Warmest to brightest tone woods??

[astein2006]

I’m looking to have a flat top mandolin built for me with a spruce top. How would you rank the following woods from brightest to warmest:
Maple, walnut, rosewood, mahogany.
I will be using one of these woods for my back and sides. Primarily playing Old Time and classical. Any advice for back and sides would be appreciated.

[Bill McCall]

Rosewood, maple, walnut, mahogany. There's less difference, to my ear, between walnut and mahogany than rosewood and maple.

ymmv

[MontanaMatt]

Go with maple, it's so pretty!
This is my Ratliff, build finished this past spring.
I know this isn't a tone comment, but I've only had maple backed mandos

[astein2006]

Rosewood, maple, walnut, mahogany. There's less difference, to my ear, between walnut and mahogany than rosewood and maple.
ymmv

I don’t want anything too bright or too dark. I was considering walnut.
I’ve also heard some all mahogany flat tops that sounded great so go figure.
If you were building a flat top and wanted to play mostly old time and classical which woods would you go with?

[astein2006]

Go with maple, it's so pretty!
This is my Ratliff, build finished this past spring.
I know this isn't a tone comment, but I've only had maple backed mandos

Gorgeous mandolin. Unfortunately I will only be using less figured wood grain. Trying to keep the price down. What styles do you mainly play?

[MontanaMatt]

Gorgeous mandolin. Unfortunately I will only be using less figured wood grain. Trying to keep the price down. What styles do you mainly play?

I play Bluegrass and Newgrass
I recommend aiming high, not low, any regrets will be limited and soon forgotten

[CES]

That's funny...I'd rank them Rosewood, mahogany, walnut, maple, but agree that walnut/maple aren't terribly different. I'd put Koa somewhere in between rosewood and mahogany. I also feel like cedar tops tend to give a warmer tone than Sitka, which is warmer than the Engleman tops I've heard.

Be sure to discuss with your builder so that they know the tone you're after, and follow their guidance, as the tone you get from woods even within the same species can vary significantly from tree to tree. These guys know their wood stashes and can be way more specific than our generalizations!

Who's doing the work? You going Big Muddy?

[Bill McCall]

The wood is cheap compared to labor, so spend a little there, you can always upgrade hardware later but you can't upgrade the wood. Maybe don't put fretmarkers on the fingerboard, you can't see them anyway when you're playing and leave off a fingerrest, which can be added. my $.02.

[astein2006]

That's funny...I'd rank them Rosewood, mahogany, walnut, maple, but agree that walnut/maple aren't terribly different. I'd put Koa somewhere in between rosewood and mahogany. I also feel like cedar tops tend to give a warmer tone than Sitka, which is warmer than the Engleman tops I've heard.

Be sure to discuss with your builder so that they know the tone you're after, and follow their guidance, as the tone you get from woods even within the same species can vary significantly from tree to tree. These guys know their wood stashes and can be way more specific than our generalizations!

Who's doing the work? You going Big Muddy?

Yes Big Muddy, good guess. It's really hard to go off of sound clips and a few videos. I'm looking for something not too bright and not too dark. Something warm but with some top end. I was considering their all mahogany but I am worried it would be too dark. I primarily will be playing old time music and classical. I already have a a Kentucky KM-150 so I'm sort of covered on the blue grass front. I just want something really pleasing to the ears without taking them off.

[astein2006]

The wood is cheap compared to labor, so spend a little there, you can always upgrade hardware later but you can't upgrade the wood. Maybe don't put fretmarkers on the fingerboard, you can't see them anyway when you're playing and leave off a fingerrest, which can be added. my $.02.

Yes you are right. Money isn't easy to come by, especially with a wife and three kids so I want to get this right.

[CES]

Agree that it's hard to go by sound clips. Good headphones can help some, but it's still hard to tell sometimes. Discuss with Mike, he'll steer you in the right direction. He's been building a long time and knows his stuff.

I've only played one all mahogany mandolin, and it was a Morgan Monroe that wasn't well set up and in need of new strings. Been so long ago that I can't even begin to remember my impression of the tone. I'm a fan of all Hog guitars, though.

Congratulations on your decision!

[Spruce]

ymmv

+1...

[JeffD]

I have a Big Muddy M-11. I love the tone. In my ear the mahogany gives it warmth, but being a flat top it is a little higher end. Great compromise. Love it.

[astein2006]

I have a Big Muddy M-11. I love the tone. In my ear the mahogany gives it warmth, but being a flat top it is a little higher end. Great compromise. Love it.

So you still get some top end even though its all mahogany? Ive heard nothing but great things about the M-11 but I was afraid it might be too dark. Would it work for Old Time and classical? What styles do you mostly play on it?

[astein2006]

Agree that it's hard to go by sound clips. Good headphones can help some, but it's still hard to tell sometimes. Discuss with Mike, he'll steer you in the right direction. He's been building a long time and knows his stuff.

I've only played one all mahogany mandolin, and it was a Morgan Monroe that wasn't well set up and in need of new strings. Been so long ago that I can't even begin to remember my impression of the tone. I'm a fan of all Hog guitars, though

Congratulations on your decision!

I have a few months while I save some more money to give it some more thought. Mid-Mo use to make an M-1 that had mahogany back and sides and spruce top. There is this band called Pretty Little Goat. The mandolin player uses this model. Its sounds great. Big muddy doesn't make this model per se but Mike said they could. So many choices. The walnut sounded great as did the rosewood and all mahogany.

[Marty Jacobson]

So you still get some top end even though its all mahogany? Ive heard nothing but great things about the M-11 but I was afraid it might be too dark. Would it work for Old Time and classical? What styles do you mostly play on it?

It's a mandolin, there's always going to be top end present... :-)

[Frogstar]

I have an M2 and an M11. Obviously it's subjective, but I don't consider the M11 too dark. Plus there's always strings to factor in. I suppose I'd describe my playing as mostly folk/rock.

[pheffernan]

Yes you are right. Money isn't easy to come by, especially with a wife and three kids so I want to get this right.

As flattops seem to suffer greater depreciation than archtops, I'd patiently wait for a used option to surface. With the savings, you could probably afford a bowlback as well!

[CES]

I see Spruce and Marty have weighed in a little. Spruce does tone wood for a living, and Marty is an awesome luthier. You may try pm-ing them for some insight as well.

I understand your angst! Choice is great to have, but it’s tough to make a choice if you feel uninformed, especially when a lot of money is involved. While flat tops aren’t priced like a Gilchrist, they’re not cheap when you have to save up so that you don’t affect your family’s budget. That’s true whether your instrument budget is $300 or $3000 dollars...

[astein2006]

I have an M2 and an M11. Obviously it's subjective, but I don't consider the M11 too dark. Plus there's always strings to factor in. I suppose I'd describe my playing as mostly folk/rock.

Which do you prefer? Did you have a chance to play them in person or just based off of sound clips?

[astein2006]

[QUOTE=CES;1603824]That's funny...I'd rank them Rosewood, mahogany, walnut, maple, but agree that walnut/maple aren't terribly different. I'd put Koa somewhere in between rosewood and mahogany. I also feel like cedar tops tend to give a warmer tone than Sitka, which is warmer than the Engleman tops I've heard.

Be sure to discuss with your builder so that they know the tone you're after, and follow their guidance, as the tone you get from woods even within the same species can vary significantly from tree to tree. These guys know their wood stashes and can be way more specific than our generalizations!

Who's doing the work? You going Big Muddy?[/QUOTE
Ok I think I confused my self. Which woods do you consider the warmest and then brightest?

[astein2006]

I see Spruce and Marty have weighed in a little. Spruce does tone wood for a living, and Marty is an awesome luthier. You may try pm-ing them for some insight as well.

I understand your angst! Choice is great to have, but it’s tough to make a choice if you feel uninformed, especially when a lot of money is involved. While flat tops aren’t priced like a Gilchrist, they’re not cheap when you have to save up so that you don’t affect your family’s budget. That’s true whether your instrument budget is $300 or $3000 dollars...

Exactly! When I listen to clips they all sound good. On one wood I hear “ oh that would sound good for Old Time”, then another “hmm that would sound good for classical” etc. I really want something warm but that won’t be too lost in a band setting. I also don’t want it to be to cutting. A jack of all trades so to speak. If I had a way to try them out it would make it so much easier. That’s why I turn to you who are most likely much more knowledgeable about these things.

[Bill McCall]

Remember, strings, picks and technique all will also have an impact no matter what woods you choose.

[pops1]

I find when my mandolin is in tune well the E string is warm, not in ture with the pair, piercing, well much brighter. The lows are louder when out of tune slightly, and more balanced when in tune. It is one way I know my mandolin is not in tune. From most things I have heard mahogany is warmer than maple. I have had all koa and all mahogany guitars and liked both. They are a little different than either with a spruce top. There are so many different configurations That since you have some time I would try to play as many different instruments with different woods as possible. At present I have two all mahogany guitars, both different, so lets give the builder the most credit for sound.

[JeffD]

So you still get some top end even though its all mahogany? Ive heard nothing but great things about the M-11 but I was afraid it might be too dark. Would it work for Old Time and classical? What styles do you mostly play on it?

I do a lot of old time on it. It is not my primary mandolin for classical, but it is the mandolin I use for practicing my classical stuff day to day. The intonation is perfect up the neck.

There are several you tubes of M-11s so you can gauge the tone. There are at least a couple comparing the M-11 to various other Big Muddy mandolins not mahogany. No, it is not a deep muddy sound. Just warmer than the spruce topped ones.

Here is a nice video. Though its a jumbo model m-11. But listen to that great tone.