i own a commissioned build OM Black Limba back and sides with 400 yr old red spruce top, it is the nicest sounding guitar of all the guitars i have played/owned in 40+ years. amazing projection, sustain, very well balanced...i will mention, as with any guitar finding the right strings is a personal thing and i tried 8 different sets before settling on simple EJ17 13-56 over martin, xps, thomastik infelds, EBs, etc. Black Limba will become the greatest thing to happen to acoustics imo, highly underrated tonewood imo.
Cool stuff guys, playing guitars and comparing guitars is always fun. What would also be interesting would be to get 3 of the same instrument - same manufacturer, same model same woods and do a similar comparison. I know from the odd time I've gotten to do that - they will sound different at least when I did it with a number of Martin d-18's and Martin d-28's. Of this batch I think I liked the black limba most and the ovangkol least with the rosewood falling in between. This is great - I've never played a black limba guitar in person, maybe I'll have to go hunt one down. I think I'd rather have a Santa Cruz, Foggy Bottom, Laskin,... ok I know that's not a fair comparison but, just sayin
Great comparison guys. I like them all, it's probably just a subtle difference and just a personal preference. I'll take the Rosewood, with the other two both a very close second. Maybe to my ears, the Rosewood has just a little more....sparkle in the mid range?
Ovangkol is interesting. It reminds me of the Harmony Aged wood guitars made in the 60s that were used by Keith Richards on As Tears Go By and other stuff. Also most all of Jimmy Page 12 string stuff was done on that Harmony like Stairway to Heaven. That mid punch will get that tone in recording. Just food for thought on what kind of tone you are aiming for in your recordings. I think stand alone Rosewood is entertaining without cutting through but that Ovangkol can make the guitar cut through in a band mix or make mid tone single note runs on strings 4-6 cut through.
I really lean towards Spruce top and Rosewood back and sides. My Martin HD-28 Retro and GPCPA-4, Takamine TNV-340SC and EF 360S-TT and Larrivee L03R are all Spruce/Rosewood. My favorite sound! I have five others that are Spruce/Mahogany and all Mahogany that I don't play because I don't like their sound. (should sell them) A year and a half ago I purchased a used Martin D-16e Ovangkol top, back and sides. Absolutely a great guitar! Like the sound, set up perfect and I use Elixer HD Lights PB strings. I really like the tones I get out of it. Don't get me wrong, Rosewood is hard to beat. For me, I enjoy playing and jump from guitar to guitar. Also know one guitar will sound differently as it ages and the grain structure has a lot to do with it too. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. In this case the listener. When in doubt, add an Ovangkol to your collection!
Always been a rosewood kinda guy. Based on this recording I’d very interested in owning a Black Limba acoustic. But I’d skip on an Ovangkol instrument,….Ovangkol sounds veiled to me compared to the bell like timbre of EIR. The Black Limba and EIR both have a bold, clear, uncluttered tone full of the fundamental,….the Ovangkol has too many/much overtones for me.
Very nice comparison. I usually go for ovangkol but really enjoyed the black limba. Liked the look of it too. 😘👌
Ovangkol seemed to me to sound the best to me.
The Ovankol guitar seemed a much clearer sound overall. The Rosewood a little muddy.
i own a commissioned build OM Black Limba back and sides with 400 yr old red spruce top, it is the nicest sounding guitar of all the guitars i have played/owned in 40+ years. amazing projection, sustain, very well balanced...i will mention, as with any guitar finding the right strings is a personal thing and i tried 8 different sets before settling on simple EJ17 13-56 over martin, xps, thomastik infelds, EBs, etc. Black Limba will become the greatest thing to happen to acoustics imo, highly underrated tonewood imo.
Ovangkol if all solid is so cooler imo y depending on the strings duh
Cool stuff guys, playing guitars and comparing guitars is always fun. What would also be interesting would be to get 3 of the same instrument - same manufacturer, same model same woods and do a similar comparison. I know from the odd time I've gotten to do that - they will sound different at least when I did it with a number of Martin d-18's and Martin d-28's. Of this batch I think I liked the black limba most and the ovangkol least with the rosewood falling in between. This is great - I've never played a black limba guitar in person, maybe I'll have to go hunt one down. I think I'd rather have a Santa Cruz, Foggy Bottom, Laskin,... ok I know that's not a fair comparison but, just sayin
Ty guys
Great comparison guys.
I like them all, it's probably just a subtle difference and just a personal preference. I'll take the Rosewood, with the other two both a very close second.
Maybe to my ears, the Rosewood has just a little more....sparkle in the mid range?
Ovangkol is interesting. It reminds me of the Harmony Aged wood guitars made in the 60s that were used by Keith Richards on As Tears Go By and other stuff. Also most all of Jimmy Page 12 string stuff was done on that Harmony like Stairway to Heaven. That mid punch will get that tone in recording. Just food for thought on what kind of tone you are aiming for in your recordings. I think stand alone Rosewood is entertaining without cutting through but that Ovangkol can make the guitar cut through in a band mix or make mid tone single note runs on strings 4-6 cut through.
So these guitars have all solid wood construction?
I really lean towards Spruce top and Rosewood back and sides. My Martin HD-28 Retro and GPCPA-4, Takamine TNV-340SC and EF 360S-TT and Larrivee L03R are all Spruce/Rosewood. My favorite sound! I have five others that are Spruce/Mahogany and all Mahogany that I don't play because I don't like their sound. (should sell them) A year and a half ago I purchased a used Martin D-16e Ovangkol top, back and sides. Absolutely a great guitar! Like the sound, set up perfect and I use Elixer HD Lights PB strings. I really like the tones I get out of it. Don't get me wrong, Rosewood is hard to beat. For me, I enjoy playing and jump from guitar to guitar. Also know one guitar will sound differently as it ages and the grain structure has a lot to do with it too. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. In this case the listener. When in doubt, add an Ovangkol to your collection!
These guitars are made with layered wood, so the solid wood guitars are totally different.
Always been a rosewood kinda guy. Based on this recording I’d very interested in owning a Black Limba acoustic. But I’d skip on an Ovangkol instrument,….Ovangkol sounds veiled to me compared to the bell like timbre of EIR. The Black Limba and EIR both have a bold, clear, uncluttered tone full of the fundamental,….the Ovangkol has too many/much overtones for me.
Greetings from Evansville's north side.