TOOL
Rosewood back & sides
Deep bass, long sustain, and a wall of overtones.
| Typical density | 0.75 – 0.90 g/cm³ |
|---|---|
| Tone | Deep bass, complex overtones, long sustain |
| Grain | Straight to highly figured; oily to the touch |
| Colour | Purple-brown to near black with darker streaks |
| Common species | East Indian, Brazilian, Cocobolo |
| Typical use | Backs and sides of high-end steel-string guitars |
| Side thickness | 2.0 – 2.3 mm before bending |
|---|---|
| Back thickness | 2.6 – 3.0 mm |
| Bending temperature | 165 – 180 °C |
| Moisture at glue-up | 6 – 8 percent |
| Oil content | High — wipe with solvent before gluing |
| Price band | High to very high |
Rosewood is the classic pairing for a spruce top. It is denser and harder than mahogany, which pushes the resonant character toward a deep, reverberant bass with rich overtones and long sustain. Strummed, it sounds big; fingerpicked, it sounds lush.
Indian rosewood is the practical choice: plentiful, stable and consistent. Brazilian rosewood is the traditional and now heavily restricted material, with a wider tonal spread and a much higher price. East Indian rosewood is what most modern guitars actually use, and the trade restriction on it is a real thing to check before shipping an instrument across a border.
At this stage
Rosewood is oily and springy. It resists bending until it is hot enough, and then it moves quickly, so the bend needs to be watched closely rather than forced.
Suits these instruments
- Dreadnought
- OM / Orchestra
- Jumbo
- Classical
Works with
- Spruce top
- Hide glue
- Ebony fretboard
- Nitrocellulose lacquer
- Rosewood dust is a strong respiratory sensitizer and causes contact dermatitis in some people. Extraction, a respirator and gloves are all warranted.
- Rosewood species are subject to CITES trade controls. Check the paperwork requirements before you buy, sell or ship an instrument made from it.
Working notes
- Wipe the gluing surfaces with acetone or naphtha to remove surface oil before gluing.
- Rosewood is heavy. A rosewood dreadnought will be noticeably heavier than the same guitar in mahogany.
- Scrape rather than sand the sides — the oil clogs abrasive paper quickly.
- Keep the CITES documentation with the instrument. It is what proves provenance later.
Related
Spruce top
The default soundboard: stiff along the grain, light, and loud.
Cedar top
Opens fast, plays warm, and marks if you look at it wrong.
Mahogany back & sides
Dry, focused and punchy — the working musician’s back wood.
Maple neck
Stiff, stable, bright — the electric default.