Ziricote...your thoughts and opinions?

Started by Kazels, December 01, 2012, 07:56:03 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Does anybody here have any experience with Ziricote tone wood? Please offer any info you may have whether it's technical or just personal opinion.

Quote from: Kazels on December 01, 2012, 07:56:03 PM
Does anybody here have any experience with Ziricote tone wood? Please offer any info you may have whether it's technical or just personal opinion.

It's very heavy.

Sadly no direct experience with Ziricote - but would love to afford to get some. Its generally quite a pricey upgrade. Looks beautiful. Apparently heavy. I've heard it described as a tighter kind of rosewood-esque sound (not sure my ears would tell the difference). From what I've read it can be quite tricky to bend and not a good choice if you either can't control your local humidity or if you live in an area of humidity extremes. Again - looks beautiful. If I was swimming in money I'd have some paired with redwood. But I'm not so......the dream lives on.

G :ph34r:
Steady tapping cracks the stone

D-03, L03R-12, Martin 000-15SM
(....and others long gone and either forgotten or fondly missed)

I recently picked up a custom build with Ziricote back and sides.  It's a Yamamoto OMY model from 2005, and it has
an Englemann spruce top that is VERY responsive.

You can see the discussion about it here:  http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=267081&highlight=yamamoto

To me the sound is more complex than rosewood, but is similar - I just sold a Larrivee OM-03R to one of our members here that came very close to it in tone and the Larrivee actually had more volume and sustain. 

I've heard Ziricote referred to as "Mexican crackwood" due to its propensity to split if not properly humidified.  Tim McKnight (a builder of high end customs) likes it alot but he's said he'd prefer not to make one for a customer who isn't going to keep it at a constant 45% humidity.

I'm careful with all my guitars - my home office has an ultrasonic humidifier running constantly this time of year, and the humidity is always between 45 and 50%.  My guitars live on hangers behind my desk where I can grab one at any time!

I love the Ziricote guitar and don't hesitate to take it 'out' to venues - it goes with a soundhole humidifier in a case.  It has a few battle scars acquired before I got it, but it has lots to teach me about subtle fingerstyle playing.  Go ahead and hit me with any specific questions....
RW Skaggs, the tinman:

Acorn House Custom by Chris Kenney:Tinman "Heart   Guitar" SJ; Osage Orange; Master Grade Italian Spruce; Inlay by Jimi Wingert   :D
Rainsong H-DR1100N2
McKnight Mini-Mac V; Madagascar + Italian double top
John Helton Custom OM; Honduran Mahogany Burl
Seagull Parlor in Nashville high tuning

That's a beauty! I've read that a cedar or redwood top will calm down the Ziricote. Is this an accurate assessment? I've heard Englemann Spruce is better than Sitka with brighter woods like maple. Can you feel any difference in weight compared to rosewood or mahogany?Do you feel Ziricote is a good substitute for Brazilian Rosewood?

Quote from: Kazels on December 03, 2012, 10:31:43 AM
That's a beauty! I've read that a cedar or redwood top will calm down the Ziricote. Is this an accurate assessment? I've heard Englemann Spruce is better than Sitka with brighter woods like maple. Can you feel any difference in weight compared to rosewood or mahogany?Do you feel Ziricote is a good substitute for Brazilian Rosewood?

I don't know about 'calming down' Ziricote; I'd imagine its response is more dependant on the build rather than the top wood used.  Mine is very dark and only sounds best (to me) with 80/20 alloy lights - relatively bright strings - on it.

I have a Quilted Maple Larrivee L-03, and the OM weighs about the same as the somewhat larger L-body.  Ziricote is probably a bit heavier - you can look up the relative density of woods online at some luthier's websites.  Here's one:  http://www.guitarbench.com/tonewood-database/


Never owned a Brazilian guitar, so I can't be a good source of information on your last question.  I've got an Osage Orange mini-jumbo custom coming soon that should be an interesting comparison; some say Osage is a direct replacement for Brazilian.

Hope this rambling helps!
RW Skaggs, the tinman:

Acorn House Custom by Chris Kenney:Tinman "Heart   Guitar" SJ; Osage Orange; Master Grade Italian Spruce; Inlay by Jimi Wingert   :D
Rainsong H-DR1100N2
McKnight Mini-Mac V; Madagascar + Italian double top
John Helton Custom OM; Honduran Mahogany Burl
Seagull Parlor in Nashville high tuning

Powered by EzPortal