hardest rosewood?

[dnewhous]

Pau Ferro/Morado/Bolivian Rosewood is described by John Suhr as having some of the desirable properties of ebony, which I assume means really hard.

How does its hardness compare to the two exotic rosewoods, cocobolo and brazilian?

 

[beandip]

Re: hardest rosewood?

Man, you're comparing apples and oranges here. If you want the characteristics of ebony, go with ebony. Density doesn't have everything to do with tone.

 

[dnewhous]

Re: hardest rosewood?

Unfortunately, Suhr does not offer that option.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: hardest rosewood?

Pau Ferro is an excellent alternative to ebony.

 

[breakdanceattiffanys]

Re: hardest rosewood?

Man, you're comparing apples and oranges here. If you want the characteristics of ebony, go with ebony. Density doesn't have everything to do with tone.

Well put. Only experience I've had with ebony is fretboards, which is a thin sliver through a select, small part of a guitar as a whole. Most ebony necks/fretboards that I have ever played are bright and fast-playing, smoother than rosewood to me, but am not sure what you're asking about.

I do know that a luthier friend of mine here locally made an all-Brazilian rosewood solid body guitar that weighed about 20lbs and took Goldberg to play.

 

[dnewhous]

Re: hardest rosewood?

Only experience I've had with ebony is fretboards, which is a thin sliver through a select, small part of a guitar as a whole.

Of course I am talking about fingerboards.

 

[Bludave]

Re: hardest rosewood?

If your talking Fingerboards, go with Brazilian. I just ordered a new neck for a Strat project and it was really not much more then with Indian. It is much darker in color and looks awesome!

 

[dnewhous]

Re: hardest rosewood?

If your talking Fingerboards, go with Brazilian. I just ordered a new neck for a Strat project and it was really not much more then with Indian. It is much darker in color and looks awesome!

Brazilian rosewood is incredibly beautiful, but is it harder than pao ferro? Functionality trumps aesthetics. That's why I won't order birds eye maple for the neck.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: hardest rosewood?

Pau Ferro is one of my favorites. It's a little waxy feeling, and depending on what your body chemistry is, it can feel like it has a little "drag", but not for me. My hands are dry and I love it. Most people consider Ebony to be fast and smooth, but for those who have that same kind of body chemistry, Ebony's flat, non porous surface can also have more drag than Rosewood. I guess what I'm saying is that it's rare, and if you already like the feel of Ebony, you'll probably have excellent results from the Pau Ferro.

 

[aleclee]

Re: hardest rosewood?

If functionality is what you're looking for, why are you so hung up on density? We're talking about fretboards, not anchors or hammers. Density isn't going to tell you how a freeboard will feel or sound.