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A few years ago a good friend of mine many years earlier in his life built lutes and guitars. As a Gift he gave me a ab& S set which he said was Brazilian rosewood. After running it through the wide belt I found myself wondering if it is BRW. I've never worked it before only EIW. This wood looks like and smells like EIW.
How can I positively identify it? Any help y'all can give would be great.


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"It is easier to fool a man, than it is to convince him that he has been fooled"
Mark Twain

Definitely looks like Indian to me. You can usually tell it apart from other rosewoods by its pores, which are smaller and more numerous.

Brazilian can usually be identified by smell. But if you really want to be sure, try the fluorescence test. Put some shavings in water and see if they glow blue/green under a black light. Brazilian doesn't glow.

EIR

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

East Indian Rosewood.
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

EIR for sure. You can't mistake the smell, either.

Andy

Yep, EIRW it is.

Probably no need to taste it or be thankful that we didn't step in it...

* Not intending to dis EIRW, great stuff, just have arrested development lately with Cheech and Chong...

PS: It's a good looking set to boot, should make a great guitar.

if ya sand it and it smells like a sweaty horse-its Indian!
Mike

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Mike Collins

I agree it's definitely EIR but I disagree that smell is a definitive test. Honestly BRW and EIR smell the same or similar enough for me to not know. But then I go to wine tastings with my wife to and to me all wine that is colored red is simply red wine, taste all the same to me, so it depends on the person I guess.

But yeah sometimes you can tell obviously by the look and that is EIR for sure.

EIR.

Ya, what they all said.

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Wow. OLF is a great forum. As I said having never run any BRW through my sander I wouldn't know. By its appearance and smell it said EIR to me.
This set is over 50 years old and is all quarter sawn. It will be fun to show the fellow that gave me the rosewood the finished guitar.
Thanks



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"It is easier to fool a man, than it is to convince him that he has been fooled"
Mark Twain

Hesh-
What's up with Cheech and Chong? Looking forward to meeting you in June.


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"It is easier to fool a man, than it is to convince him that he has been fooled"
Mark Twain

Hey David!

Looking forward to meeting you too.

I recently got my old Rega turntable out and was spinning some vinyl and my collection includes old George Carlin RIP and Cheech and Chong. I got to meet and spend some time with Tommy about 15 years ago so I know him. Cool AND funny guy!

Sounds like you may be the same vintage as I. Remember Empire turntables?


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"It is easier to fool a man, than it is to convince him that he has been fooled"
Mark Twain

Baking double chocolate brownies in a 340 degree oven (too hot! 325 maximum if using good baker's chocolate!) with a few minutes left to go = Brazilian rosewood; a sharper, tangier burnt batter smell with a hint of horse urine is more what I smell with East Indian rosewood.

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It is Indian Rosewood.


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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

David, it looks like EIR to me also. To be absolutely sure take a look at the Wood Database. They list two tests to be sure.

The first is endgrain pore density. EIR has twice the pores as BRW. They show a picture for comparison.

The other is fluorescence. When shavings are placed in a test tube with water and shaken up, then held under a black lite, BRW will not fluoresce while EIR will.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Yup. Y'all are right. EIR for sure. It's on it's way to becoming a parlor guitar.
Many thanks for your help.


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"It is easier to fool a man, than it is to convince him that he has been fooled"
Mark Twain