Whether you are an avid guitar player or you want to play, it can seem overwhelming when deciding which guitar to buy. Depending on where the wood came from and how it presents its sound, can help you make a decision. When researching guitars you might ask yourself: Why are acoustic guitars made out of wood and which one is the right one for me?
The answer for every wood used to make guitars is because wood is a good resonator. For some types of wood, the tone it creates can change the more it ages, and the designs from the natural wood can be pleasing to look at. There are seven different types of wood that are most common in building the bodies of guitars: spruce, rosewood, mahogany, and exotics (bearclaw, cocobolo, and koa).
Spruce trees are found in the northern hemisphere of the earth, are light in color, and resonate well to different pressures on its guitar strings. For instance, even the lightest touch is picked up when playing from a spruce tree. However, the harder that it’s played on the less beauty is emits in sound. Another variant of the spruce found up north is the Sitka spruce in Canada and Alaska. This type of spruce is harder than other spruce trees and is known for a bold mid-low range sound. A third spruce tree commonly used to make guitars is Ezo spruce from Japan. Although this type of spruce is excellent, the resources are hard to come by.
The second type of wood used for guitar making is Rosewood. Rosewood is hard but porous, and can come in a variety of colors ranging from browns to purples. Its sound is rich, warm, and loud with a good mid-range and deep bass. When played in the treble range, rosewood produces rich overtones and has lots of resonance. Unfortunately, due to its popularity supplies are also limited for this type of wood. Brazilian, Indian, and Honduran rosewood are all difficult to get.
The third option is mahogany wood. This wood is durable, popular, and easy to work with. It holds a strong sound with subtle overtones. Unlike rosewood, mahogany wood is not becoming endangered yet but it can be more difficult to come by than other types of wood from Cuba, Honduras, or Mexico.
Finally, we have the exotics (bearclaw, cocobolo, and koa). These types of wood are called exotic for a reason, they are unique! Bearclaw, a rare type of wood, comes with its own lines of aging on the wood from growing. When listening to it play, bearclaw creates a clear and powerful sound like its appearance! Cocobolo is a dense hardwood from Central America. It can come in colors from red to black and produces a deep, resonant sound. Lastly, the koa wood is a dense wood from Hawaii. With its golden color and strong grain marking, it makes for a well-balanced sound that is on the quieter side. This makes the guitar good for music with finger plucking and it sounds better the more that the wood ages. With time, the sound becomes mellow compared to its brighter tone early on.
Overall, it can seem overwhelming to have many options to find a guitar for yourself. However, by taking the time to observe which will be the best option for the type of music and sound you are going for can help narrow down your options to one that you love! If you are looking to take guitar lessons, call or email us today. Check out our website to find an instructor fit for you. We would love to see you grow!
Thanks!
Mary Gotsch
