I’m still very much a learner of three years but it was seeing the content of Michael Watts a devotee of twelve fret guitars and the many beautiful examples you’ve made that saw me buy a second hand Brook Taw twelve fret guitar a year ago. Wondered if I’d made the right choice at first as I initially struggled but I now love it to bits and it sounds just as good with a capo so thanks for the inspiration Tom.
I love the new microphone. With a good set of earphones, this really works! Wow, this wood is so incredible, I never get tired of seeing it and hearing it. I have several guitars with Brazilian and fall in love each time I play them! I just have to say that cutting the trees and leaving the stumps shows such an awful characteristic of human self indulgence. We did the same stupid trick with African Ebony. CITES is quite a pain, but so very important. Thanks, John Gig Harbor, WA
Yes, new mike and setup helps make the tap tone clearer on headphones Brazilian what's not to like. There are way more pressing environmental and forestry issues around the world than people using wood felled or reclaimed many years ago. Good show
I love BRW but it is excoriatingly expensive and stump wood, especially, cracks when you look at it (I say that from personal experience). Thankfully I've come to believe that the luthier is by far the most important factor in getting a great sounding guitar. So, give me two guitars in simple old Indian rosewood from a great luthier like Tom, and I'll be far happier than having one in BRW. Tom made me an amazing sounding guitar from a very unglamorous wood a few years back. YMMV.
I have never even seen BR for sale in Canada, except in finished guitars. Always wanted a set to build a guitar for myself. (Not for sale) LOL. There are Canadian luthiers that have some somehow, but haven’t ever found one willing to part with a set.
Of course Tony would have good taste being the original acoustic guitar geek😂 So the best way I can describe Brazilian as a tone wood is that for my ear the notes seem to pop off if that makes sense? I already knew this but one of my favourite artists Steve Earle whose channel has him showing off his collection of vintage Martins and Gibson’s. He often points out that the stuff used back then was the straight grain Brazilian that was not picked out for its beauty.
I've had 3 sets of BR for the last 30 years waiting for the right time to use them. Two are pretty straight but the 3rd is wild crotch grain like your set. I never knew that it was cut from the stump but makes sense. Any tips on retaining structural integrity when using this (or any other wild grain) wood?
Dalbergia Nigra (Jacaranda) trees are growing everywhere in Queensland, Australia. I have one big one growing in front yard for over 20 years. I have seedlings starting almost everywhere in my garden. Australia should cultivate this valuable trees commercially. Nobody seems to take any interest.
I am taking interest! Incredible! Could you email a picture? A friend of mine is trying to cultivate them in North Carolina. Info@tomsandsguitars.com - thank you!!
I am sorry to say this, but this is mostly superstition/ beliefs more than science or history related (when checking density, stiffness etc as the same spieces have a huge variability inside of it) Rosewood was introduced as a decorative wood for laminating pianos and other pieces of luxury funiture(same way as ebony was used too), then it moved to guitars too (many were just laminating maple or other white/boring lookin woods) I have collected and restored antique guitars(classical/romantic) for a long time, mostly spanish guitars from before the 1910, most of them had Brazilian rosewood B/S. Back then there was no difference between Indian and Brazilian and other CSAs, Builders used what they had, and Indian was prime quality too. Actually some guitar had mixed sets (matched by eye on colour, but you could tell they were diferent by the small when refinishing or fixing cracks). As an example Fleta used to build from his rosewoods stacks, no difference on IRW or BRW, it was all RW. What we are left now with are crappy stumps, re-sawn for performance (flat cuts), unstable with a lot of mineral deposits, nothing to do with quarter sawn brazilian like on old classical/acoustic guitars, people pay 2k for a set with paper work, absolute madness, it also feeds an industry in Brazil of people who goes to the jungle to cut down trees and sell the wood ilegally (you can hear of people selling illegal BRW sets for 3000 Reais...)
Sounded like an old piece of cardboard....lol ....I have three different species of hardwood that are not nearly as endangered and sound much better than the representative pieces you showed here...I am intentionally NOT SAYING what they are...two are quite oily...one is a conifer.
@@TomSandsGuitars ... I've changed my mind...these are the 3... Katalox ( Mexican Royal Ebony), North American Osage orange, and" recovered" old growth Douglas Fir ...quartered 8/4 x 16 x 24...
@@TomSandsGuitars you will be very pleasantly surprised 👍🔔🔔🔔 I was extremely surprised at how resonant and the amount of sustain in the Douglas Fir also .... very gong-like....and "on key" lol
Why are you showing this? This is like showing up elephant tusks, and tell people to buy it.. Dosent make any sense at all. And dont say.. It shouldnt go to waste. Not inspired. Non inspiring at all.
Do you like the new setup? We had so much fun with this one!
@Fire Marshal Bill always!
Beautiful sounding wood. Make sure you build some more guitars before you lose your sight.
@@craigwilliams6145 those lasers aren’t helping
It just gets better every time. Thanks again, Tommy.
You bet!
I’m still very much a learner of three years but it was seeing the content of Michael Watts a devotee of twelve fret guitars and the many beautiful examples you’ve made that saw me buy a second hand Brook Taw twelve fret guitar a year ago. Wondered if I’d made the right choice at first as I initially struggled but I now love it to bits and it sounds just as good with a capo so thanks for the inspiration Tom.
Thanks for being a member of the community Andrew!
That new microphone for the “tapping” is terrific!
Thanks David
I love the new microphone. With a good set of earphones, this really works! Wow, this wood is so incredible, I never get tired of seeing it and hearing it. I have several guitars with Brazilian and fall in love each time I play them! I just have to say that cutting the trees and leaving the stumps shows such an awful characteristic of human self indulgence. We did the same stupid trick with African Ebony. CITES is quite a pain, but so very important.
Thanks, John
Gig Harbor, WA
Hey John, glad you like it! I’ve got an AMAZING set to share with you soon, you’re going to love it.
@@TomSandsGuitars Fantastic, can't wait. I will have a great Model S to go with my fantastic Model M!
Happening with African Blackwood as well.
I like the editing on the video!
Love the setup!
Thanks!
Oh Yeah 🤟
Woop!
Yes, new mike and setup helps make the tap tone clearer on headphones Brazilian what's not to like. There are way more pressing environmental and forestry issues around the world than people using wood felled or reclaimed many years ago. Good show
Thanks brother!
I love BRW but it is excoriatingly expensive and stump wood, especially, cracks when you look at it (I say that from personal experience). Thankfully I've come to believe that the luthier is by far the most important factor in getting a great sounding guitar. So, give me two guitars in simple old Indian rosewood from a great luthier like Tom, and I'll be far happier than having one in BRW. Tom made me an amazing sounding guitar from a very unglamorous wood a few years back. YMMV.
I have never even seen BR for sale in Canada, except in finished guitars. Always wanted a set to build a guitar for myself. (Not for sale) LOL. There are Canadian luthiers that have some somehow, but haven’t ever found one willing to part with a set.
Let’s go bois!
Of course Tony would have good taste being the original acoustic guitar geek😂 So the best way I can describe Brazilian as a tone wood is that for my ear the notes seem to pop off if that makes sense? I already knew this but one of my favourite artists Steve Earle whose channel has him showing off his collection of vintage Martins and Gibson’s. He often points out that the stuff used back then was the straight grain Brazilian that was not picked out for its beauty.
⭐Aurora borealis⭐ infused Brazilian. Tony must be over the moon.🌙
Hope so!
@Tom Sands how about the dalbergia cultrata, Burmese blackwood or rosewood?
Pretty hard to get hold of these days
I've had 3 sets of BR for the last 30 years waiting for the right time to use them. Two are pretty straight but the 3rd is wild crotch grain like your set. I never knew that it was cut from the stump but makes sense. Any tips on retaining structural integrity when using this (or any other wild grain) wood?
You are the GOAT. Just sayin.
Aw thanks tye x
How would you relate it to cocobolo? Looking at it freshly sanded one would be hard pressed to tell the difference visually in many cases.
Yeah definitely, the smell is usually a dead give away.
@@TomSandsGuitars the smell of the cocobolo or the BR?
@@coquio The BR
if you are interested i have a lot brazilian pernambuco but im located in the philippines
Tom what other tonewoods do you think are tonally similar to brasilian rosewood? Can u name some similar species
Outside of the dalbergias, I’d be looking at the platymiscium genus. Within, I’d say dalbergia maritima or cocobolo 🙏
Honduran Rosewood has a great tap tone as well, but probably a CITES casualty.
Dalbergia Nigra (Jacaranda) trees are growing everywhere in Queensland, Australia. I have one big one growing in front yard for over 20 years. I have seedlings starting almost everywhere in my garden. Australia should cultivate this valuable trees commercially. Nobody seems to take any interest.
I am taking interest! Incredible! Could you email a picture? A friend of mine is trying to cultivate them in North Carolina. Info@tomsandsguitars.com - thank you!!
6:11 Christ that is gongy
5:09 Oh no.. it looks like FBI sniper locking on the target....
🤣
The smell is glorious but don't be fooled by that the dust off it is seriously nasty
It is, although it doesn’t bother me as ebony. 😖
I am sorry to say this, but this is mostly superstition/ beliefs more than science or history related (when checking density, stiffness etc as the same spieces have a huge variability inside of it)
Rosewood was introduced as a decorative wood for laminating pianos and other pieces of luxury funiture(same way as ebony was used too), then it moved to guitars too (many were just laminating maple or other white/boring lookin woods)
I have collected and restored antique guitars(classical/romantic) for a long time, mostly spanish guitars from before the 1910, most of them had Brazilian rosewood B/S.
Back then there was no difference between Indian and Brazilian and other CSAs, Builders used what they had, and Indian was prime quality too. Actually some guitar had mixed sets (matched by eye on colour, but you could tell they were diferent by the small when refinishing or fixing cracks). As an example Fleta used to build from his rosewoods stacks, no difference on IRW or BRW, it was all RW.
What we are left now with are crappy stumps, re-sawn for performance (flat cuts), unstable with a lot of mineral deposits, nothing to do with quarter sawn brazilian like on old classical/acoustic guitars, people pay 2k for a set with paper work, absolute madness, it also feeds an industry in Brazil of people who goes to the jungle to cut down trees and sell the wood ilegally (you can hear of people selling illegal BRW sets for 3000 Reais...)
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Uh....I think I like the look of Indian better.....
Sounded like an old piece of cardboard....lol ....I have three different species of hardwood that are not nearly as endangered and sound much better than the representative pieces you showed here...I am intentionally NOT SAYING what they are...two are quite oily...one is a conifer.
I’m sure you do. 👏👏👏
@@TomSandsGuitars ... I've changed my mind...these are the 3... Katalox ( Mexican Royal Ebony), North American Osage orange, and" recovered" old growth Douglas Fir ...quartered 8/4 x 16 x 24...
@@robertdavis1116 I made a video about katalox, it’s quite nice. I have some Osage orange on the way 🍊
@@TomSandsGuitars you will be very pleasantly surprised 👍🔔🔔🔔 I was extremely surprised at how resonant and the amount of sustain in the Douglas Fir also .... very gong-like....and "on key" lol
Why are you showing this?
This is like showing up elephant tusks, and tell people to buy it..
Dosent make any sense at all.
And dont say.. It shouldnt go to waste. Not inspired. Non inspiring at all.
I don’t know if you know this but I make videos about wood. All types of wood. This is wood. I’m making a video about it. 👍
@@TomSandsGuitars😂