guitar construction- wood
Lukin_oz
Posts: 257
I was just wondering if anyone had any info on the wood used in guitar construction, in particular acoustic guitars, and which are considered best and worst, in both the neck and body. Im looking at buying a new acoustic / electric and need some pointers...
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http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/features/woods.html
for further woods check http://www.carvin.com and look for woods in the custom guitars section.
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Ebony is my favorite fingerboard wood.
depends on the guitar. There are quite a few with ebony fretboards. All (as far as I know don't quote me on the Baby's) Taylor Acoustics have ebony fretboards. Gibson Les Paul Customs are Ebony and untill the mid 90's or so when Gibson Quality control went to shit Les Paul Studios had ebony fretboards.
Black Ebony is hard and dense and a bit more scarce than some kinds of rosewood. It's very fast smoother harder and brighter than rosewood but it still has a nice fat midrange tone as well, not quite as bright as maple. It looks amazingly beautiful with inlay.
I much prefer rosewood as a back and sides wood especially Indian Rosewood though it is expensive. I make exceptions for some of the rosewood boards on Martin Acoustics and a few solid brazillian rosewood PRS necks, but as a rule I much prefer ebony and maple. That's just me, other people love the feel look and sound of rosewood.
Spruce tops!
I like all-mahogany acoustics, too.
Koa is a cool wood, and there are a lot more exotic choices out there...
But start with a spruce top, rosewood back and sides, and just kind of explore your options. Different woods will give different tonal characteristics (hence my love of mahogany) that are great for some, but maybe not for you.
Anyone ever see maple used in an acoustic? I know the old Fender Newporter had a maple neck, but other than that...
I'd love to have a koa-bodied acoustic.
The top piece of wood on the acoustic guitar's body made out of spruce wood. Solid spruce tops are the most popular. Most companies use spruce tops, but many offer "laminate" spruce tops, which are spruce plywood. Solid tops, made with one piece of wood, are preferred for tone and projection. Laminate tops are a bit stronger, and are definitely cheaper, but almost everyone prefers solid spruce over laminate.
Tons of Gibson Jumbos (Ahem) Townsend have maple back and sides as do the taylor 600 series. The guitar I play is all maple.
Maple is bright and smooth in acoustics and very balanced. It sounds great plugged in.
Personally I don't know if you can beat a guitar with a solid rosewood back and sides and a solid bookmatched spruce top but that's just me.
Sad thing is, I knew that... dumbass that I am...
I'm tellin' ya, koa is where it's at...
not to mention it's freaking beautiful especially figured koa.
I'm really considering a carvin right now partly because of wood choices like that and the quality control.
The damn fender brand name and look is the only thing still making me really want that American Deluxe.
Most necks you see will be mahagony for acoustics. Mahgony is an excellent wood for necks and is relativly inexpensive. I've also seen Maple used, which is really pretty and gives a really stiff neck. Maple is farily hard to work when building which is also a downside for luthiers or manufacturers.
Most acoustic tops you see will be spruce. Spruce is fairly tough and stiff. Spruce will create a brighter - punchier sound. Western cedar is also a choice, you'll see this on many classical guitars. Western cedar produces a slightly less defined yet more mellow sound. It is also much softer than spruce and thus easier to damage.
Backs and sides probably the most diverse. Some popular choices are Mahogony, Maple, Indian Rosewood and Brazilian Rosewood.
Mahogony is fine for backs and sides and relativly inexpensive. If the wood is of good quality you're in good shape. Rosewood is my favorite choice for backs and sides. Rosewood is an excellent tonewood and it looks really good too. Brazilian Rosewood is mega expensive and nearly impossible to get now. Shipment has been halted on this wood, it's getting really scarce. A fine alternative to Brazilian is Indian Rosewood. It can still be had fairly easily and works great. Most fine guitars with Rosewood backs and sides are Indian Rosewood, Unless their a gazillion dollars. Brazillian isn't worth the extra money anymore, in my opinion.
I have a hand built guitar using the following woods:
Neck - Mahogony with ebony vaneer at head stock
Fretboard - Ebony
Nut & saddle - Bone
Bridge & Bridgepins - Ebony
Top - Western Cedar
Back & sides - Indian rosewood
Binding on body, neck, endpin and back center stripe - Flame Maple
Probably more than you wanted, but I love talking about wood.
Huh Huh Huh, I said I love talking about wood.
Most people will tell you a solid top is the most important. Manuel Torres(famous master builder) once built a guitar with a solid top and paper mache backs and sides just to demonstrate the importance of the top.
If you can afford it, try to at least get a solid top guitar. But, like I said earlier, there certainly are some total laminate guitars out there that you have no reason to be ashamed of.