Why Not More Madagascar Rosewood Hype?

[J.D.]

Historics only got this wood from the early-mid 2000s (2003-2006 for sure but likely a little earlier and later depending on who is asked).

Property wise (cosmetic, hardness, rigidity), this wood is as close to Brazilian as there is, and is every bit as scarce and protected.

Personally I like this fretboard wood quite alot. I suppose it will never get the hype of BRW as it is not "historically correct".

 

[Big Al]

HISTORICALLY CORRECT is the unfortunate filter these things are seen through. It seems once a thing becomes rare or endangered it only increases desire and demand. I like the Madagascar stuff, but not enough to risk the ecologcal damage to have it.

I honestly find little if any difference between Braz or Indian. I find Indian to be more stable and judged from the many guitars I own with one or the other, harder. I believe all are dahlbergia(sp), and I think a few more in Mexico and C.A. that would work.

 

[Cogswell]

Madagascar is a beautiful wood. Cosmetically I think it looks best on archtop guitars & Sunburst Les Pauls, but that's just my preference.
I can understand why it's not popular w/some. "Historically" speaking, I guess a chocolate-colored wood looks more correct.

 

[Big Al]

Madagascar is a beautiful wood. Cosmetically I think it looks best on archtop guitars & Sunburst Les Pauls, but that's just my preference.
I can understand why it's not popular w/some. "Historically" speaking, I guess a chocolate-colored wood looks more correct.

It is pretty with those spiderweb grain lines and sections of blond wood. My 57 Jr had the same color break from chocolate to blond on the bass side.

 

[Cogswell]

We really should have some pictures.

 

[david.beason]

We really should have some pictures.

la

I agree that it is a great fretboard wood. I also agree with someone above about it tending to be a little bit different in color that what most people are looking for in Braz. I've had quite a few from 2006-2008 and they tend to be slightly rosier. Very smooth, though.

 

[DoubleBoogie]

Anyone know what type Rosewood was used in 2013? My R0 from that year has a board on it that is incredible\y dark...almost black and feels very different to me. It is more of a waxy smooth feel than any other new Rosewood I have ever felt on a board. It's serial number 0 3001 so I guess Gibson maybe went out of their way to make that first one extra nice by picking an exceptional board to go on it. They sure did for the top. I need to get a few better pictures of the board.

 

[Big Al]

DB dark doesn't mean Brazilian, which is most often milk chocolate brown. Indian is mostly dark chocolate/purple, though it can be milk chocolate wth dark grain llnes. All of my Historics have very dark quarter sawn Indian Rosewood. My two 2013's look and feel as you describe and is why I champion the stuff.

You have East Indian Rosewood.

 

[J.D.]

BRW and MRW are both considerably harder and more rigid than EIRW, looking specifically at material properties. Since these materials are grown and harvested and not man-made, there are variances. And a good BRW or MRW board will not guarantee a good sounding guitar, but if the goal is to replicate a '50s Gibson as closely as possible, MRW is the closest material available to BRW.

I'm all for conservation of these endangered trees moving forward (kudos to CITES), however, the guitars already made with BRW and MRW I definitely prefer to those made with EIRW. "It's all about the wood."

 

[Big Al]

You know I hear that alot, but most of the BRW acoustics I've encountered had cracked. Most of the guitars with BRW finger boards had deep divits. I still have some I bought in the 70's that were barely 10 to 14 years old and divited, while my EIW fingerboard guitars have seen considerably more hard playing time have barely any.

I trust my experience, I always do. I have no issue with EIRW and I prefer it. BRW is certainly prettier, beautiful just gorgeous. I like it on acoustics. My tastes are mine and like I said, I have no issue with it, it takes nothing away from my enjoyment of my guitar. I miss nothing at all and all is well.

 

[tdarian]

I thought they also used Madagascar RW on the 2007s. Whatever it is on the 2007 R6 that I have is pretty nice, very smooth with little open grain and pretty dark overall with lighter to reddish brown textures and flecks.

I like the IRW board on my 2011 R7 too though!

 

[DoubleBoogie]

DB dark doesn't mean Brazilian, which is most often milk chocolate brown. Indian is mostly dark chocolate/purple, though it can be milk chocolate wth dark grain llnes. All of my Historics have very dark quarter sawn Indian Rosewood. My two 2013's look and feel as you describe and is why I champion the stuff.

You have East Indian Rosewood.

Thanks. I hope I wasn't trying to infer that I thought it was BRW. It just feels different and is so dark as to almost appear as though its ebony. I too love the feel of mine.

 

[1jamman]

Just sold a 2009 Gibson LP that had MGRW (I think all the guitars made in this run had it too -59 pcs.) ...Beautiful , But Imo didn't have the BRW factor (feel) , Very nice ,but different .

 

[marshall1987]

Another fan of Madagascar Rosewood. Example below is a 2005 Gary Rossington Les Paul.

 

[Cogswell]

Beautiful photographic examples!

 

[fjminor]

A 2007 R9 from Vic with Madagascar. Miss this guitar.

 

[EdwardR9]

I agree with Al. IR is pretty good, but you also have to realize that Gibson as of 2013 started using steel thumbwheels on the ABR-1.
When you swap these out for plated brass a good bit of that snap is gone. For Historical reference I am personally dying to try Brazilian.

Here are a few photo's of some Brazilian I rounded up. The first board may be useless because of the knots unless i can get them to line up under the inlays.

 

[J.D.]

Most likely those knots will carve just fine, this isn't pine LOL. If they get a little chatter you can always fill little imperfections with epoxy before final sanding. I like the look of the knotty, swirly grained BRW (and MRW). Much more visually interesting than straight quartersawn. EIRW is so boring looking, and generally has (IMHO ugly) purple-hued streaks.

 

[EdwardR9]

Most likely those knots will carve just fine, this isn't pine LOL. If they get a little chatter you can always fill little imperfections with epoxy before final sanding. I like the look of the knotty, swirly grained BRW (and MRW). Much more visually interesting than straight quartersawn. EIRW is so boring looking, and generally has (IMHO ugly) purple-hued streaks.

God bless you !!! I am a total idiot when it comes to making a fingerboard and the process. Tricks of the trade too, but with help from you guys I'm gonna have a Brazilian on 4-5 of my Custom Shop Historics, but not my Axcess. One new addition to the family is on the way and I am waiting for an e-mail back on another.

Thanks J.D.

 

[J.D.]

Beautiful boards IMO.

Post some photos when you start your project