recommended to dry the wood slowly to avoid checking and end splitting. Average reported shrinkage values are 2.7% radial, 5.9% tangential, 8.5% volumetric.

Can I sell Brazilian rosewood?

Again, this provision has been in the regulations since 2007 and remains unchanged. It allows you to sell, buy, or otherwise transfer your Brazilian rosewood guitar so long as the rosewood was certified as “pre-Convention,” no matter when it was imported into the US.

Is Indian rosewood legal?

The good news is that if you own an item made of rosewood, you should be able to travel with it without issue. But the bad news is that if you are selling any type of rosewood (either as lumber, or as a finished product), you can no longer (legally) ship it out of your country.

Is Indian rosewood illegal?

The most widely traded illegal wild product in the world today is rosewood, an endangered hardwood prized for its use in traditional Chinese furniture.