[annoying_2001]

hey,

saw that we need more topics, so here's one. does the type of wood really make a big difference in the sound of an acoustic? if so, what are the best types of wood. i know that mine is made of dao wood from asia, and it gives it a great midrange tone. and martin uses rock from the mountains in montana, or n.d., or where ever the hell their based ( ).

[superwinkie]

Alot of acoustics have solid mahogany back and sides, spruce tops. Maple necks. But gosh, everything is so high tech these days, you know with the plastic back ovations and such.

[dorio]

What really matters is the sound you get out of your acoustic. The sound is telling
you if it's made with the right wood.

[Bad Horsie Dude]

It does,a lot!I used to play an epi sg with what I think is a maple body,and a maple neck(painted black).It had like brian may brightness to it.Well I recently bought an rg made of mahogany,with a 1/4 inch maple top,and a rosewood fretborad...BIG DIFFERENCE!I used to use bass:7,middle:5,and treble:8-10,now I use bass:3-4,middle:6-8,and treble:10,and still can't get it as bright,but I like the sound I get now.It's like a les paul tone.Very rich,with suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuustain out the ass!

okay,so this has nothing to do with acoustics,bustill,it's not off topic.

This post has been edited by Bad Horsie Dude: 07 November 2003 - 02:20 AM

[dogpoo]

i agree with dorio. different woods produce different sounds though. it really depends on what you like. for instance, spruce has a pretty bright sound and rosewood has a warm sound.

[adds]

i agree with dorio. different woods produce different sounds though. it really depends on what you like. for instance, spruce has a pretty bright sound and rosewood has a warm sound.

Spruce is only used for soundboards you wouldnt use it for back and ribs the same as you wouldnt have a rose wood soundboard.

Soundboards are only really spruce or ceder.Back and ribs can be any number of different hard woods.All would produce different sounds.Brazilian rose wood is widely considered to be the best of all tone woods but its very rare and expencive.Finding a good batch is difficult.But like already mentioned it down to what you like at the end of the day.Woods like maple sond brighter and woods like rose wood and koa warmer.Other things also affect the sound the thickness of the woods and strutting patterns for example.

[rasav]

oh sure, just ignore all the cool polymers and fiber based products (Carbon fiber, kevlar, epoxy/s-glass combos.)
The key to good sound is getting the most energy possible out of a vibrateing body. wood has been the best and cheapest way to do this to date. However, thanks to top secret goverment research, whole new classes of suitable aero-space materials are soon going to make for some amazing guitars!
Alot of credit also has to go to acoustic enginers for creating sound boxes that fully make use of space avaliable.
Then too there's a whole lot of guys like me making saw dust in their garages hopeing to improve the art of luthiery in some small way.
(never going to happen, but I can hope.)

[dadfad]

Adam, is absolutely correct. Bracing patterns and wood thicknesses and such very much affect the sound and especially the projection of the instrument. The type of bracing (X as opposed to ladder or others), the placement of tone bars (and the number of them), the thickness of those braces and tone-bars. All these things are extremely important. The thickness of the sound-board.... a thinner board can have more vibrational projection, but is also more subject to "bellying". The dimension of the sound-hole.... a smaller one (to a degree) will enhance bass response in proportion to treble. There are a lot of factors which contribute, most of them you never see, inside the instrument.

[wavewalker]

hey,

saw that we need more topics, so here's one. does the type of wood really make a big difference in the sound of an acoustic? if so, what are the best types of wood. i know that mine is made of dao wood from asia, and it gives it a great midrange tone. and martin uses rock from the mountains in montana, or n.d., or where ever the hell their based (     ).

No, it doesn't matter. Just go get some partical board and make yourself a new guitar.

[dadfad]

(But only the FINEST particle board)

[wavewalker]

Certainly.

[dadfad]

(And don't forget the nails)

[pimp_vince]

from what i know here are some good tonewoods (for soundboards):
sitka spruce
engelmann spruce
hawaiian koa
walnut (i don't know why)
ovangkol
and there's others, but i don't really see a point in naming EVERY ONE of them

as for backs it's kinda limited
mostly rosewood
mahogany
laminate (unfortunate)
koa
...there's others too

necks are mostly
ebony
maple
rosewood
martin uses some synthetic stuff on their x series too
fretless basses are usually made with 'pao ferro' (whatever the hell that means)

[adds]

from what i know here are some good tonewoods (for soundboards):
sitka spruce
engelmann spruce
hawaiian koa
walnut (i don't know why)
ovangkol
and there's others, but i don't really see a point in naming EVERY ONE of them

as for backs it's kinda limited
mostly rosewood
mahogany
laminate (unfortunate)
koa
...there's others too

necks are mostly
ebony
maple
rosewood
martin uses some synthetic stuff on their x series too
fretless basses are usually made with 'pao ferro' (whatever the hell that means)

Theres far more woods for backs and ribs than sound boards.Ive never known anyone to use Walnut or koa as a soundboard though i know LMI do sell koa tops.Ive never played a guitar with one though and certainly wouldnt choose a hard wood like that to build a guitar myself.

Dont you mean finger boards rather than necks aswell.An ebony neck would be quite heavy and quite expensive.I recently played a telly made entirly from ebony and it was the heavyest guitar ive ever played it was far too heavy.

This post has been edited by adds: 07 November 2003 - 04:54 PM

[panndder]

Wood is important, but many other things are very important too...

Taylor made a guitar out of 2x4's and an oak pallet

pallet guitar

[pimp_vince]

from what i know here are some good tonewoods (for soundboards):
sitka spruce
engelmann spruce
hawaiian koa
walnut (i don't know why)
ovangkol
and there's others, but i don't really see a point in naming EVERY ONE of them

as for backs it's kinda limited
mostly rosewood
mahogany
laminate (unfortunate)
koa
...there's others too

necks are mostly
ebony
maple
rosewood
martin uses some synthetic stuff on their x series too
fretless basses are usually made with 'pao ferro' (whatever the hell that means)

Theres far more woods for backs and ribs than sound boards.Ive never known anyone to use Walnut or koa as a soundboard though i know LMI do sell koa tops.Ive never played a guitar with one though and certainly wouldnt choose a hard wood like that to build a guitar myself.

Dont you mean finger boards rather than necks aswell.An ebony neck would be quite heavy and quite expensive.I recently played a telly made entirly from ebony and it was the heavyest guitar ive ever played it was far too heavy.

oops. ya i forgot about fretboards, well that's what you get from a half-assed job.