Mahogany
Mahogany comes primarily in three different
varieties:Honduran (Swietenia), Phillipine(Luan), and African. Honduran (which, by the way, no longer comes
from Honduras due to export restrictions) has for years been the primary choice for guitarbuilders. Unfortunately, it is now near extinction and has fallen under the protection of the CITES treaty. Consequently, nothing made from South American mahogany can go across national borders without proper documentation. As a result, the guitar world is now changing over to African Mahogany. Phillipine was often used for those weird,
cheesy Japanese guitars from the late sixties, and is a decent tonewood, but is
generally held in lower esteem than either Honduran or African.
(Note: African mahogany is not the same thing as Limba.
I’ve seen this statement on occasion on various amateur builders’
websites, but it’s simply wrong).
African mahogany has a slightly pinkish hue. It is typically more lightweight than South American varieties. Honduran and Phillipine are
a light tan when freshly cut, and gradually darken somewhat when exposed to
sunlight. Honduran mahogany is what
nearly all Les Paul® guitars are made from.
All varieties of Mahogany have a thick, warm, rich tone.
Limba (a.k.a. Korina)
Back in the fifties, Gibson® introduced a couple of space
age looking guitars: the Flying V, and the Explorer. Both were made from white limba, which for some reason Gibson
referred to instead as Korina (maybe limba didn’t sound sexy enough). Guitarists might drool at the mention of
guitars made from Korina, but if you go to a lumberyard and ask for Korina,
most managers will respond with a blank stare, followed by a comment like
“Never heard of it….” Limba comes from Africa, and is somewhat difficult to
come by here in the states (again, Limba is not the same thing as African
mahogany). It produces a beautiful,
warm rich tone, similar to mahogany, but with maybe just a touch more
resonance. It’s my personal favorite
for guitar bodies and necks. The tone is great
and it’s lightweight. Limba is usually
classified as either black limba or white limba, depending on the coloration of
the grain. Black limba looks much more
interesting, is slightly more lightweight, and is easier to find for sale;
while white limba is the traditional choice.
The distinction between the two is not a matter of different species,
like the difference between Philippine and Honduran mahogany. It’s simply the difference in grain
pattern caused by mineral deposits. Black Limba is generally from older trees. I’ve heard opposing opinions
as to which sounds better, but in a blind tone test, I doubt anyone could
recognize any difference.
Maple
Maple comes in several varieties, depending on strength
and figure. The primary distinction is
between hard (also known as rock) maple, and soft maple. Hard maple is the most common wood for
making guitar necks. Necks should never
be made with soft maple; it is far too unstable. Soft maple is, however, perfectly suitable for guitar bodies,
particularly as laminated tops.
Maple is further distinguished by variations in its grain
patterns. Birdseye maple is a pattern
of slightly darker spots that show up in flatsawn rock maple (Never ask for
quartersawn birdseye – it’s a contradiction in terms). Flame(a.k.a. Curly, Tiger, Fiddleback) and
quilt (a.k.a. Curly) maple make beautiful guitar tops. Spalted Maple has unusual variations in
color. It’s also usually more difficult
to finish.
Maple is quite heavy, so it is rare to see an entire body
made from it (one notable exception was Westbury®, a group of high quality
Japanese guitars made in the early 80s).
It is more commonly used as a guitar top, laminated onto a softer wood
like mahogany.
Lacewood
This is my personal favorite for guitar tops. The grain has web-like patterns that look
almost like snakeskin. The tone is
terrific as well, falling roughly between walnut and maple. Lacewood has one serious drawback, however,
which is why I believe it has been passed over by just about everybody. It’s extremely difficult to finish. It is not only very porous, which means it requires
a ton of grain filler; but the grain itself is quite difficult to completely
smooth out.
Walnut
Walnut is an excellent tonewood, and can be used for
making both bodies and necks. It is
more stable than maple, and has a slightly warmer tone. Figured walnut which makes very attractive
guitar tops, but is rather rare. Personally,
my favorite finish for a walnut top is a tobacco sunburst - tan in the center
of the body, fading outwards to a dark brown, and then fading to black around
the edges. If you want your guitar
finished with a hand rubbed oil (like tung oil or Danish oil) instead of a
spray lacquer, walnut is a great choice.
The Old Bolt-On Guitar Controversy: Alder versus Ash
I don’t build many guitars with bolted on necks these
days, but once in a blue moon it happens.
The majority of guitars with bolt on necks have bodies made from either
alder or ash. Take a trip down to your
local music store and look over their line of mass produced instruments with
bolted on necks. If the guitar has a
translucent finish with an easily visible grain that looks like thin stripe
lines going up and down the body, it’s made of ash. A classic finish for 50s style bolt-ons is a translucent yellow
or “blonde” finish over ash. If the
guitar has been painted a solid color, or it has a sunburst finish with the
grain barely visible underneath, it’s probably alder. Personally, I’ve always preferred Alder for its thicker,
well-defined tone. If you want a str@
style guitar that’s going to help you recapture the Stevie Ray Vaughan tone, alder
is definitely the way to go. To be more
specific, get an alder body and a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. The same probably holds true for most of the
metalheads out there who want to sound like the guitarists in their favorite
hairbands. On the other hand, if you
love a vintage r&b, surf or country tone, you want to look for Southern or
Swamp Ash. Southern Ash is much lighter
than Northern Ash, and has a clearer biting tone. (Supposedly the best sounding swamp ash is taken from the portion
of tree that was underwater prior to being cut down.) This is what most 50s instruments were made of. For Ash bodies, I generally recommend a
maple neck with a maple fretboard.
Basswood
This is probably the softest of all hardwoods. Consequently, it has a nice warm tone and
it’s very easy to work with.
Unfortunately, that also means it dents very easily. Basswood bodies with maple tops provide a
nice balanced tone. It’s too soft to
use for necks, however.
Cherry
Cherry has a rich, clearly defined tone similar to
alder. Curly cherry is rather attractive
and less expensive than most other figured woods, though the contrast in grain
is not as striking as in a good piece of figured maple. A handful of custom builders make acoustic
guitars out of cherry, but it has never caught on with the electric crowd. Nevertheless, it’s still a good choice for
bodies.
Koa
Koa is similar in tone to mahogany, but has a slightly
brighter attack. It has been a favorite
among bass players for some time, and is one of the best tonewoods for guitar
as well. Curly Koa is particularly
beautiful, though fairly rare.
Unfortunately, the supply of Koa, which grows only in Hawaii, has
dwindled to near extinction.
Consequently, there is now a ban on harvesting any new trees. As a result, suitable Koa lumber is
difficult to obtain, and usually far too expensive.
Padauk (pronounced “Puh-doook”)
This stuff is bright orange when you first cut it. The orange dust gets everywhere, and really
sticks out. If you want the wood to
stay that color, you’ll need to use a finish that includes a UV inhibitor. Otherwise, it will eventually turn a
brownish hue similar to walnut. Padauk
is strong, stable, not too expensive, and has a clear tone similar to
maple. Like maple, it can be used for
necks or fretboards, but is probably a bit on the heavy side for bodies. (If you ever decide to take up acoustic
guitar building, don’t use padauk for the sides – it will usually crack instead
of bending.)
Wenge
Wenge is quite popular as a neck material among custom
bass builders. It is sturdy stuff and
has a good midrange response. It has a
nice dark chocolate brown color, which also makes it a popular choice for
laminate applications, like accent stripes between body sides and a thru body
neck.
Fingerboard Woods
Ebony
Ebony is one of the hardest of all woods, it has a smooth
feel, and its dark color makes any inlays really stand out. It has a bright, biting tone which
compliments the warmth of necks made from softer woods like mahogany, but probably
makes it less suitable for maple necks.
For guitars made with maple necks, Madagascar Rosewood or Kingwood is
probably the best choice. Ebony can
also be a bit temperamental when it comes to seasonal changes. Swings in humidity and temperature can
occasionally cause frets to come loose.
Rosewoods and not quite Rosewood
There are numerous varieties of rosewood, each with its
own particular qualities. Brazilian
rosewood for decades was considered the premier tonewood, but unfortunately it
is now nearly extinct. In order for it
to be harvested and sold, exporters must provide proof the tree fell on its own
due to the forces of nature.
Consequently, most of what is now being sold is of inferior quality at
rather inflated prices.
Guitarmakers began using East Indian Rosewood as a cheap
substitute once it became illegal to export Brazilian Rosewood. It is now the most common choice for
fretboards. While it is a good tonewood, I personally think there are better
choices available.
Cocobolo is my own personal favorite. It is one of the world’s most beautiful
woods, with orange, yellow, and violet striping patterns in many pieces. It is stronger and thus more durable than
other rosewoods, and has a sweet resonant tone that is slightly brighter, but
with more warmth than ebony. Still, it
will never catch on with mass producers of guitars for two reasons. First, the dust from it is extremely nasty,
and many people become allergic to it after prolonged exposure. If you do any work with Cocobolo, use a dust
filter mask. (Actually, you should use
a mask for any woodworking!!) Secondly,
it has a higher resin content, which makes it more difficult to glue and also
gives it a tendency to “bleed” onto lighter woods if it’s not properly sealed
prior to finishing.
Madagascar Rosewood
Along with Cocobolo, many consider this the closest thing
to Brazilian in both tone and appearance.
It’s more stable and easier to work with than Cocobolo.
Bois de Rose (a.k.a. Palisander)
Bois de Rose has a dark purplish color when first cut,
but eventually fades to a very dark color similar to ebony in appearance.
Pau Ferro (a.k.a. Bolivian Rosewood, Morado)
Pau Ferro isn’t really a rosewood, but has similar
properties. It has slightly brighter
tone than rosewood, and a smooth feel similar to ebony. It is fairly inexpensive and easier to glue
than rosewoods. Consequently, it’s
liable to catch on more amongst major manufacturers. Fender’s Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat ® comes with a pau ferro
fretboard.
Bubinga (a.k.a. African Rosewood)
Bubinga is not a true rosewood either. It is very stiff and extremely heavy. Occasionally, it may have an attractive
quilting pattern. A number of custom
bass builders make necks from bubinga, and occasionally it is also used for
fingerboards or even guitar bodies. Be forewarned
however that any body made from this stuff will feel like it weighs a ton!