web analytics

Arts and Music posts

Blog

Manuel Marino Music Composer

Follow on LinkedIn

Don’t Be Shy

Share Your Insights Below!

Your Voice Counts

3d ArtArtsAudioBassBusinessCultureDrumsFluteGamesGuitarHobbiesInternetMasteringMoviesMusicPaintingPhilosophyPianoTechnologyViolinVoiceWritings

Manuel is a passionate, driven, and techsavvy AV technician, artist and music composer with over ten years of experience, specializing in the captivating world of music and entertainment.

Manuel is an expert in creating soundtracks for short films, feature films and video games.

Manuel Music Blog is a diverse digital platform where creativity and intellect converge, covering a wide range of topics from 3D Art to Music, and Technology to Philosophy.

It’s a collaborative space that features the insights of both Manuel, contributors and participants, appealing to enthusiasts across various fields.

With dedicated sections for different arts, instruments, and cultural reflections, this blog serves as a rich resource for those seeking inspiration, knowledge, and a deep dive into the myriad aspects of artistic and technological exploration.

You can find our Privacy Policy here: https://manuelmarino.com/blog/privacy-policy/

You can find our Terms of Service here: https://manuelmarino.com/blog/terms-of-service/

Guitar for sale in Zipaquira, Colombia, 021
Photo by momentcaptured1

Believe it or not, the sound of your guitar is just as good as the wood used to build it. Each type of wood has a unique sound that is individual to every acoustic guitar How to Buy a Guitar - The guitar is known for its dynamic and unique sound, making it a popular instrument in various genres of music. Whether you're a beginner or someone with a growing passion for guitar playing, here are some top tips for buying a guitar: Seek out advice. Start by seeking guidance from someone you know who has… . Like a fingerprint, it cannot be recreated even if another piece of wood is taken from the same source.

This is due to the distinct characteristics of the wood. There may be knots in the wood or a slightly different grain pattern. There could also be other subtle variations in the finish, all of which affect how the wood resonates. Resonate is a fancy word for vibration, which is what the wood does when you attach strings to it.

How freely the wood resonates will affect your volume (how loud you are) and your tone as a result. This explains why that plywood (laminate) guitar sitting in the pawnshop or music store doesn’t sound great – the wood is too stiff to vibrate freely.

That’s why you may often hear the term “solid top.” While it may sound like a sales pitch, the reason it’s important is that it’s real wood, not plywood. This change in tone gives you a much nicer sounding guitar.

Before the wood even reaches your guitar, it undergoes several processes. Many tone woods are industrially logged, which is common for many mass-produced guitars. Although this sounds fine in most cases, there may be some imperfections.

Higher-end guitars have their wood hand-selected. It is often cut by hand, and the selected pieces are chosen for their quality before being shipped back to the manufacturer for further processing.

Most manufacturers of fine acoustic guitars season their woods for a period of time. This removes excess moisture and hardens the fats, oils, resins (gum), and other natural elements found in wood. This seasoning protects the wood from warping and prepares it structurally for the construction phase.

From there, a piece of wood is bookmatched. This is the process where a single cut of wood is sliced into two pieces, creating two identical pieces of wood that can be used for the front or back of the guitar. That’s why you see that line running down the back of the guitar (usually white) – it’s simply covering up the seam.

Now, let’s talk about the woods themselves. Here are some of the most interesting and effective woods available:

  1. Spruce – Spruce is a very strong wood, which is important for guitar construction. It provides clean highs and a powerful volume. A great choice for wood and commonly used on most guitars.
  2. Cedar – Slightly mellower than spruce, cedar has a warm and beautiful tone. It has a stunning appearance and is aesthetically pleasing.
  3. Maple – A versatile wood that offers a balanced mix of highs, mids, and lows. Many guitarists look for this wood to achieve overall superior projection and a clean sound. However, due to its balanced nature, it can sound somewhat flat in the acoustic world and is often used on electric guitars. It is highly desired for its beautiful grain and luster.
  4. Koa – Known for its wide range, koa produces a strong and dynamic tone. It may not have a strong bass response but compensates with a high-quality sound spectrum.
  5. Mahogany – Provides great projection and excellent treble. It is a dream for flatpickers when combined with a dreadnought body type due to its exceptional response and tone.
  6. Brazilian Rosewood – This wood is the most sought-after for guitars in the world. However, it is becoming increasingly rare and expensive due to its endangered status. It offers a rich bass response with excellent treble and mid-range. Unfortunately, it is mainly available on limited edition guitars at the top end of the price range.
  7. Indian Rosewood – Indian Rosewood is a more common alternative to Brazilian Rosewood and is more readily available. It has almost the same tonal characteristics, although slightly less pronounced. It is used on many professional guitars.
  8. Cocobolo – Personally, Cocobolo is my favorite! In my humble opinion, it combines several characteristics from the aforementioned woods to create a truly unique sound. It produces a desirable bass response, impressive volume, and incredible overtones. I am considering using this wood for my upcoming acoustic guitar, and I recommend you explore it as well.

    …Keep in mind that there are numerous other varieties of tone woods available to you. There are also some wonderful subtypes within the aforementioned woods. For example, Taylor guitars use Sitka Spruce on many of their models and limited edition guitars. Sitka Spruce is in the spruce family but offers a slightly different sound.

    In the end, the comments I made above are subjective. While I have personally played most of the woods mentioned, my ears may prefer things that yours do not. The only way to truly find out is to seek them out and try them for yourself. Many guitar companies use the woods listed above, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to explore different options.

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x

The Song Station Home Entertainment System Review

Photo by Alan_D How would you like your upcoming DVD player to include a full-fledged karaoke machine, also known as a...Read More