Top/back suggestions for a new build

[Brazilianwood]

Hi! I would like of some advise from you guys! I have commissioned a new guitar from a very skilled luthier here in Brazil. He is best known for making Martin prewar like guitars that seems to be very faithful to the originals. Since the built will start in mid 2021, I get me wondering which would be the best wood combo and model to go for. Initially I commissioned and 00-14 adi/brw guitar, thinking in having an ultimate fingerstyle guitar (at least to my financial condition). My question to you is: would it probably sound different than my other guitars? Would it have an overlap sound with my others guitars? I have a martin OM-41 special (sitka/eir), a 2017 taylor 614ce (x-braced) and another Brazilian luthier (João Cassias) which is a 00-18 12th fret with BRW bridge and fretboard, bearclaw european spruce top and Brazilian mahogany neck, back and sides (24.9 scale). I like all three guitars a lot, rotating among them. Being brazilian I always wanted a Brw guitar and that is one of the reasons for dreaming with this next guitar, with a short scale for fingerstyle. The recently acquired 00-18 (previously used and bought with a great price) was bought after selling my 2017 taylor 324ce, which I used to like a lot but felt it lacked some liveness and volume. So I have now a fabulous fingerstyle (00-18) guitar and I am not sure if I go for a Adi/brw dreadnought, a All mahogany 00-14 (24.9” scale) to have a whole different flavor in my collection, or keep my initial order of a 00-14 (24.9”) adi/brazilian rosewood. I know it looks confuse and I am really a little bit lost. I would appreciate any suggestions and consideration from fellows members and luthiers!!! Thanks in advance

[Jamiejoon]

Since you are Brazilian, I would recommend Pau Santo (Zollernia) back and sides, if you can find it. I found a nice old set of Pau Santo, and John Kinnaird built me an incredible 000 (cedar top) with it. Sounds amazing, and quite different from my BRW guitars. Of course, a lot of that is the luthier - John Kinnaird is terrific - but I imagine a great Brazilian luthier would have access to good Pau Santo and would know how to use it.

[Brazilianwood]

Originally Posted by Jamiejoon

Since you are Brazilian, I would recommend Pau Santo (Zollernia) back and sides, if you can find it. I found a nice old set of Pau Santo, and John Kinnaird built me an incredible 000 (cedar top) with it. Sounds amazing, and quite different from my BRW guitars. Of course, a lot of that is the luthier - John Kinnaird is terrific - but I imagine a great Brazilian luthier would have access to good Pau Santo and would know how to use it.

Thank you very much. Does anyone else have any suggestion?

[colins]

I know you asked about wood and it’s a lot of fun to talk about wood, but the builder will have a much greater influence on the sound of your new guitar. For example a spruce/rosewood Taylor sounds quite different to a spruce/rosewood Martin. Same wood combination in a Goodall will sound very different again.

Can you visit your proposed builder? It would be great to visit when a couple of her/his guitars are around. I think you want the new one to complement your Cassias in particular so why not take that guitar with you and compare it with the builder’s guitars? Talk with the builder as you do and let her/him listen to what you like and want and also to make suggestions. You will be able to cover a lot more than wood in this discussion and you will have your ears helping you rather than all of us with our own preferences.

[Brazilianwood]

Thank you!!!

[iim7V7IM7]

For what it is worth, your choice should be based on:

- Conversations with your luthier based upon your playing goals for the instrument
- What choices they have in their wood locker (it is never infinite)
- Choose seasoned, air dried, quarter-sawn top, back and side sets

You are commissioning a luthier made instrument. It will not sound like your other guitars by nature of their design and construction techniques (beyond just materials). Trust your luthier to help you select the materials. Some players like variety, others discover they want to only have a particular timbre. The only way to discover what YOU want is empirically through play.

[jmat]

All the above advice is of course good. I will venture a suggestion on wood with Brazil in mind: find a nice quartered set of Pernambuco. Hard to find, certainly in the US, but maybe not for you? It will not sound like anything you have and works great for fingerstyle. Happy to chat about that.

Also, how available is good Brazilian rosewood where you are? I would still do it if Pernambuco can’t be found. I have found it works well for fingerstyle depending on the music style somewhat, great for more classical type technique / tunes. Less so ragtime, Merle stuff etc. Maybe the sustain and overtones gets in the way. But Bossa Nova? You need your home town wood!

I got to visit coffee country near São Paulo pre-covid. So, peaceful. If you go take your guitar!

[Brazilianwood]

Great one!

[singlechange]

Because I believe in manner of speaking that the soundboard is very important to getting that guitar with a special sound, I would defer the selection of the top wood to your luthier.
As for the back and sides, I would make my own choice from whatever woods the luthier picks out for my selection.
The luthier selects the top and you yourself choose the back and sides.