Got my first Classical Guitar ---> any ideas about what wood it might be??

[alphe]

Hi ... This is my first post. i hope i have posted it in the right place..

Well here is the story. I was looking for my first classical guitar.I was trying to play it safe - get a Yamaha C40 or C101...then on of my friend told me about a shop who deal almost exclusively on stringed instruments .I went there and tried out a couple of guitars and picked up with a beautifully constructed classical guitar.

Ok now the problem is this beauty is a no name guitar.I believe it has a solid top, back and sides but i cannot make out what sort of wood it might be. i am uploading couple of pics ...can any one make out what sort of woods these might be? sales person in the shop told me these where having natural finish.. Please help me on this...

Thanks

[gltr]

Looks like quilted Sapele back and possibly flat sawn sides. Need much better quality pics to get a good read, close ups and better lighting. I would guess the top to be cedar from the color but there appears to be some grain towards the outer edges of the top which might be consistent with spruce.
I love mystery guitars! Hope it sounds as good as it looks.

[gltr]

On second look, don't know what the heck those woods are!

[DonM]

I am also at a loss for the B&S wood. Can you tell us more about the maker (and what the Label says regarding model and year). I am also interested in the general price of the instrument - those clues maybe helpful in identifying the wood.

Best

-D

[alphe]

thanks for replay
i'm uploading a couple more pics guys....the guitar was not new... its about 6 months old with little wear and tear ... frets needs cleaning thou... and fret board is Indian rosewood i guess.Well for the top wood i too got a notion that it was not ceder ... its too powerful/loud for a ceder;it has strong bass.. and it has darker tones than guitars with ceder tops( AGF sound samples youtube)

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[alphe]

Some of my friends told it might be redwood... any thoughts ?????

[Rasmus]

I'm 90% sure that the top is spruce. Definately no redwood.
I think back & sides are rift sawn/flat sawn figured bubinga. Those typical long bubinga pores on the back.
I have bubinga neck blank in my shop that looks exactly like that.

[gltr]

Spruce top for sure on the close up pics. But the top looks older than 6 months by the dark tone. There is a steel string on the low E and the D looks funky! A change of strings would be a good idea.

[alphe]

Originally Posted by gltr

Spruce top for sure on the close up pics. But the top looks older than 6 months by the dark tone. There is a steel string on the low E and the D looks funky! A change of strings would be a good idea.

will that's not a steel string ...it a nylon string with ball end ... as for 'D', the shop guys gave me a new set of strings i'll be changing to those pretty soon....(BTW low 'E' came from those set).... Now is there any 'light gauge' strings available for nylon strings just as in steel strings???

As for top wood i thought Spruce was supposed to be more light color- yellowish white

the guitar might be older than 6 months(i don't believe the shop guys) But it was definitely left unused i think.. not even a scratch.... but how long will it take the Top to 'open up'?

Bubinga??? new name to me

[dosland]

I'm with those who say it's an older guitar than 6 months. The top wood looks very much like aged spruce, s a newer top would normally be much lighter than that in tone. A for the top opening up, I'm betting it's old enough to have opened up quite a bit already. Great looking instrument, I hope it's fun to play!

[Gostwriter]

Since 90% of Classicals seem to have Spruce or Cedar tops, we can be pretty sure it is one or the other and most seem to agree on Spruce. Since almost all use Rosewood back and sides and some Mahogany and it looks like you have neither of those I think the back and sides could be some type of Quilted Ashwood or Lacewood. Both have that sort of appearance I think but not sure what the differences are

take a look at this guitar made of Spruce and Quilted Ashwood; not an exact match but sort of close I think

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Barraza-Clas...ht_1263wt_1037

Do you have any other info, i.e. Country of Manufacture, New Price etc?

[alphe]

The guitar has model name C11 printed in side along with a code like -051110 01629- No name of manufacture thou....

Well i got for around $ 280 (USED price)......it was like brand new, i 'scrutinized' it...it even had that new wood and Glue Smell ....

[Gostwriter]

Washburn has the only C11 model I can think of but it is made from Cedar top and Mahogany back and sides. It could be a special edition of this model?

Maybe you can find a Washburn serial number lookup website or email them and ask if that is their serial # I have a Washburn Acoustic electric and the serial # is eight digits no letters.

[Wasper]

there is also a Manuel Rodriguez Caballero C11 out there.. almost looks like it might be that, but the rosette is slightly different.. perhaps an older model?

[alphe]

well the head stock shape is exactly the same with chrome tuners...but according to website(musician'sfriend.com), it has ceder top,with back laminated bubinga but mine is solid wood in back also n top is definitely not ceder...

I checked with a friend having ceder top classical, the sounds are worlds apart...



well guys can any one help me on cleaning the fret board ....its not greasy or anything, but its rather kinda 'dim'.. looks dusty...i tried wiping with dry cloth ... but of no help...