What wood are guitars made of?

When choosing a guitar, it is important to pay attention not only to the basic characteristics of the model, but also to the material from which it is made. Surprisingly, even two wooden instruments with similar external features can sound different precisely because of the use of different woods.

The wood used to make a guitar affects not only the life of an instrument, but also how it sounds. Today, it is customary for industrial production to use a number of proven materials, but private craftsmen can experiment with exotic breeds. It depends on the wood how strong the extracted sounds will turn out, as well as how long they will last. In addition, depending on the material, you can give the sound individual characteristics, for example, depth or velvety. There are several aspects to consider when choosing a wood for your guitar.

The appearance of the wood does not affect the sound of the instrument, but it does determine its visual appeal. Sometimes a guitar that looks unsightly at first glance can produce the most exciting notes. The sound itself directly depends on the species, weight and density of the wood. Usually, the heavier the breed, the clearer and brighter the instrument will sound.

To create guitars, wood of different trees is used, from rare imported from abroad to quite budgetary ones growing on the territory of Russia.

Cheap agatis is used to make budgetary and therefore not particularly high-quality musical instruments, for example, LTD guitars. Experts characterize the resulting sound as dull and muddy, which, of course, can hardly be called a sign of quality.

Mahogany, which most often means mahogany, is much heavier than ash and alder, but lighter than maple. The high density of the guitar material ensures high-quality sound at all heights. Experts note that the sounds are rather harsh, but not too expressive. The weight of the wood, which is reminiscent of ash with its open pores and pronounced texture, lengthens the sound of each note. Mahogany guitars come in all shades from dark beige to brick brown. This material is most often used in combination with tops made from other materials and is chosen for cutting out the body and neck of power tools. The warm tone and crisp attack also make mahogany the perfect choice for completely crafting a guitar from a solid piece of wood.

To create musical instruments, preference is most often given to African mahogany, known as kaya, and Honduran mahogany. The first combines several subspecies of redwood that grow in Africa and have approximately similar characteristics. Honduran mahogany is most often used to create American guitars. This material is quite rare, and therefore expensive. Sometimes on the market you can find guitars made of Filipino mahogany, but such samples should not be purchased: soft and light wood creates a low-quality sound. Newbie guitars are often made from nato, also called oriental mahogany.

Tropical Indian rosewood is an expensive breed and is quite rare in our country. Today, most often such wood can be found in products imported to Russia and the CIS countries until 2017. The main area of ​​application of rosewood is neck attachments, but it will work for an electric guitar deck as well. Dark brown wood with red or deep purple veins has a slightly oily surface. The guitars obtained from it are famous for their rich and warm sound, as well as slightly muffled high frequencies and good resonance.

Ash has deservedly become popular among guitar manufacturers due to its melody: light wood contributes to the emergence of clear and clear, almost "bell" sounds. A flamboyant attack also refers to the breed's strengths. Ash is mainly used for neck and tops. It is also used for the production of Fender solid-body guitars. For musical instruments, it is customary to use marsh ash or northern ash.

Swamp Ash wood - fibrous, strong and large pore... Lightweight material is mined in the swampy regions of the southern United States. Due to the fact that the material consists of soft and hard alternating rings, guitars made from it have ideal acoustics with a wide range, including deep bass. Swamp ash harmoniously combines warmth, melodiousness and sharpness of sound.

Sapele is a versatile material for guitar making... It is even often called a decent alternative to mahogany, but with more pronounced high frequencies and at a lower cost. Full-bodied, balanced sound suitable for all music styles... Another advantage of this material is the good readability of the resulting guitars.

Meranti guitar is a good choice for beginner musicians... The fine-pored, rough structure of wood resembles mahogany, but, of course, the quality of this material is much worse, although the price is lower. Despite the fact that the guitar sounds loud enough, the sound is rather empty and sterile, and the timbre is simple.

Alder is commonly chosen for the production of electric guitars and basses. Tools made from this material are present in the assortment of all leading manufacturers. Light wood with a yellowish tint contributes to good sounding, is famous for excellent resonance characteristics and balanced timbre.

Linden has similar properties, but sometimes sounds hollow due to the loose and soft structure of the material. Today this wood is chosen only for the production of hulls. The reddish brown bubinga produces a warm and bright sound. Necks and decks for bass guitars, as well as bodies for electric guitars are carved from heavy material.

When making musical instruments, maple is primarily valued for its appearance and mechanical properties. This explains the popularity of its use for electric guitar necks and tops.

Paulownia is a softwood that is most commonly used in China and Japan to produce low-cost models. The sound produced is light and not particularly expressive.

It is better to select the material for the guitar depending on its purpose. So, for the electric guitar, alder is most often used, which creates the ideal sound for blues, indie rock, and heavy metal. Wood sounds roughly the same across the entire frequency range. If the instrument is to play melodies with fewer upper notes and a pronounced "middle", you should pay attention to the linden. Performers of death metal and djenta will love mahogany and walnut. Speedy melodies sound better when a maple neck and mahogany body are combined.

The top of an acoustic product that has a significant effect on its sound should be made of spruce or cedar. The back deck is usually made of mahogany or rosewood. Alder and Swamp Ash are the most suitable materials for bass guitar.

When buying a guitar, it is important to understand whether it is made of solid wood or plywood. A private craftsman, as a rule, himself reveals the material of manufacture of each individual part, but in the case of a store, you have to pay attention to specific nuances.

• You should carefully study the specification: if the name of the tree (for example, rosewood) is indicated without any clarification, then most likely we are talking about veneer. In the case when solid wood is used, the documents must underline the words SOLID or solid.
• Pay attention to the price. - solid wood tools are much more expensive than plywood samples.
• You can get the necessary answer by examining the end face of the layers, which is noticeable at the sound hole. On used models, it can also be seen under the neck or at the edge. The end of the array is immediately recognizable by the beautiful pattern of the layers, which continues the pattern on the outside. Typically, these are natural looking vertical or slightly beveled lines.

The best way to store a wooden guitar is in a suitable hard case or insulated case.that are able to provide the tool with the necessary protection against temperature surges. This is especially important in cases where the guitar will often need to be transported.When returning from the street with the instrument, it is necessary to leave it closed for some time to adapt to room temperature. Do not place your guitar on a wall with a window, put it in the trunk, or take it with you to the sauna. Better also do not leave the item lying on the floor, regardless of whether it is cold or heated.

A big plus is the use of a humidifier, which is easy to make with your own hands.... To do this, a simple sponge is soaked in water, after which it is squeezed out and transferred to a plastic container. The latter should be placed inside the instrument.