I am forming an exploratory Crackwood committee...

shinksma

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Mar 20, 2014
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I have always wanted to try a rosewood neck guitar. All my PRSi are hog or maple necks, I think, except the Korina neck on my McCarty Soapie Brazzy Korina.

So I have been toying with the idea of grabbing one - probably a McRosie, since that seems to be a pretty classic combo, and they are available at not-stupid used pricing.

Does anyone have any pointers that might help my selection process? Standard wraparound fixed bridge, or find one with an upgraded adjustable? Any particular pickup combo that is best or worst (in your opinion, of course)? I like birds, so that is probably a strong-preference to requirement for me. But I don't think that in and of itself causes any refinement of other factors.

There have been a few on Reverb recently with the usual maple caps and burst-based finishes. I don't need to scratch this itch right now (saving up for Experience 2020), but I'd like to collect data, or form an exploratory committee, as it were.

Suggestions? Pitfalls to watch for? Anyone? Bueller?
 
I had a McRosie , which I've been kicking myself ever since I traded it. Recently acquired a WL DGT with a rosewood neck. The feeling of your hand on the neck is a glorious feeling. Yes there are a few on Reverb that are great examples. So, yes get one. There is a Ruby Red MCRosie on there that is really nice.. Good Luck
 
I have a rosewood neck 24 and it's great. Played some similar to it and a McCarty with a rosewood neck before buying it. They're nice but definitely different in how the notes respond in terms of attack and frequency content.

I would be curious to see how a one piece stoptail and a rosewood neck balance since some claim the stoptail slurs strings together but the rosewood brings out definition.
 
I have one that looks just like Rider’s. Also a McSoapy RW and a 513 BRW. Feel-wise, the 513 is the best. The 408’s IRW feels smoother to me than the McSoapy, but they all feel glorious. I can’t attribute any tonal qualities to them because I’ve never played a non-RW version of the guitars. Oh, I almost forgot my Honduran RW PS. That’s a special one.
 
The only pitfall is that you may become addicted.

After I got my first RW neck guitar, I had to walk myself back from thinking that any other could ever make me happy.

Then I got the ME 1, and it was the next level of that. Luckily the BRWs aren't exactly plentiful.

To me. the BRW adds a ton of presence (the IRW seem a lot warmer to me), so adjust your expectations of what the pickups will sound like appropriately.

Of course, every piece of wood is going to have a different character, so I would say it's impossible to guess exactly what any particular combination is going to sound like.
 
Pitfalls? … I can only think of one, and that is a pitfall only if you expect it to sound like hog. Rosewood is heavy in the lower Mids. If you are the guy that only uses the bridge pickup and scoops the mids and dimes the tone pot, you might find the tone disappointing. If you are the guy that loves the neck pickup you will have few problems. I love a warm tone, but I'm still looking for the right pickups for my BRW Cu22. I like the 57/08's that are in it now, but they just lack something. Haven't been able to find what my ears want to hear. I have a set of Antiquities I'm thinking about trying next. That or pull the 59/09's out of my Cu24 that is too hot and try them in it.
 
I have 3 IRW neck guitars now. In order of preference...

1) 2017 WL 594. The PV neck carve along with the versatility/switching and tone of the 5815LT is to die for
2) 2013 P22. The PR carve is super comfy as well. Another very versatile guitar with 5708s and the piezo of course make this a super close second
3) 2001 McRosie. WF carve is lovely but I tend to gravitate to the other two these days. PRS seems to get progressively better with pups as well, so... But it is a fabulous guitar in its own right!
 
Pitfalls? … I can only think of one, and that is a pitfall only if you expect it to sound like hog. Rosewood is heavy in the lower Mids. If you are the guy that only uses the bridge pickup and scoops the mids and dimes the tone pot, you might find the tone disappointing. If you are the guy that loves the neck pickup you will have few problems. I love a warm tone, but I'm still looking for the right pickups for my BRW Cu22. I like the 57/08's that are in it now, but they just lack something. Haven't been able to find what my ears want to hear. I have a set of Antiquities I'm thinking about trying next. That or pull the 59/09's out of my Cu24 that is too hot and try them in it.
I am looking for a different tone - in fact, that is one thing I find a bit lacking in my collection, is a lack of variety of tonewoods compared to what I know is out there. So a rosewood neck seems like an obvious first step.

I use both pickups on any given guitar (or all three), either alone or in combos, mixed with coil taps etc, and my volume and tone knob usage is quite varied compared to when I was a younger man (I just dimed both). So I think rosewood will be n interesting experience.

I think what might be wonderful is if I find a guitar at Exp 2020 that has a rosewood neck (and is "good sounding" and "looks great" etc). I think I will hold out for that, for now. But I will continue to collect, amass, file, catalog, and index all available data associated with rosewood necks.
 
Shinksma, in post #3 of this thread, I've written about what a rosewood neck sounds, plays, and feels like. See if that might be your huckleberry jam.

Then stay away from post #8. I mean, don't go near it. Don't click or scroll down. Step away now, or else tie yourself to a mast, or something, till you can think straight again. Purchasing decisions must be made with a cool and rational mind.

=K
 
I have a McCarty Soapbar with a IRW neck and I love it. I also have a parts strat with a rosewood neck. I have the parts (including a rosewood neck) to build another guitar. The short list of guitars I'm wanting is a 594 with rosewood neck and a 509 with a rosewood neck. The only downfall is once you go RW, nothing else feels as good. And I've not even been fortunate enough to try something a Braz RW neck. I probably shouldn't as it could mean starting the collection over from scratch. Again. Haha.
 
Shinksma, in post #3 of this thread, I've written about what a rosewood neck sounds, plays, and feels like. See if that might be your huckleberry jam.
Yeah, sounds liker something I want to explore! My other PRSi aren't going anywhere, so some variety would be awesome!
Then stay away from post #8. I mean, don't go near it. Don't click or scroll down. Step away now, or else tie yourself to a mast, or something, till you can think straight again. Purchasing decisions must be made with a cool and rational mind.

=K
Too late! I scrolled! It cannot be unseen!

But seriously, if I waited until I had a cool and rational mind every time I wanted to buy a guitar, I'd either miss out on great deals or simply not buy anything. And my PRSi posse makes it clear I have not fallen for that!
 
Suggestions? Pitfalls to watch for? Anyone? Bueller?

I love my SCHBII. I don't know if it's the neck, the 57/08s, the hollow body, but right now it's the standard any guitar I'm going to buy has to meet. I like to think I prefer wide thin necks, but it's pattern regular in IRW does it for me.

image_zps4ecb0b9e.jpg
 
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