Official Luthiers Forum!

O.K.....so I know this question gets really old, and the answers can be meaningless because of so many other variables in the guitar building process.....BUT, I am very curious about your thoughts, based on your real experience with the various woods available/used for B/S. I've read from so many that the B/S woods have little to no affect on the sound of a guitar, that it is basically the top that is the determing factor. I am having a difficult time digesting this as it seems that every little detail affects the sound tremendously, so why wouldn't the main structure of the guitar also affect the sound to a great degree? I ask these questions because from my experience as a player the B/S woods tend to flavor the sound of a guitar....a lot! So...humor me please if you would, and explain in your experience how Walnut, EIR, Cocobolo, Honduran Rosewood, Braz. Rosewood, Mahogany etc. affect the sound of a guitar. Thank you very much.

Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

My experience is pretty limited, but I'll pass along my impressions anyway.

I've built guitars using EIR, padauk, cocobolo, Brazilian rosewood, and pau ferro as back/side material. I have some curly maple, claro walnut, and Madagascar rw sets, stickered on the shelf, but haven't tried building with them yet.

I pay attention to the tap tone of woods I select to build with. I prefer a bright, metallic sound, and all of the above woods have that property, except for the maple and claro walnut. Their tap tones are somewhat duller than the others, which has tempered my enthusiasm to build with them. Perhaps a duller sound is okay with steel strings, but I build classicals, and I am convinced that a bright, metallic sounding back/side set works better for classical builds.

For classicals, there sure seems to be something about rosewood that gives a guitar that characteristic Spanish sound. The guitars I've build using EIR, Brazilian, and coco all have it to a greater or lesser extent. (All are spruce topped instruments, btw.)

I'd have to say that my favorite so far is cocobolo. When combined with a good spruce top, it makes a lovely sounding instrument. Currently, I'm working on a cocobolo guitar with a redwood top. I'm very interested in how this one turns out. I'm also working on an EIR guitar with a cedar top. I'm just as interested in how this one will turn out. I have high hopes for it.

I believe that EIR is really hard to beat. It sounds great, works easily, is reasonably priced, and is still plentiful. Because of the demise of Brazilian rw, EIR has become the standard to which all other woods are compared in the classical world.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live