Spruce
Its high stiffness combined with the lightweight characteristics of most softwoods, makes it a natural for high velocity of sound.
A strong fundamental-to-overtone ratio gives Sitka spruce a powerful direct tone capable of retaining its clarity when played forcefully.
Sitka Spruce from North West Canada and Alaska -
Its high stiffness combined with the lightweight characteristics of most softwoods, makes it a natural for high velocity of sound.
Red spruce is relatively heavy, has a high velocity of sound, and the highest stiffness across and along the grain of all the top woods.
Like Sitka, is has a strong fundamental, but also a more complex overtone content.
Engelmann Spruce from North America is prized for its similarity in color to European (German) White spruce as well as its extreme lightness in weight which seems to produce a slightly louder and more projective or "open" sound than Sitka spruce.
Western Red Cedar from Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
It has long been used as a soundboard material by classical guitar makers for its vibrance and clarity of sound.
It's extremely light weight compared to spruce, and the tonal result is a slightly warmer tone, more open response.
An interesting characteristic of Red Cedar is that it sounds broken in, even when it's new.
Cedar looks a lot like redwood: darker and reddish compared to spruce.
Brazilian Rosewood
All the rosewoods contribute to tonal coloration. Brazilian rosewood is known for its high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, and is also characterized by strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers.
Rosewood guitars also have a pronounced reverberant-like tone quality, caused by audible delays in the onset of certain harmonics. Brazilian rosewood has tremendous clarity in the bottom end and sparkle in the top.
When used for necks, Brazilian rosewood adds sparkle and ring.
Indian rosewood is also known for high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers. Indian rosewood has a thicker, more midrange overall coloration.
When used for necks, Indian rosewood can help fatten up the midrange.
Ebony, the traditional material found on the necks of violins, classical guitars, and high-end steel strings, has the lowest velocity of sound of all the woods commonly used and has definite damping characteristics.
While not a problem for large-bodied guitars made of red spruce or Brazilian rosewood, it may be something to consider when designing smaller guitars, particularly those using less resonant tonewoods for tops and backs.
Its high stiffness combined with the lightweight characteristics of most softwoods, makes it a natural for high velocity of sound.
A strong fundamental-to-overtone ratio gives Sitka spruce a powerful direct tone capable of retaining its clarity when played forcefully.
Sitka Spruce from North West Canada and Alaska -
Its high stiffness combined with the lightweight characteristics of most softwoods, makes it a natural for high velocity of sound.
Red spruce is relatively heavy, has a high velocity of sound, and the highest stiffness across and along the grain of all the top woods.
Like Sitka, is has a strong fundamental, but also a more complex overtone content.
Engelmann Spruce from North America is prized for its similarity in color to European (German) White spruce as well as its extreme lightness in weight which seems to produce a slightly louder and more projective or "open" sound than Sitka spruce.
Western Red Cedar from Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
It has long been used as a soundboard material by classical guitar makers for its vibrance and clarity of sound.
It's extremely light weight compared to spruce, and the tonal result is a slightly warmer tone, more open response.
An interesting characteristic of Red Cedar is that it sounds broken in, even when it's new.
Cedar looks a lot like redwood: darker and reddish compared to spruce.
Brazilian Rosewood
All the rosewoods contribute to tonal coloration. Brazilian rosewood is known for its high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, and is also characterized by strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers.
Rosewood guitars also have a pronounced reverberant-like tone quality, caused by audible delays in the onset of certain harmonics. Brazilian rosewood has tremendous clarity in the bottom end and sparkle in the top.
When used for necks, Brazilian rosewood adds sparkle and ring.
Indian rosewood is also known for high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers. Indian rosewood has a thicker, more midrange overall coloration.
When used for necks, Indian rosewood can help fatten up the midrange.
Ebony, the traditional material found on the necks of violins, classical guitars, and high-end steel strings, has the lowest velocity of sound of all the woods commonly used and has definite damping characteristics.
While not a problem for large-bodied guitars made of red spruce or Brazilian rosewood, it may be something to consider when designing smaller guitars, particularly those using less resonant tonewoods for tops and backs.
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