Pao Ferro vs. Rosewood

[Travis_Warner]

I'm in a position where soon i will be able to update my guitars. I have a great yamaha CG-151C, and I love it, but now I think I should update as my skill has become better. I'm wondering for sound, which is better? Pao Ferro or Rosewood...looks have nothing to do with my decision, because a guitar is not meant to look at, it is meant to play...

so, what' do ya'll think i should go with

[MegaBrawn]

...looks have nothing to do with my decision, because a guitar is not meant to look at, it is meant to play...


Man, I wish all guitarists felt that way. I have a 151C too. It's a great guitar for the price. I'd rather not comment on which material would be better in terms as tone though. There are too many factors which go into the tonal qualities of an instrument.

Whatever advise I could give would be insignificant when compared to all the other factors which goes into guitar lutherie. If it feels and sounds good, that should be enough.

[daniel711]

Of all the variables which determine a guitar's sound, the back and sides come in about last! The skill of the maker is #1, followed by the top wood. Decide if you want want cedar or spruce, THEN choose the maker, and forget about the back/side wood. Better yet, just play a few guitars and go for sound. That's what the pros do :roll:

[Faya]

Hey daniel711,
That's great advice!!!
That's what i always do. It's not the lable, but the sound. :D

[Travis_Warner]

Well, went with the Cordoba 40R...with solid cedar top, rosewood back and sides....and I am very pleased with it

[jeremy]

Pao Ferro is not as crisp sounding as any of the Rosewoods and this will effect the final sound of the guitar. The sound will be less brilliant but smoother. It is a reasonable alternative for Rosewood, it all depends on the actual guitar and the sound you are after.

It can be a very attractive timber, but eventually you may want to sell this guitar, and Rosewood will be easier to sell.
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[daniel711]

Jeremy
As a highly respected luthier, how do you rate the top and side wood as contributory to the overall sound. I always imagined that it contributes little, compared to the overall design of the guitar and the topwood....no??

[jeremy]

Daniel,
I like to think of this in general terms like the back and sides as contributing more to the character of the sound than the quality. For example: You can have an excellent guitar made from many different materials, but only a guitar made from Brazilian Rosewood will sound like a guitar made from Brazilian Rosewood.

The top itself has its own character as well, but it is the top that is mainly responsible for the quality of the sound. The back and sides will add their own character, but can also enhance the quality of the guitar in its own right.

This is sort of like, what came first the chicken or the egg, but you are correct in your assertion that the top is the main element. All parts of the guitar have their own little effect on the overall sound, be it the neck or fingerboard, linings, end blocks etc etc.

The design is also most important, and this can vary widely. Different shapes will yield different sound characteristics, as will different bracing patterns. The computations and permutations are endless.
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