Guitars with softwood top vs hardwood top

[Rinaz]

Originally Posted by dltw

I've seen guitar manufacturers like Taylor introducing more variations in the back/side woods with the top wood. Can you share your experience using guitars with softwood top (sitka spruce) compared to hardwood top (mahogany, koa)?

I've never had a mahogany/koa top but sitka top. When you have some real experience with how the guitar tonewoods sound like, Just come to YouTube. It doesn't describe all but most of the wood's character. I just found that Sinker Wood top adds to Taylor guitars depth. The bright still there but It makes the sound blend in really well and punchy, exactly how Taylor described it in the links above (I listened to it first before I even read these).It sounds like a Taylor but not a Taylor...
Here's an example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCFv2Daej-c

My preference is more of soft top guitar because I like the feel when it vibrates. It sounds good too and 90% you won't get a dud one. I believe you'll have higher chance to get a dud top one with Koa/mahogany. Sitka Spruce is my favorite one because I'm a Taylor fan and it produces the traditional Taylor sound very well. Another 2 I like are Adirondack will make Taylor guitars more punchy and Sinker, like I've said, add more depth and bass into the sound without losing any clarity (it could be muddy for some people and less bright). I'm considering to upgrade my guitar to a Taylor Sinker Wood top one with EIR instead of BRW to save money.

[dltw]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Welcome to the AGF! I see this is your first post and you've been a member for 6 years - that has to be a record.

Lots of great responses above. In addition, I'll add that softwood tops can give some greater dynamics.

Thanks, Dru. I forgot about the account.

[dltw]

Originally Posted by Rinaz

I've never had a mahogany/koa top but sitka top. When you have some real experience with how the guitar tonewoods sound like, Just come to YouTube. It doesn't describe all but most of the wood's character. I just found that Sinker Wood top adds to Taylor guitars depth. The bright still there but It makes the sound blend in really well and punchy, exactly how Taylor described it in the links above (I listened to it first before I even read these).It sounds like a Taylor but not a Taylor...

I have found the YouTube guitar demos very helpful and informative. I have a feeling all the effort the YouTuber put into the video, like using the best microphones, the best recording equipment, etc. is lost on the viewer's cheap computer speakers.

I'm sure the manufacturer's description of their tone is as close to the actual tone their guitars produce. In the past I couldn't appreciate it, after all it's just words. I guess it's a journey of discovery.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by dltw

Thanks, Dru. I forgot about the account.

Welcome back! Great question too. Do you currently have a soft or hardwood topped guitar? Or are you considering something new?

[Tony Burns]

different strokes for different folks -

Depends on you -don't order one because of what other people think , or say !
-
if you cant play one ( or try one )- i wouldn't buy one
that goes for just about everything in life - seriously !

[Alan Carruth]

If you look at the properties of softwoods and hardwoods you'll find that, in general, they don't tend to differ as much as you might think in stiffness along the grain for a given thickness. A piece of walnut or mahogany .100" thick is going to be about as stiff in bending along the grain at a piece of Red or Sitka spruce. However, the mahogany or walnut will be denser, so it will weigh more at the same stiffness. Something like Indian rosewood will be twice as heavy at a given thickness and stiffness as a good piece of spruce.

There's not much horsepower in a plucked string, That's the basic reason why it's hard for a guitar to overpower a fiddle; the bow feeds in so much more energy. When you have a small engine the only way to get good acceleration and top speed is to keep the car light. Acceleration corresponds pretty well to treble response, and top speed to sound power (which is not quite 'loudness', but close enough). A softwood top tends to give you more high frequency, and more overall power.

Since it's harder for the strings to move the heavier hardwood the energy tends to stay in the strings longer. More sustain. It's also usually more difficult to over-drive a hardwood top, so there may be more 'headroom'.

Treble response has a lot to do with 'tone color', so hardwood, although it can sound 'sweet' (which is characteristic of lots of fundamental) can lack 'color'.

[Rinaz]

You're totally right. No one can describe the sound of the woods 100% accurately. Manufacturers may exaggerate in some parts but they won't lie and describe it as much as they can to keep their reputation

[mikealpine]

I only have experience with all mahogany in the Taylor line and with one Eastman. I find I like the 524 for overall balance across the strings and enough power. That guitar sounds amazing to me. I have an adi-topped 814 that has more power, but not as much of the sweetness I hear in the 524. I had a sinker redwood and macassar ebony GA that was among the best sounding guitars I ever owned and am very sad to have sold it. That guitar was lush! That is also a combination of the ebony with that top.

[dltw]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Welcome back! Great question too. Do you currently have a soft or hardwood topped guitar? Or are you considering something new?

I currently have a rosewood back/sides with sitka spruce top in a dreadnought body. I love it, since it's a versatile guitar because of its construction. It's boomy with 13's, but with 12's, it sounds just right for me when playing between fingerstyle picking and strumming. It's the right balance for me.

In the future, I am definitely considering a mahogany back/sides guitar because there are no overtones. So it's going to be a Taylor Grand Auditorium or Martin dreadnought or Martin 0 size. I haven't decided yet. But the hardwood top has me intrigued, and it has me seriously leaning towards it.

[dltw]

Originally Posted by Tony Burns

different strokes for different folks -

Depends on you -don't order one because of what other people think , or say !
-
if you cant play one ( or try one )- i wouldn't buy one
that goes for just about everything in life - seriously !

Hi Tony. Yes, you're right. I am not going to buy anything without test driving it first. I also believe it's useful to get some insight from another player's experience, like boneuphtoner, who has both Taylor 314 and 324.