Rosewood Question

Jon Manning

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thought about asking this question on the main fourm, but decided it was best to ask the pros, but if a non maker has an opinion, chime in.

What, in your opinion is the best Dalbergia species for cue making? I also realize that in order to answer the question, you will ask me "best for what? Hit, looks, easiest to work with, easiest to find, etc". Let's just say, the best overall, the end result is the best of all worlds.

Thanks for your time and replays
 

aphelps1

Phelps Custom Cues
Silver Member
It has been said that Brazilian rosewood is the king of the rosewoods for cuemaking. Opinions will vary.

Alan

Phelps Custom Cues
 

louieatienza

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Brazilian rosewood is probably the most prized guitar wood for its combination of tonal and visual properties. Finding a truly straight quartered piece nowadays is next to impossible. Most of the crazy figured stuff now is actually stump wood, and even that is controlled as well. There are some guitar builders that prize Honduran rosewood, which is a bit more dense. Cocobolo even more so. African Blackwood is another amazing rosewood, and probably one of the densest. Bocote and East Indian rosewood a bit less dense. Perfectly quartered straight grained EIR is readily available. Not as desirable because of its availability, but still beautiful, and super stable.
 

BarenbruggeCues

Unregistered User
Silver Member
Any dalbergia......

Any woods starting with the scientific name dalbergia are some of best woods for cues.
Hard....heavy.....and generally very pleasing to the eyes. They are hard to beat for solid cue woods. There probably aren't any that I wouldn't use in a pool cue.
As far as the best?.......I believe that's where personal preface takes place.
Kind of like opinions on best hitting cues.

My player is AB wood....
My favorite to work with is nigra....(I stumbled into some that rings like glass when toned)
Hard to beat the smell that radiates thru the shop when cutting up some frutescens.
And the list goes on and on...............
 

cueman

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
The most common rosewood used in pool cues used to be East Indies rosewood. It is one of the lighter weight rosewoods and can be used for one piece butts and full splice without causing weight issues. Cocobolo has been very popular and another one rarely mentioned is Honduran rosewood. It was right behind cocobolo in use back in the mid 80s then seemed to just disappear from the market for some reason unknown to me. I don't have a lot of experience with Brazilian rosewood as it has been under import restrictions for a long time.
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
It has been said that Brazilian rosewood is the king of the rosewoods for cuemaking. Opinions will vary.

Alan

Phelps Custom Cues

Let's cut to the chase.
Just about every cue maker wants to make himself a BRW cue.
Except most can't afford their own BRW cue.
 

louieatienza

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Any woods starting with the scientific name dalbergia are some of best woods for cues.
Hard....heavy.....and generally very pleasing to the eyes. They are hard to beat for solid cue woods. There probably aren't any that I wouldn't use in a pool cue.
As far as the best?.......I believe that's where personal preface takes place.
Kind of like opinions on best hitting cues.

My player is AB wood....
My favorite to work with is nigra....(I stumbled into some that rings like glass when toned)
Hard to beat the smell that radiates thru the shop when cutting up some frutescens.
And the list goes on and on...............

Dave, was wondering if you've ever noticed any correlation between how firm or soft someone plays, and the types of woods they prefer for their cues. Also with all the crazy figured exotics, where coring is beneficial for both stability and weight control, do you find the core contributes more or less to the overall feel and sound of a cue?

Thanks, Louie
 

louieatienza

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Let's cut to the chase.
Just about every cue maker wants to make himself a BRW cue.
Except most can't afford their own BRW cue.

I know that feeling. I've built about a dozen acoustic guitar, countless electric guitars and electric guitar parts. I'm still on my waiting list for one of my own. Every time I make one for me, someone dangles money in front of me like a carrot to a horse... I've also built furniture and even homes, but don't own any of my own.
 

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
here is quote from wood site
Brazilian Rosewood is the most revered lumber of all time. Due to* uncontrolled harvesting the tree is now protected by the Cites Treaty and can not be internationally traded. The heartwood is orange brown and holds onto its color as it oxidizes.* This is the specie used on the finest Steinway pianos, Martin guitars and Bentleys prior to the Cites ban. If you are fortunate to find some pre-ban stock you will probably be shocked by the price and underwhelmed by the available board quality, these boards would have been sorted hundreds of times over the last thirty years by those wanting to make that special guitar or piece of heirloom furniture. The quest for the Holy Grail of lumber continues...
*Most highly prized lumber
*Protected by the Cites III Treaty
*Finest tonewood
*Treasured for veneer

link to the site
http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/hard..._rosewood_lumber/brazilian_rosewood_wood.html
 

louieatienza

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
here is quote from wood site
Brazilian Rosewood is the most revered lumber of all time. Due to* uncontrolled harvesting the tree is now protected by the Cites Treaty and can not be internationally traded. The heartwood is orange brown and holds onto its color as it oxidizes.* This is the specie used on the finest Steinway pianos, Martin guitars and Bentleys prior to the Cites ban. If you are fortunate to find some pre-ban stock you will probably be shocked by the price and underwhelmed by the available board quality, these boards would have been sorted hundreds of times over the last thirty years by those wanting to make that special guitar or piece of heirloom furniture. The quest for the Holy Grail of lumber continues...
*Most highly prized lumber
*Protected by the Cites III Treaty
*Finest tonewood
*Treasured for veneer

link to the site
http://www.hearnehardwoods.com/hard..._rosewood_lumber/brazilian_rosewood_wood.html

I've played quite a few guitars with Brazilian rosewood backs and sides, and some, while spectacular to look at, weren't always my favorite-sounding. With the right builder, the guitar can have the bass of a grand piano. With not-the-right-builder, the sound can be a muddy mess.

Also cue makers have the luxury of stabilizing the wood with a core. The plates on a guitar can be less than .090" thickness and even less, and with the highly figured stump wood stuff it can be prone to movement/cracking.

I think the biggest allure of BRW is that it is unobtanium.
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
I've played quite a few guitars with Brazilian rosewood backs and sides, and some, while spectacular to look at, weren't always my favorite-sounding. With the right builder, the guitar can have the bass of a grand piano. With not-the-right-builder, the sound can be a muddy mess.

Also cue makers have the luxury of stabilizing the wood with a core. The plates on a guitar can be less than .090" thickness and even less, and with the highly figured stump wood stuff it can be prone to movement/cracking.

I think the biggest allure of BRW is that it is unobtanium.

You core a BRW, it no longer hits like a BRW.
Unless of course you core it with another BRW.

BRW just has the right specs for a great forearm.
Granadillo has the glass sound too but is much heavier.
 

Big-Tattoo

I'm back
Silver Member
Any woods starting with the scientific name dalbergia are some of best woods for cues.
Hard....heavy.....and generally very pleasing to the eyes. They are hard to beat for solid cue woods. There probably aren't any that I wouldn't use in a pool cue.
As far as the best?.......I believe that's where personal preface takes place.
Kind of like opinions on best hitting cues.

My player is AB wood....
My favorite to work with is nigra....(I stumbled into some that rings like glass when toned)
Hard to beat the smell that radiates thru the shop when cutting up some frutescens.
And the list goes on and on...............

you have the Holy Grail:thumbup:
 

Jon Manning

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Any woods starting with the scientific name dalbergia are some of best woods for cues.
Hard....heavy.....and generally very pleasing to the eyes. They are hard to beat for solid cue woods. There probably aren't any that I wouldn't use in a pool cue.
As far as the best?.......I believe that's where personal preface takes place.
Kind of like opinions on best hitting cues.

My player is AB wood....
My favorite to work with is nigra....(I stumbled into some that rings like glass when toned)
Hard to beat the smell that radiates thru the shop when cutting up some frutescens.
And the list goes on and on...............

Is that the stock you used on that stunner in the galley? That thing is the nuts!
BRW is my favorite, too. My main player is a BRW widow, I suspect that cue won't be topped and will happily be my main cue the rest of my life.
I wonder what Mr. Crisp has to say about the Rosewoods, I know he has all kinds.
 

BarenbruggeCues

Unregistered User
Silver Member
Dave, was wondering if you've ever noticed any correlation between how firm or soft someone plays, and the types of woods they prefer for their cues. Also with all the crazy figured exotics, where coring is beneficial for both stability and weight control, do you find the core contributes more or less to the overall feel and sound of a cue?

Thanks, Louie

I generally don't core a brw forearm unless grain runoff mandates. Seg handles...no choice. If the core is done correctly, return is as solid as an uncored piece....maybe even more solid.
As far as changing the sound from cored to uncored...it's hard to tell. A lot of the same species will sound different before even being cored.
 

BarenbruggeCues

Unregistered User
Silver Member
Is that the stock you used on that stunner in the galley? That thing is the nuts!
BRW is my favorite, too. My main player is a BRW widow, I suspect that cue won't be topped and will happily be my main cue the rest of my life.
I wonder what Mr. Crisp has to say about the Rosewoods, I know he has all kinds.

Eric is busy....leave him alone! ;)
 

GBCues

Damn, still .002 TIR!
Gold Member
Silver Member
Is that the stock you used on that stunner in the galley? That thing is the nuts!
BRW is my favorite, too. My main player is a BRW widow, I suspect that cue won't be topped and will happily be my main cue the rest of my life.
I wonder what Mr. Crisp has to say about the Rosewoods, I know he has all kinds.
If you use the search function, you will find Eric has already had a lot to say about BRW.
Just sayin'
Gary
 

Jon Manning

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks everyone for contributing, I really do appreciate it!
Does anyone have some good pics of the Rosewood in ones personal collection?
Here's one mine, BRW, Amboyna and Elk Horn. Been posted, but just keeping the thread moving.
IMG_3792.jpg
 

JC

Coos Cues
You core a BRW, it no longer hits like a BRW.
Unless of course you core it with another BRW.

BRW just has the right specs for a great forearm.
Granadillo has the glass sound too but is much heavier.

I have some BRW that sinks like a rock in water. It's not as light as you may think it is.:wink:

JC
 
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