Normally, it's either rosewood. . .

[Guitarplayer_PR]

. . . or mahogany. I'm talking about we're usually comparing any tonewood (back and sides) to those two. And we even tend of make "families" out of them. It's either rosewood-like woods (cocobolo, bubinga, etc) or mahogany-like (Sapele, khaya, etc.) woods. But there are tonewoods that can't really be in one "group" or another, either because, for example, the similarities to both woods cancel each other (right about 50/50). Or maybe there can be a third group based on tonewoods that possess an unique tone on their own.


What kind of woods would fit that mold? Could they make their own group based on their tone? You tell me.

[Rockysdad]

Maple

[Brucebubs]

ummm, all these.

[Photojeep]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

ummm, all these.

Where would walnut fall in that diagram?

PJ

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Photojeep

Where would walnut fall in that diagram?

PJ

It's in there .. 3rd from the bottom.

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by Photojeep

Where would walnut fall in that diagram?

PJ

Walnut was my thought as well.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Photojeep

Where would walnut fall in that diagram?

PJ

It's third from the bottom.

[Guitarplayer_PR]

The problem with the chart is that it only reflects the tonal spectrum that those woods reach, but it doesn't say anything about what I'd call "texture." For example, koa is usually compared to mahogany, but the "texture" of the tone of koa, for me, is quite different. For me, the most confusing tonewood, at least from the ones I know and/or play, would be ovangkol. If you ask different people, you'd get very different responses. Some would say it sounds like rosewood, others like koa and others like maple and even others would say mahogany. For me, it reminds me more of koa in terms of texture (sonic, not physical) than any other wood, but that's just me.

[Rosewood99]

I wonder what Wenge would be on the chart.

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

I wonder what Wenge would be on the chart.

I haven't played a wenge B&S acoustic, but from my ears, I'd put it in the rosewood-like group.

[robj144]

Originally Posted by Photojeep

Where would walnut fall in that diagram?

PJ

It's third from the bottom.

[marklm]

I have a Wenge B/S and Sinker Redwood top made by Steve Kinnaird. He recommended the Wenge as tonally similar enough to Brazilian in his hands to allow me to invest in other options that I needed. I have had three excellent Brazilian guitars and I think that Steve's prediction was spot on for me. Erwin Somogyi who is far smarter than me suggests that this as well. I love the Wenge for it's piano like note separation. The only downsides are that it seems quite heavy because it is so dense, and the wood has less beautiful figuring than all of the other guitars that I have had. Great wood though, and I would use it again if I ever built another one!

[Johan Madsen]

Originally Posted by Rockysdad

Maple

+1 maple definitely

[justonwo]

Good question. Rosewood and mahogany are staples and great sonic touchstones. Maple is probably a good touchstone in its own right but many other woods would probably qualify as well.

[Mr. Jelly]

I like cherry wood guitars So I have two of them.