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Gibson Custom Shop Brazilian Rosewood Vs Indian Rosewood

dblock1717

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Jul 1, 2020
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Hey , wanted some thoughts and opinions on Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop Brazilian Rosewood Vs Indian Rosewood.

how different are they sound and feel wise?

let me know thanks!
 

Gold Tone

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Apr 2, 2002
Messages
6,825
Sound wise ZIP, nada, nothing

Feel subjective. Waxy and smooth to me, quite nice

Braz or Indian, there are good and bad planks for both. There are some very nice Indian boards

Give it the fingernail test...if you can indent the wood with your fingernail...PASS!
 

Tim Plains

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Aug 1, 2013
Messages
795
Some say Braz feels smoother/waxier, I've owned Braz that did and did not feel like that. Buy Braz if it's important to you when you open the case and look at the guitar but don't think it will make any discernable difference through an amplifier.
 

brandtkronholm

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Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
Like Tim Plains said above, there is no difference in sound.

Brazilian rosewood often has the "wet" feel (slick, fast) while Indian rosewood sometimes has the "wet" feel.

On SGs and Les Pauls nearly every other fret has a big fat inlay so there's that.

On Gibsons with dot inlays one might, just maybe, if thet were really paying attention, notice if they had been playing one type of rosewood for many years and suddenly switched to the other. It's not a mega big deal.

Indian rosewood is a very, very nice material for musical instruments.
 

Deus91

Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
52
Also agree with Tim Plains assessment.
I just like the way it looks, prefer a dark board on a Standard.
Just personal preference.
My 2019 CME Brazilian, lovely dark board and it smells nice too.
eSxpEaV.jpg
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
All my Indian boards are darker than the typical milk chocolate Brazilian. All 50 yr old boards turn dark. When properly sanded Indian is incredibly smooth and silky. I've had to sand and lightly oil all my new guitars fingerboards, lightly oil and fret polish to get them to feel right. Worth the effort. BTW, everyone has thought I have Brazilian Rosewood on my Historics. Personally, I do not want Braz boards on new guitars. There is zero difference in sound or feel, and I have no interest in feeding a continued desire to destroy fragile ecosystems to mearly have bragging rights for something so insignificant. High quality quartersawn EI Rosewood is just excellent and I love working with it. There are several SA and CA Rosewoods that are available that are excellent as well as Mexican varieties that all beare investigating.
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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5,657
This subject came into my thoughts this past 3 day weekend that I spent playing my Brazilian Board 2018 R9 ( 1 of 2 that I have ) I just got this guitar back from my tech after being in quarantine from my Music Shop being shut down due to COVID-19 and have been playing the snot out of this Les Paul and enjoying the heck out of it . Now the only thing I can say other than the board being a tiny bit slick Saturday from the heat and Humidity I did not hear any difference what so ever . I heard all the glorious tones coming from the Guitar and her ThroBak's and she sounded just as good as all of my other ThroBak loaded Historic R9's and R8's .
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
I have Brazilian on my ‘02 R-0 & my 3 old Gibson’s, but my 2 newer Custom Shop Guitars have East Indian & they sound spectacular!
 

jamie22

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Joined
Jul 6, 2020
Messages
1
Hey , wanted some thoughts and opinions on Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop Brazilian Rosewood Vs Indian Rosewood.

how different are they sound and feel wise?
let me know thanks!
and also check out my essay on time service later

I would love to learn more about them too. This thread will help me a lot.
 
Last edited:

dblock1717

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Jul 1, 2020
Messages
11
Thanks for all the reply's they all helped a lot! I just purchased a GIBSON LES PAUL HISTORIC 1959' STANDARD BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD DIRTY LEMON! Can't wait for it to arrive. like i mentioned in another thread , i don't even bother bringing new guitars home to play, i bring them straight to my master luthier for adjustments and string change so i can really properly feel and hear how it really sounds. i'll update once i get to play it! :hank
 

dblock1717

New member
Joined
Jul 1, 2020
Messages
11
Thanks for all the reply's they all helped a lot! I just purchased a GIBSON LES PAUL HISTORIC 1959' STANDARD BRAZILIAN ROSEWOOD DIRTY LEMON! Can't wait for it to arrive. like i mentioned in another thread , i don't even bother bringing new guitars home to play, i bring them straight to my master luthier for adjustments and string change so i can really properly feel and hear how it really sounds. i'll update once i get to play it! :hank


UPDATE: my Brazilian Historic 59 was shipped out last Tuesday and arrived here on thursday and i still have no recieved it and is most likley still in a trailer at the UPS disbatch facility. Anyone know how bad this is for the guitar? Im sure its hot and humid in those trailers. The guitar is definitely packed up well and in the case , should i be worried?
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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5,657
UPDATE: my Brazilian Historic 59 was shipped out last Tuesday and arrived here on thursday and i still have no recieved it and is most likley still in a trailer at the UPS disbatch facility. Anyone know how bad this is for the guitar? Im sure its hot and humid in those trailers. The guitar is definitely packed up well and in the case , should i be worried?

I think it should be okay as it's summer time . I would worry if it were in the winter as that could cause some finish checking and maybe the neck going out of whack . Seems like an awfully long time to get to your front door and into your hands ? Also when you do get her and unpack her , let her sit on a stand to acclimate several hours before you play her . She will go out of tune if you play her right away .
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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14,537
I think it should be okay as it's summer time . I would worry if it were in the winter as that could cause some finish checking and maybe the neck going out of whack . Seems like an awfully long time to get to your front door and into your hands ? Also when you do get her and unpack her , let her sit on a stand to acclimate several hours before you play her . She will go out of tune if you play her right away .

Even longer. It still has to go straight to his master luthier!!
 

jimeh77

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Mar 5, 2017
Messages
119
Brz sounds better. I know many people who pay thousands to get a brz makeover but never heard about the opposite.
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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Brz sounds better. I know many people who pay thousands to get a brz makeover but never heard about the opposite.

I am asking respectfully -how can you tell ? I have 2 2018 Brazilian R9's and I can't hear it . Maybe if you can guide me I will be able to hear it as well .
 

jimeh77

Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2017
Messages
119
I own three brz and two indian CC LP. The braz sounds brighter, more resonate, notes are more bouncy, and the wood feel more dense too. A bit trait of ebony board I might say. The indian sounds darker and a bit muddy.

Play clean and you would hear the different.


I am asking respectfully -how can you tell ? I have 2 2018 Brazilian R9's and I can't hear it . Maybe if you can guide me I will be able to hear it as well .
 
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