Tonewoods: underrated and overrated

[David MacNeill]

Originally Posted by Guitarplayer_PR

Mmmm, do you know that koa IS ACACIA?

Yes, koa acacia, a species of acacia that only grow in Hawaii. Generic acacia grow all over the pacific rim. Kala did not specify exactly where the acacia in my uke came from, but it sure is beautiful:

E0B285B4-7C54-4E56-A6D5-2CF996B21602.jpg

[Jeff Scott]

Originally Posted by s2y

...I can't say enough good things about my torrified Adi+EIR Bob Thompson dread. Will be ordering an OM from him towards the end of the year.

You better hurry up; you do know what the date is right now, don't you?

[printer2]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

I am one of those who pays little attention to what lumber a guitar is built with. That said, based on guitars in the house the most underrated body wood is birch.

I pay attention to what lumber I use in my guitars.



Actually did not use the above 2"x3" for the neck. Was less trouble to use the 2"x6" in this picture.





I haven't used birch yet, the maple I have was cheaper than buying birch. I do have a piece of poplar that I want to try my hand with. I bet it is underrated more than birch. Might be for good reason though, one day I will find out.

[Tom in Vegas]

I've decided since my recent Breedlove purchase that Myrtlewood is a very underrated tonewood! It's excellent in my Oregon Concert Rogue with the spruce top, but I was at Guitar Center a while back and saw the one that is ALL Myrtlewood, top, back and sides and that thing sounded amazing. Just a really warm and well balanced sound. I hope it's there when I go back so I can play it again.

[GHalliday]

Originally Posted by rct

Guitars made of the greatest of "tonewood" can sound like crap, guitars made of the poorest "tonewood" can sound great. A great guitar is where you find it, the materials are immaterial except for the minutiae of debate.

rct

10-4 on that.

[rogthefrog]

Originally Posted by David MacNeill

I have a solid figured Acacia 8-string uke that could easily pass for Koa both visually and tonally.

Koa is Acacia Koa so it's not terribly surprising.

[Dustinfurlow]

Won’t bother with “overrated”, cause saying something like Brazilian or Adirondack or whatever high-dollar tonewoods are overrated might be like saying a nice $50 sirloin at a fine restaurant is overrated, everyone has different tastes...sometimes the extra $ definitely is NOT a waste.

BUT

I’d agree with a few other posters that Walnut needs some credit...as well as Maple! And my personal favorite: Ebony....much like rosewood but a clearer, more muscular fundamental I’ve grown to love for all playing styles.

[Jabberwocky]

Originally Posted by Guitarplayer_PR

Mmmm, do you know that koa IS ACACIA?

All KOA is Acacia but not all ACACIAs are KOA.

[Mr. Paul]

I don't understand Martin's healthy upcharge for guatemalan rosewood. Visually attractive, sonically just OK.

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by David MacNeill

In my experience, Koa is overrated. Stunningly beautiful, of course, but in a blind listening test I would guess it is mahogany. Koa can also be somewhat fragile compared to mahogany and rosewood. I have a solid figured Acacia 8-string uke that could easily pass for Koa both visually and tonally.

I think Koa is more like mahogany on steroids. I swapped an excellent Taylor 522 12 fret for my current K-22 12 fret and I’m quite happy with the result. The K-22 seems to have more sparkle and balance than the 522. The low end is actually quite good and should only get better. I got smitten with Taylor Koa guitars at both a road show and playing a K24 at a dealer that I could not put down. They are not loud but I primarily fingerstyle and plugged in, the ES2 is very good. Taylor does Koa well IME.

[Jabberwocky]

Originally Posted by Mr. Paul

I don't understand Martin's healthy upcharge for guatemalan rosewood. Visually attractive, sonically just OK.

Visually attractive. That is your answer as to why there is a healthy upcharge. It also falls into this price-gouging category known as CSA Rosewood viz. Central South America Rosewood which includes Dalbergia nigra. But you pay for that.

[Jabberwocky]

Underrated: EIR. Black Walnut. Maple. Wenge. Cherry. Australian Blackwood.

Overrated: Any exotic curly spider-webbed landscaped tropical hardwood. KOA.

Undecided: re-purposed recovered recycled old Brazilian Rosewood beams, doors, tables, etc. for building guitars. Better to recycle and re-purpose than turn them into firewood.

Flamed Koa is...nice. Somewhat nice. I can convince myself but I can't say I am completely taken with the looks of flamed Koa. As guitars, koa is highly variable. I cannot resist curly spider-webbed rosewood but given their precarious existence and high upcharge, why bother? They don't necessarily make a better sounding guitar. Different, yes. Better as a guitar? Not really. That ringy glassy bit on top. Not worth the bother although it is a giveaway that it is Brazilian RW. Exotic. Unattainable. Expensive. Unobtanium. I have it and you don't. But that is about it. To my ears, it gets weary after a while and I long to go back to a much less showy EIR. But I won't turn down a nice Brazilian RW. Hypocritical, I know. If I find it for a price I can afford I will buy it. I won't search it out intentionally. The maker of the guitar is far more important to me. Heck, all "tonewoods" are overrated. It is the luthier who is underrated in this mad scheme of things.

[ridethewind]

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

Underrated: EIR. Black Walnut. Maple. Wenge. Cherry. Australian Blackwood.

Amen to that.

[Guitarsan]

Underrated: Honduran rosewood- sounds broken in from day 1

[Pickcity]

I'm weird, I suppose, because I don't really pay much attention, other than visual attractiveness, until I've heard the instrument. But I'll give it a shot.

Only listing my favs that may be considered a bit oddball.

Bubinga. I like it a lot on my Gibson L-130. It is a wonderful sounding tone wood for this particular style of guitar. I can't say how good it is with other guitars because to my knowledge the L-130 is the only guitar I have ever played with Bubinga. Back and sides, of course. Spruce top.

Walnut. Again, limited experience but the Gibson J-15 sounds very pleasing to my ears. I have played several of them and all were very nice sounding guitars.

I recently played a new model Taylor 114-E with walnut back and sides, and it sounded pretty darn good...Which brings me to...

Sapele. My 2009 Taylor 114-E has Sapele B&S and that guitar is lacking nothing in sound quality. Very responsive and beautiful sounding instrument.

Mahogany. Overall, the best sounding guitars to my ears. Not all hog guitars sound great, but the widest variety of best sounding instruments have mahogany B&S. JMO. Hog is not what I would call underrated or overrated, though...It is obviously a very popular wood.

Spruce tops. They are my favorite. Maybe it is because it is so widely used, but most of the best guitars I have ever played or heard had spruce tops...Like mahogany, I would not say it is over or underrated, though...