TIMBER CHOICE & OTHER OPTIONS

Back and sides…………….

European Maple (acer pseudoplatanus)
Very hard and reflective – produces a balanced
tone with plenty of punch.

Indian Rosewood (dalbergia latifolia)
An industry standard tonewood, producing a deep
warm bass response, enhanced trebles and good sustain.
Rosewood varies in colour from dark brown to dark
purple brown giving an attractive figure and is
the most popular wood we work with.

PAU FERRO (machaerium schleroxylon)
Also known as Bolivian Rosewood or Palo Santos –
it is tonally similar to Rosewood with a fast, clear
response.

AFRICAN ROSEWOOD (dalbergia baroni)
This can resemble the best figured Brazilian
Rosewood in appearance and sound.
It has crisp, bell –like tap tones and Pic. African Rosewood
outstanding volume and power

ZIRICOTE(cordia dodecandra)
Very striking in appearance with deep bass
tones with superb definition and openness

BLACK ACACIA(acacia melanoxylon)
Also known as Australian Blackwood, this excellent
tonewood varies from golden to dark brown in colour
and has crisp, bright, clear characterisitics

KOA (acacia koa)
Indigenous to Hawaii – this timber has a
powerful mid-range and clear trebles,
producing very balanced instrument.

Soundboards……………………

SITKA SPRUCE (picea sitchensis)
In various grades from ‘A’ to ‘Master’ –
chosen for it’s consistent quality and
straight uniform grain.
Tight, clean sound – vibrates evenly over all frequencies

’SITKA SPRUCE - Bear Claw (picea sitchensis) Figured Spruce
Bear Claw or sometimes known as Hazelfichte is broken into 2
sub categories of light and full figure dependant on the amount of
figure across the board

ADIRONDACK (picea rubens)
Red Spruce was used for the tops on many now vintage American
guitars. Slightly lighter in colour than Sitka, it has a quick response
with more snap to the note.

Timber Choices.

Please look through our gallery of possible timbers - descriptions of the particular wood in a musical instrument context are included.