Acoustic guitar tonewoods…..

[Jeff Duncan]

I've just recently started out on my first endeavor into guitar building. I decided to do so partly since as a left hand guitar player there are so very few choices out there. Most guitar shops in my area, (in which there is no shortage of), at best have 2 left handed guitars on the wall. Sure you can special order something, but who wants to buy without trying? So after many, many, years of thinking about doing it, I've finally begun! My first attempt will be a relatively simple all mahogany guitar. Got the idea for it from playing a 3/4 sized Martin version recently and will be following the plans from Cumpiano's "Guitarmaking" book. I've got my top going and the neck is now making progress, but it got me to wondering what other woods could be used for tops? Seems as though it's either Spruce or Cedar and every other wood is destined for the backs/sides. Anybody here experimented with any other woods for a top? I hadn't even really thought of Mahogany for a top until playing the Martin, now I wonder what else could be used????

JeffD

[David Falkner]

As you mentioned, Mahogany makes a great top. So does Redwood. I'm about 2/3 complete on my first build, Honduras Mahogany and Sitka Spruce, and about 1/3 complete on my second build with the same woods. But I have some Adirondack, Redwood, and Cedar for future builds and I'm also looking for some different varieties of Spruce. Good luck with your build - enjoy the process 'cause it's a blast!

[Jim Andrew]

I know spruce is considered the "sound wood", but a while back I observed a performer on TV playing a guitar with an amazing grain pattern, with a joint in the center with the angle of the grain turned into a V. It was very attractive, and looked like some figured burr oak I have.

[Scott DelPorte]

I have only ever built tops out of spruce and cedar, but have seen others them built from redwood, koa, and mahogany.

[Dale Penrose]

I have had good success with butternut on a black walnut body and have used silver maple on a cherry body. Both sounded quite nice. That being said, I'm using spruce at the current time.

[scott spencer]

"Sitka" spruce is the most common wood for guitar tops. Mahogany and rosewood are among the more commons backs and sides. Wood thickness, and the pattern and type of support struts also have a great a big effect on the sound. Simply duplicating a wood type is only part of equation of trying to duplicate a sound.

[Jeff Duncan]

I have had good success with butternut on a black walnut body and have used silver maple on a cherry body. Both sounded quite nice. That being said, I'm using spruce at the current time.

How was the sound from the butternut? I've got a small stash of it, but unfortunately not quite wide enough for a top. Don't think it's qtr sawn either for that matter. I'm thinking of trying my luck with a canary wood top! I have the blank glued up already for a back…..but it keeps trying got convince me it should be in the front instead! I'm not adverse to trying spruce for a guitar, but just seems like it's been done to death. Want to try a little bit of originality without re-inventing the wheel. Seems like every once in a while you see a nice figured top, (like the koa tops), but can't find much info online about building with other woods.

thanks,
Jeff

[george wilson]

This whole business of using cedar or redwood,I THINK, was started from Ramirez trying to get by cheap,buying a bunch of old mine timbers large enough to resaw 2 piece tops out of.

Back in the 60's,I tried cedar and redwood. They produce a DARKER tone than spruce,which I do not care for.

Why spruce? It transmits vibrations faster than these other woods that have been mentioned. It has the highest strength to weight ratio also,allowing thinner tops to be used.

Let me emphasize that these redwood and cedars are very weak about holding bridges on. They can fracture just below the glue line,letting the bridge pop off MUCH easier than a good spruce top. They do not have the strength of spruce,which is why you read that early aircraft were made of spruce,and NOT redwood or cedar,though they are also light weight woods. They just don't have the integrity of spruce about splitting or cracking. It isn't rocket science to compare the strength of these woods with spruce. Make up strips the same dimensions from all 3 woods,and see which bend the easiest.

I do not believe that these redwood and cedar tops will have the longevity of a good spruce top. I am sure that over the years,they will bend into an "S" shape from the string tension on the bridge,and will have to be replaced.

True,Martin made a cheap guitar out of Koa(which is no longer cheap!). They were just an effort to make a less expensive guitar,in my opinion. I might use Koa on backs and sides. I have 2 large,somewhat curly planks of Koa on hand.

If you want the best results,I urge you to use a good piece of STIFF spruce for your top,bearing in mind that the selection of wood is just one of the decisions you have to make to build a good or great sounding guitar. But,by using a less tonally suitable guitar top wood,you are driving the first nail into the coffin of bad tone(that was a weird comparison ) Now,of course,I have noticed a largish increase in popularity of cigar box guitar making. Stewart MacDonald even offers a pickup for them,I think. So,there is room for the different tastes of people ,I suppose.

I know that there will be contradictory replies to this post,but I have been building since 1952,and for many years ran the Musical Instrument Maker's Shop in Williamsburg.

[Mark Greenbaum]

I have a 1957 00-17 Martin that is all mahogany, and I've been told it's a great Blues Player's guitar. Is has a smaller body, and is in the middle range of volume. I think if the top were good tight grained spruce the guitar would have more volume and be a brighter sound. I've seen acoustics made with virtually every wood combination you can imagine. Bracing, size, and finish all play into the sound a lot. The loudest acoustic I have is my $99 Fender DG-7 which has Nato (a type of mahogany) neck, back and sides, but spruce top. The finish is probably sprayed polyurethane, but that guitar drowns out all competitors for volume. Make what you like, and tap tone the woods as you go along. Shaving the braces can help tones a lot, allowing the bass to vibrate while keeping the trebles tight. Post pics.

One of the acoustic builders on the Telecaster Forum has used tops and sides he purchased directly from Martin. They may have been seconds, but plenty fine for most folks. http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home...tic-build.html