Tonewood has magical connotations in the guitar world. Tonewood plays a significant role in guitar construction and contributes to its tonal quality. Acoustic guitars usually have a top section or soundboard and back & sides as well. In most cases, they are usually made of the same wood material. So, selecting the best wood for acoustic guitar depends upon the characteristics of the wood.
Choose the Best Guitar Back & Sides
Brazilian or Indian rosewood is a common choice among luthiers to create back and sides. While using Rosewood, luthiers use cedar or Spruce wood as the top material. It’s a traditional choice among guitar-makers. Due to the scarcity of real wood choice, it’s necessary to prefer non-traditional wood choice for back and sides. But, there are plenty of wood choices that create a majestic sound as well as the way they look. Gradually, luthiers have an extensive range of wood varieties that have become popular with clients. It’s essential to consider a few working characteristics while choosing wood for back & sides. While choosing wood without any consideration, it may produce disastrous results. Check for the different building methods, by laminating sides and making it a suitable wood. Luthiers also try different wood combinations for back, sides and guitar top wood.
Guitar Back and Sides
While purchasing back and sides, it’s essential to purchase a matching set. In most cases, it’s difficult to find a good color match from another wood species.While choosing wood for sides, the wood is stable enough to bend without breaking. It’s essential that the wood bend at full thickness. Laminating is an easy way to bend sides at full thickness. The laminating process creates a stiff and stable set of sides. Since, the wood is glued onto each other, inside the wood movement is not prevalent and the sides will not experience any dimensional change as much as solid wood.
While choosing guitar backs, Best wood for guitar adds flavor to the tone of the instrument making it more interesting. Check for the effect it has with the acoustical top. Best wood for an acoustic guitar is recommended to have quarter sawn cut with the intended color scheme and grain pattern. Finally, check for the bending quality. Try to resist the use of highly figured wood or flat sawn wood for the back of guitars. They look good but often problematic after construction. Avoid using crotch pieces, burls, and spalted woods for guitar backs. These look really cool but highly unstable. So, get the best set of woods that exhibit high stability, strength, and consistency.
Mahogany – back and sides
Mahogany is probably a good choice for guitar back and sides. Occasionally, it’s used as guitar tops and best wood for the guitar body as well. Mahogany is a pretty good choice because of its dark finish and close grain pattern. The wood has a great punch adding warmth and definition to the tone.
Maple – back and sides
Rosewood – back and sides
Rosewood is one of the most-expensive wood choices, with its warm tone and complex harmonic overtones. Rosewood has a darker shade and one of the Best wood for guitar back and sides. Rosewood combined with other tops; exhibits an incredibly balanced or versatile palette of tones.
Best wood for acoustic guitars creates magic in your guitar construction. Ready to purchase a new guitar or looking to custom build a guitar. Get the best set of back and sides for excellent tonal quality.
