How different tonewoods affect your sound.

From Maple to rosewood. How do different woods affect your tone?

Why are different woods used for your guitar or any other instrument? Sitka spruce, mahogany, rosewood, maple, red spruce and Koa are some of the usual suspects when building guitars. But why? Of course, a builder can make a guitar from anything with great effect. From materials such as aluminum and epoxy resin to the muffler off of your old Chevy Malibu. Still most guitars use at least some of the typical tried and true tonewoods.

Here’s the characteristics of the main wood types.

1. Mahogany

As a guitar top mahogany has a:

• solid, punchy tone
• low overtone content
• good high-end response.

Mahogany back and sides:

• emphasize bass and treble
• more overtone coloration.

2. Maple

Maple is used because:

• of its heavier, flat-sound
• to create some of the most striking finishes
• its sonically “transparent” qualities, which let the tonal character of the top ring through
• there’s no significant tone coloration from the back and sides.

3. Sitka Spruce

Sitka spruce is used:

• as one of the most popular woods for acoustic guitar tops.
• because its sturdy and lightweight,
• for imparting clear, powerful tone.

4. Red Spruce

Red Spruce is used for:

• steel-string acoustic tops
• has a rich, full, clear tone
• loud tonal quality.

5. Brazilian Rosewood

Brazilian Rosewood is used for:

• strong and clear low end
• rich and sparkly at the top end,
• reverberant quality.

6. Indian Rosewood

Indian rosewood is used for:

• strong and clear low end,
• rich and sparkly at the top end,
• reverberant quality.
• thicker midrange tone than Brazilian.

7. Koa

Koa is used for:

• guitar tops
• produces solid tone, particularly at the high end
• a pronounced midrange quality.
• a dense hardwood that has a rich low end and well-rounded sparkle overall.