Guitar weight

[William2]

Are guitars made of mahogany tone woods lighter in weight than guitars made of rosewood tone woods?

[B0WIE]

Generally, but back and side thickness will vary so this doesn't always carry over between brands (my mahogany Collings dread is heavier than my rosewood Larrivee and Bourgeois dreads). It's not much and it's not enough to really play into purchase considerations.

[StringPicker6]

I'm not sure, but I can bench press my OM. 

[William2]

 

[William2]

I'm not sure, but I can bench press my OM. 

I was asking, as I have two rosewood Larrivee's and an al mahogany Martin D-15. The Matin is 3.5# and the two Larrivee's are 4.3#. I am considering an affordable light weight dreadnought with a period sound like my former Waterloo Jumbo King but with an easier neck. I'm considering Iris or a Martin DSS-17. All these period guitars say light weight and I was wondering if that is why so many are made of mahogany. But the three I have now are keepers and maybe this won't happen.

[William2]

I own two Larrivee dreadnoughts with rosewood back and sides. They each weigh 4.3#. Are the Larrivee dreadnoughts with mahogany back and sides lighter since mahogany is a lighter tone wood?

[B0WIE]

Answered above. It's generally lighter but guitars aren't always produced to the exact same thicknesses, so it can vary.

[nbs2005]

Related to weight; Robin Boucher talking about chasing that pre-war tone. See his comments around the 7 min mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIXqtw4RUTA&t=3s

[William2]

Related to weight; Robin Boucher talking about chasing that pre-war tone. See his comments around the 7 min mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIXqtw4RUTA&t=3s

Thanks for posting this video. Robin actually starts discussing pre-war guitars as 2:50 minutes. He does mention the need two build his instruments lighter as one of the criteria. I personally prefer a light weight instrument. I wish builders would include this in their instrument specs. I am currently trying to decide on a last instrument and it may be a pre-war inspired design. I do miss my Waterloo Jumbo King. I am considering a Martin DSS-17 or a Iris DF instrument. I'm kind of leaning toward the Martin. It is light weight, has a more traditional build, and based on the videos I have watched, has a more 30s type of sound. The Iris sounds great, but not that 30s sound, and has a modern non-traditional build.

[nbs2005]

I played an Iris DF Smeck this past Saturday. They are featherweight guitars but I'm not sure what the lightness translated to in playing. I played a bunch of big dreads that day and it was my least favourite and was not any louder (I had a dB meter with me). Of course, you're going for a specific tone so should try one if you can.

Jeff

[William2]

I played an Iris DF Smeck this past Saturday. They are featherweight guitars but I'm not sure what the lightness translated to in playing. I played a bunch of big dreads that day and it was my least favourite and was not any louder (I had a dB meter with me). Of course, you're going for a specific tone so should try one if you can.

Jeff

Thanks for the reply. The Iris is something I am considering. Maybe the weight has more to do with the quality of tone as you mentioned. I do have issues with companies like Iris that makes a retro type of instrument and yet use bolt on necks multiple piece necks. I only play fingerstyle and large body instruments. From my listening, it seems there are some instruments that just sound better either strummed or played finger style. And there are some that sound good both ways. I was listening to a demo of the new Gibson Faded Series, and I thought they just sounded better played fingerstyle (less tinny sounding). And I think the Martin DSS-17 sounds just awful strummed and can sound quite nice, played fingerstyle. Maybe the instruments lightness translates to a quality of tone and a response for fingerstyle playing.