Custom Guitars

[Hooligan]

Lets face it I am a sucker for fine woods. My favorite is amboynia Burl, but I doubt you'd ever find a piece big enough to do much more than veneer a headstock. I can't help but drewl over the pictures of these custom one of a kind accoustics I see from folks Like Cornerstone etc.

I wonder what a maples back and side guitar would sound like with a top made of:

Spruce
Red Wood
Koa

I read all the time these different woods have different sound characteristics. I wonder if the sound differences are something that a hack like me would be able to hear or do you need to be a Pro to hear the difference. I love the appearance of maple like that of a 614.

I wonder why I don't see more rosewoods like cocobola being used.

Oh, well I am no way even close to being worthy of such fine craftsmanship and I have a cable and phone bill to pay so, I'll have to continue to live viacariousy (spelling??) through you high rollers......hehehehehehe

There are some folks recovering hard wood logs off the bottom of the great lakes that have been submerged for decades. I hear the woods are spectacular. Theres got to be some stunning maple and walnut laying on the bottom of lake Ontario waiting to resonate a booming E. Surely these super hard hard woods would be perfect for guitar building.

[TheViking]

Hi
I agree, it's beautiful wood.
I don't think there would be a problem getting large enough slabs. I have a friend who makes knives and he uses Amboyna Burl for the handles. There have been quite a lot of pretty big slabs going on ebay lately, pricey yes, but oooooh so nice

[Brian]

Lets face it I am a sucker for fine woods...me tooI wonder what a maples back and side guitar would sound like with a top made of:
Spruce
Red Wood
Koa
I read all the time these different woods have different sound characteristics. I wonder if the sound differences are something that a hack like me would be able to hear or do you need to be a Pro to hear the difference. I love the appearance of maple like that of a 614... Theres got to be some stunning maple and walnut laying on the bottom of lake Ontario waiting to resonate a booming E. Surely these super hard hard woods would be perfect for guitar building.Here's one of the best articles I've seen: Tapping Tonewoods, by Dana Bourgeois, How the Selection of Species Helps Define the Sound of Your Guitar (http://www.pantheonguitars.com/tonewoods.htm). The sound of a top is influenced by the tonewood, the thickness, and bracing style and weight. For sides and back I find that the difference between say rosewood, mahogany, and maple is quite distinct. Even koa and mahogany are noticable. But don't get too hung up on that gorgeous quilt maple back, you might not like the sound. ...I wonder why I don't see more rosewoods like cocobola being used.It is. There may be an upcharge from Indian Rosewood

I've had a couple of custom guitars built. There are many variations that ultimately produce an instrument's tone. My thought is do your homework, not on becoming an expert on tonewoods, but rather play a bunch of high end guitars so you can discover the sound you really like, then learn how to express that. And yes, you'll discover something about tonewoods in the process.

Then find a good luthier. All the better if local because you can closely inspect and sample their work. You may well find that the guitars across the luthiers line exhibit specific tonal characteristics regardless of wood, and even body style. If they sound good to you, tell the luthier about your playing style and what tonal characteristics you want and let the expert pick out the tonewoods. They can help you select a body style, and design a bracing pattern and weight to further refine to your preference of playing style(s) and tone.

Believe it or not, there is not a lot of variance in the cost of tonewood for an acoustic guitar. The cost is in the labor. Mahogany sides and back may not need binding, Rosewood usually does and I believe requires more labor to prep for finishing. If money becomes an issue, you may want to spend your dollars on on things like quality tuners but not ornate, binding and a gloss nitro cellulose laquer finish for duarbility, but skip the abalone rosette and fancy inlays. And there are a myriad of no or low cost options the luther will ask you about to fit the guitar to you. It's actually quite fun. The luthier will help you with all this.

Finally an up-and-comer may charge less, giving you a bigger bang for the buck because your guitar becomes part of the portfolio they use to build their business. I have been able to have a fine flattop built by a local luthier for less than the price of a mid to upper-mid mass-produced Asian import.

[mattd]

there is a tone difference between different woods, a slight one but it is there. but if you get an exotic top on an electric guitar you can make it sound like any other guitar because of the electronics. in my opinion, it makes more of a difference when you get different woods on an acoustic guitar.

[Brian]

there is a tone difference between different woods, a slight one but it is there. but if you get an exotic top on an electric guitar you can make it sound like any other guitar because of the electronics. in my opinion, it makes more of a difference when you get different woods on an acoustic guitar.Matt (Hooligan) mentioned a (Taylor) 614 so I my comments were mainly about a flattop. Somehow I don't see my alder Telecaster with maple neck sounding like my maple-top / mahogany back Zion with ebony, regardless of the electronics, but I could be wrong :hmm: