Any significant difference in sound between mahogany and Figured mahogany?

[thomaskila]

I am considering ordering a Deep-body OM with an Engelmann spruce top and mahogany back and sides. I wanted to order the Figured Mahogany, but with an upcharge of $1500 for that option, I decided to find out if there is a significant difference between the standard and figured mahogany. Anyone have any experience with Collings' figured mahogany?

Thank you!

[Frank Sanns]

Fancier wood always has at least a psychological positive factor on tone. In reality, the figure of the wood may or may not be correlated to tone. In general, darker versions of some of the common woods MAY be a little more lush but not guaranteed.

[JohnFrink]

Anyone have any experience with Collings' figured mahogany?

I've owned Collings OMs with plain mahogany and figured mahogany; they're all great guitars, but I couldn't detect a significant difference in their voices, other than the normal individual variation one would expect to find between instruments made from different trees and at different times. Go for the figured mahogany if you feel the aesthetics are worth the upcharge, but you shouldn't expect a different voice. Back around 2017 Collings made a group of OM1Mhs with wood from what has been called "The Fiddleback Tree", and they're visually stunning, but their voices are indistinguishable from their plain mahogany stablemates (in my opinion of course).

John

[thomaskila]

Frank - Thank you for your insight!

John - I was hoping someone with a few Collings guitars would chime in on this! I also have a few Collings guitars: 1992 D2H, 2009 OM1Mh, 2015 OM3IR, and 2016 I35. I simply prefer Collings to any other acoustic guitar maker. Thank you for your experienced response!