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.
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.
Growth Rings Are Important
Ideally, you want a guitar top with a high number of growth rings. Growth rings are counted per inch and the best top tone woods will have at least 20 growth rings per inch. If you are building on a budget you can go as low as 12 per inch but don't use guitar top wood with less growth rings than 12.
Choose a Stiff Top
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.
Consider Wood Species
Wood species is a very important consideration as it will affect the sound and appearance of your finished guitar. Most builders, including large companies, choose to use either a species of Red Cedar or Sitka Spruce for guitar wood tops. Both of these woods provide excellent sound quality and a good degree of stiffness. Keep in mind as you look at the different grades of tone woods available that the grades affect the appearance of the tone wood more than the sound.
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.
Growth Rings Are Important
Ideally, you want a guitar top with a high number of growth rings. Growth rings are counted per inch and the best top tone woods will have at least 20 growth rings per inch. If you are building on a budget you can go as low as 12 per inch but don't use guitar top wood with less growth rings than 12.
Choose a Stiff Top
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.
Consider Wood Species
Wood species is a very important consideration as it will affect the sound and appearance of your finished guitar. Most builders, including large companies, choose to use either a species of Red Cedar or Sitka Spruce for guitar wood tops. Both of these woods provide excellent sound quality and a good degree of stiffness. Keep in mind as you look at the different grades of tone woods available that the grades affect the appearance of the tone wood more than the sound.
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Ultimate Guitar Online is your source for the very best guitar wood available anywhere. In addition to wood, GLSS also offers guitar plans and a wide range of other luthier tools.