Wood Combinations for Fingerstyle

[dspoel]

Originally Posted by mattmar10

This makes a lot of sense and is sort of what I was thinking - even if I hadn't fully arrived at that clear of a distinction. Then, I go and and see a video like this - https://youtu.be/s0T4-E7RXg8 and the tone is phenomenal. Of course, it is all mahogany - which makes me even more confused.

Sounds great, but he is not playing fingerstyle, is he?

[zmf]

Originally Posted by mattmar10

As I think more about it; I think it is something about the trebles that attract me to these particular two clips... both of these guitars seem to really sparkle in the trebles.

For me, the trebles on a guitar are the crux of the matter. If I don't like the trebles, I don't like the guitar. They can sparkle or whatever, but they have to be at least a little fat and rich. The unwounds can't go towards thin/tinny.

Treble tones also depend on technique (players in the clips are obviously good), plus however these guitars were being amped.

Anyway -- decide what you like about the treble notes, and it may be a big part of what guitar you want. For my taste in trebles, I can count on the typical Bourgeois tone, but of course there are many other makes that can produce the same.

[jgottsman11]

Originally Posted by zmf

For me, the trebles on a guitar are the crux of the matter. If I don't like the trebles, I don't like the guitar. They can sparkle or whatever, but they have to be at least a little fat and rich. The unwounds can't go towards thin/tinny.

Treble tones also depend on technique (players in the clips are obviously good), plus however these guitars were being amped.

Anyway -- decide what you like about the treble notes, and it may be a big part of what guitar you want. For my taste in trebles, I can count on the typical Bourgeois tone, but of course there are many other makes that can produce the same.

This is a good way to put it. The trebles, even on the low strings need to have a thickness to them that sustains and shimmers. That's what I like at least.

[chippygreen]

I just wanted to echo the statements that 1) builder/manufacturer matters more than choice of wood; 2) try-try-try as many guitars as you can; 3) your tastes and expectations will change as your skill grows.

I watch a lot of Walter's videos, though I am nowhere near as accomplished as he is. I lean towards Rosewood, as my signature indicates.

There are other considerations relevant to fingerstyle which are ultimately more dependent on build than wood (though within the context of a specific build, wood still matters - but I think less so in terms of picking a species and more trusting your luthier's experience in matching wood selection to your expressed preferences).

These trade-offs (and they are all ultimately tradeoffs, as anything that involves physics is) include bright/dark tone, sustain/fade, balance across strings, balance across frets, intonation, clarity of harmonics - all things I am discovering vary across my guitars and which contribute to the joy of experimenting with different fingerings & presentations.

Which brings me to the suggestion to try lots of different guitars. The used market is replete with great deals and if you spend a few dollars buying and selling wisely, you'll develop more awareness of your personal needs leading to a more informed final decision.

You might also find something just perfect along the way.

[DukeX]

I prefer cedar/rosewood for melodic/lyrical fingerstyle.

[dbintegrity]

I think the back and sides affect only 20%-25% of the over all tonality.... 50% the luthier, 25% the top... Bob Taylor made a great sounding guitar out of a fork lift skid... nail holes and all.....

[TBman]

I play 100% finger style, no nails.

I have all solid wood guitars that are spruce/rosewood, spruce/mahogany, mahogany/mahogany. I have laminated back and side guitar (solid top) that is cedar/cherry.

My Larrivee, Martin, and Gibson are all spruce over mahogany and they all sound different. My Avalon and Guild D-55 are spruce/rosewood and they don't sound similar.

There are plenty of players here that swear cedar over rosewood, mahogany or walnut are great for finger style.

Other people like koa and cocobolo and even ovangkol.

The size/depth of the guitar makes a difference and at the top of the list is the builder.

Essentially there is no best answer.

[mmasters]

Brazilian and Adirondack for that style of guitar is probably the most sought after.

In my opinion, for that type of guitar, this is as good as it gets...

[Shadowfox]

I would say Cedar or Sinker Redwood would be the better styles for fingerstyle. Personally, I like harmonics, and so Rosewood it is.

I also think a huge difference is the radiused soundboard. My personal favorite brand is Furch, and they do that, and it makes harmonics jump out, as well as very responsive to the touch.

Here's a Cedar/EIR Grand Auditorium Furch: https://heartbreakerguitars.com/coll...-pick-up-91781

[mattmar10]

Originally Posted by mmasters

Brazilian and Adirondack for that style of guitar is probably the most sought after.

In my opinion, for that type of guitar, this is as good as it gets...

That sure is a beauty

[_zedagive]

Originally Posted by DukeX

I prefer cedar/rosewood for melodic/lyrical fingerstyle.

Agree. Redwood over EIR is also right up there. My favorite is Cedar over Walnut which is what I have and have never played anything sweeter.

[EZYPIKINS]

So many choices. I've got a Mahogany Guild D25M with Spruce top. Sounds really good. Have a Sapele Martin 000-15 with Mahogany top. Tone is just so so. Have a knock around Dean DAO wood Mainly play through sound system. Don't count out maple. My best sounding, and playing for that matter. Gibson J-185. Just like playing my Les Paul. But acoustic.

[buddyhu]

Since you aren’t a highly experienced player, you should approach this as the beginning of a journey. Go play some guitars, and buy one that lights you up...and don’t be surprised if your tastes and needs evolve over the next few years, and that this means buying another guitar in the medium term future.

As others have pointed out, there are many factors to consider beyond the wood used on the back and sides as you seek the tone you want (and also the feel that will help you manifest what you hear in your head). To name a few: wood of the soundboard, manufacturer/maker, size of the box, scale length, number of frets to the body, and bracing pattern.

It might be telling that the guitars shown in the videos you posted are smaller bodied guitars.

And the guitars in the videos (Collings, the old Martin 000) are not inexpensive guitars, nor are most of the makers that other posters are advocating. You still have lots of choices within these parameters, but you may want to ponder whether you are OK with buying a guitar that costs $5000-$10,000 as you start your finger style journey. I’m not saying you shouldn’t spend that much....indeed, once I decided to try a guitar other than a dreadnaught for my fingerpicking, I bought a used Goodall short scale grand concert, Italian spruce over EIR.

Buying a really nice guitar is a great pleasure, and if you buy used, you may not face much of a financial hit if you decide to sell it in a few years. Just urging you to reflect on what makes sense for you at this stage.

Returning to your original question: I currently own a Collings OM2HG, and I owned a Collings 12 fret 0001A for a while. They sounded remarkably similar, despite the different woods used. So, as others have said, don’t get overly focused on woods.

I also just bought a Collings C10-35 (torrefied Sitka over mahogany)...and (not surprisingly) that offers a VERY different sound palette from the other two Collings I’ve owned, and it very much differs from the Collings in the videos you have posted. The bracing can make a bigger difference than one might initially realize.

My recommendation: as you start auditioning guitars, be sure to try some 12 fretters and some short scale guitars. The short scales make some of the reaches for melodic playing easier to approach. And a 12 fretter has some nice tonal properties, and is also very comfy (provided you don’t need access higher up the neck)

[ApolloPicks]

I can' think of much finer finger-pickin' than that of Elizabeth Cotten. A 1950 000-18 worked just right in her hands.

https://youtu.be/IUK8emiWabU

Bet she would have made a 000-28 sound just as good tho

[Wrighty]

I don't think there's a right or a wrong answer to this, as others have said.

Walter's tone is from his playing - listen to most of this pieces and they have that soft warmth to them.

I am also a fingerstyle player and I have a Sitka/EIR guitar and a Sitka/Sapele guitar (fairly similar in style to mahogany) - both are great, but if I had to choose one it would be the Sapele backed guitar as I have come to appreciate the added clarity it offers through less overtone content and a more fundamental drier sound.

However there are tunes that just sound better to my ears on the EIR backed guitar.

A lot of these tonal differences are attributable to the builder more so than the tone woods on the B&S.