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Hi all,

I know this is a ridiculous question because it is probably the aim of every luthier of all time, but....

How do you build/choose wood for a guitar with a specific sound in mind?

To clarify, I am trying to pick woods out to build a dread for a friend who really likes warm, 'woody' sounding guitars (not the bright "Taylor" sound). He is quite the musician and has recorded a bit with a $10 yard-sale guitar that he picked up years ago - the thing has particle board back, no idea what kind of top, and about 10 layers of paint on the thing, ending in a nice puke green. It is hideous to look at. But sounds and plays great, miraculously.

I am also aware that years of use probably help tremendously in the depth of sound quality.

I was thinking about mahog with a cedar or redwood top. Any advice here?
Thanks all!!

A lightly braced (for light gauge strings) Spuce (Englemann,Lutz or Sitka) top of lite weight and Mahogany is hard to beat .
But what woods do you have to use?

If you have Redwood & Cedar only then you must choose.
There will be many opinions on which to use -but- without having the specific top in hand it will be impossible for any of use to choose .

mike

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Mike Collins

Thanks Mike.

I don't have any wood on hand at the moment. I am just thinking about what I should be looking for for this build. I have never built with, or played for that matter, a cedar or redwood topped guitar. So, I really don't know much about them.

If he wants to record, I'm thinking build him an OM or 000, not a dread.
If he wants warm - try cedar on walnut.
Be careful with voicing - an over braced top will be brighter than a lighter braced top.
That's how I would approach it.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.