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Hello,

I have bought this guitar about after years of search. It is a semi-concert grade classical guitar made in Brasil in 1965, very similar to the ones used to record our "Bossa-Nova" songs in the 60s. Back then they used "Jacaranda da Bahia" (Rosewood from Bahia - the state which provided and still does provide the best rosewood in Brasil, albeit very rare nowdays) for the back, sides and also the fretboard. Very light weigthed, projects fingerpicking and chords at very high volume and sweet tone, with a very strong bass.

The guitar belonged to the same family since new and had never seen restauration of any kind until I bought it.

I have posted some pictures of it below.

Questions:
a) I am not sure which wood was used for the sound board?
b) The grain pattern of the soundboard seems much less tighter than most guitars I have seen. Still it resonates a lot and seems to be very thin. What implications if any this would have to the overall tone and durability of the guitar?
c) How can I confirm the back and sides are solid?

Kind regards,
Joseph

Bem vindo ao melhor "forum" do mundo! O tampo parece ser pinho mas de uma qualidade nao muito boa. A escala parece ser jacaranda mas quem sabe se e da Bahia.

Welcome to the world's best forum. The top looks like a second grade "pine". The fretboard looks like rosewood but who knows if it is Brazilian.

Due to the difficulty Brazilian makers had/have of getting top grade imported materials my guess is that this builder just used the best top material he could find at the time. I have even heard of luthiers using old crate wood from Germany. Those things actually used to be made from high quality German spruce.
One thing is for sure, that thing sure has opened up by now.    

whilst not iron clad, just look at the grain pattern on the inside and the outside. does it match? if it does it is likely, but not definitely, solid.

even with laminated, i.e. plywood, backs, braces were still usually used, but often the back graft was omitted since since there was no joint to reinforce. but i have also seen ply backs built with back grafts to fool the punters.

how have you measured the thickness to determine it is very thin? given that the instrument has a tone and playability that you find highly desirable 40+ years after it was built and it has not needed the services of a luthier to repair it in that time, it would seem that your worries about the future may be pointless.