An Overview Of Top Tone Wood For Guitar Building
by Kathy Lambert
Tone wood is really just a fancy word used to describe the wood that's used for building guitars. The word tone wood can be used to describe the back, sides, or top of the instrument but it's widely believed that the top wood of the guitar is the most important when it comes to overall tone. Wood that is used in guitar building should be carefully selected as it will have a major role in the acoustical properties of the finished instrument. Keep reading to learn what to look for in a high quality top tonewood for your next guitar building project.
Always Choose Quartersawn Wood
When wood is sawn there are a number of different methods that can be used. For guitar wood, you want to select a wood that has been quartersawn - or sawn into quarters. This is done lengthwise. It's best to only purchase wood that limits the grain to 20 degrees off of the vertical. The reason for only using quartersawn wood is that it provides more stiffness than other cutting options.
Count Growth Rings
More growth rings means higher quality. The best guitar top woods will have at least 20 growth rings per inch. However, you can buy wood with as few as 12 per inch and still end up with a high quality sound.
Top Stiffness is Key
Stiffer guitar top wood will provide a higher quality sound. If you make sure that you count growth rings and choose quartersawn wood chances are that you will end up with tone wood that is stiff enough. You can also physically check the stiffness of wood by picking it up and carefully attempting to bend it parallel to the grain to see how stiff the wood is. Always purchase your guitar soundboards from a reputable dealer to ensure you are getting stiff wood.
Tap Tone is Important
When buying guitar wood you can easily do a tap test to check the tone. Simply hold the wood between your thumb and index fingers and let it hang freely taking care not to grip it too tight. Use the knuckle of your index finger on your free hand and rap the wood. You should hear a bell-like sound. Ideally, you want a soundboard that vibrates freely and provides good sound.
What About Species
The species of wood you choose for your guitar top is going to play a role in the sound of your finished instrument. Most guitar builders choose to use either a Red Cedar or Sitka Spruce for their acoustic guitar building projects. Both of these are quality tone woods. As you look at wood, keep in mind that different grades of wood will affect the appearance of your guitar more than the sound.
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New Unique Article!
Title: An Overview Of Top Tone Wood For Guitar Building
Author: Kathy Lambert
Email: kjlambert76@gmail.com
Keywords: guitar tonewood, guitar wood, guitar soundboards, guitar top wood, tone wood, guitar tops, wood for guitars, guitar building, luthier tools
Word Count: 456
Category: Hobbies
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