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Hello,

I am preparing for my first step into the Luthier world, and was looking for some advice on wood alternatives, for an OM style acoustic.

I have decided that I would like to source as much of the wood i will use locally (southern England) and have managed to find a company who can supply the following

Beech, Cherry, Lime, Ash, Oak, Sycamore, Walnut, Yew.

For the back and sides my first choice was to try cherry or walnut, but on browsing the web i have been unable to find any examples of the other woods being used for soundboards or necks. Is mahogany necks and spruce/cedar soundboards the only way to go? can i make use of any of the above? or are there other woods i may be able to use?

thanks

Lee

You could use any of the mentioned woods for back, sides, and neck, neck and tail blocks, and lining materials.... even inlay woods.

As for tops..... they have been successfully made of Mahogany, Rosewood, Pine, Maple, Sycamore (Plane), and several other woods.... like Plywood and OSB.... so I don't see why the woods you mentioned *Couldn't* be used.....

They won't sound like spruce -- but they do work just fine.

Good luck

John

I'd spring for spruce or cedar for the soundboard and top bracing, and a rosewood or ebony fretboard. Other than that, you can make everything else on the guitar out of cherry or walnut and it'll be very attractive. There are lots of people around that have used those two for acoustics and like them quite a bit. I've made a giant order of black walnut necks for a client.

I suggest the softwood tops because that's what you'll find the most reference to working with, and none of the domestic hardwoods will wear well as a fretboard (so you'll get gouging much sooner than with ebony or RW).

_________________
Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Well - you've brought up one of my favorite topics. I'm a relative novice (working on my fifth steel string now) but for some reason I tend to gravitate to some of the less typical woods, certainly for back and sides. While trolling around on the web I came across this link, which seems to have some pretty cool info on alternative tonewoods.
http://guitarbench.com/index.php/2009/0 ... -database/
For my two cents, I agree with all the comments - many different woods seem to have been used over time, with lots of success. I think I'll find agreement from most in saying that for our purposes (novice builders), the care, precision and techniques we use will have more effect on the tone than the wood used. That being said, my favorite guitar now is a black walnut (B&S) with western red cedar top OOO sized that I built. Has a very clear, open, "old guitar" tone that I love.

I think I'd balance ease of workability with visual appeal for you on the back and sides. As for the top, I think I'd stick with a good spruce or cedar top. The top is so important to the tone of the guitar, and if you feel strongly about sourcing it locally, imy understanding is that t's GOT to be almost perfectly quartersawn. But, if you really feel like experimenting, I'll bet a light stiff conifer with properties not too far off of spruce or cedar (less stiff) would work fine.

Good luck - let us know where you end up!

Just ordered up a Western red cedar top and ebony fingerboard thanks for the input guys, i think the cherry for back and sides but still unsure on the neck.

Lee

Hi Lee,
Welcome to the OLF. You picked a good place to get answers to all your guitar building questions.
Use Cherry for your neck. Strong, stable and easy to carve. The same can be said for the Walnut and Sycamore, but I like Cherry better with the Cherry back and sides. Not trying to confuse your decision, but with a Western Red Cedar soundboard, Sycamore would be my first choice.

Steve

A good alternative for tops is redwood. I also like spanish cedar(not to be confused with softwood cedars) for necks and even backs and sides. It a good mohogany substitute.

Hi Lee

Welcome to the OLF. You have found the best place for advice and guidance on your build - don't be scared to ask any questions.

I would like to try a Cherry and a Walnut neck at some stage, I know lots of builders have. All I would say is that when choosing woods you might also think about how they will look together. The appearance is important too. You don't want a great sounding guitar that looks like a dogs dinner. Cherry B&S with Cedar top sounds good.

I live just a few miles from you so if you ever want a visit 'pm' me and if I can help in any way with your build I would be glad to do so.

I'd also be interested in the company you have found for your wood. I've been trying to source good wood locally and have had no success at all. I'd be really appreciative if you could 'PM' me their details as well.

Good luck with your build

Mat

For a first guitar I'd go for the Walnut B&S, it bends like butter and is tonally a great wood at the mahogany end of the spectrum. I'd also go for a spruce top for a first guitar, it is more forgiving than WRC in the shop,being easier to work and less prone to dings and dents, but if you're careful then the WRC should be fine.

Cherry (Prunus avens) is one of my favourite neck woods, I use it often. It is slightly more dense than most mahogany samples, but works well and I believe provides a little more sustain and harmonics to the tone.

Here is a link to an English Walnut and European spruce OM I built some time ago, this has a cherry neck. There is a sound file on the link as well.

http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=12701&hilit=Italian%2FWalnut

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.