Handmade Guitars - Luthier School - Guitar Repair

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Guitar Tone Wood

The tonewood that you select for your guitar is the foundation for a great sounding guitar, especially when it relates to the guitar top. Whether you choose Sitka Spruce, Adirondack Spruce, European Spruce, Englemann Spruce, Mahogany or one of the many other species of wood that can be used for a guitar top, then one thing that you can count on is that the top you choose is as important as the speakers that you would choose for a premium sound system since the top produces 80 to 90 percent of the sound. Furthermore, two tops of the same species (even cut from the same billet) will not necessarily produce the same sounding instrument, one can sound great while the other one like cardboard. Having sold guitar wood (for many years) to some of the most well known Luthiers in the world, I have set aside some of the nicest sounding tops that you will find anywhere. Not only is choosing the right top critical to sound, it is also important that you choose the right Back and Side set to match that particular guitar top wood so that the Back and Sides compliment and color the sound. Hardness and species of wood (as well as the tap tone) play into matching the box wood to the top for full and balanced sounding guitar. From there it has to built right. Whether you choose Koa, Brazilian Rosewood, Honduras Mahogany, Indian Rosewood, Curly Maple, Walnut, Cherry or one of the many other species that can be used for building guitars, it is critical to the sound of the guitar that you choose your wood wisely. 

Favorite Luthier Wood Source Colonial Tonewoods