Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi All,

I am going to start a guitar for a buddy who is gung-ho made in the US. So I am thinking of what the best domestic tonewood combo might be. He is a strummer but also does some flatpickin (yes, I said flatpickin) so something that could handle both ends. I am thinking Cherry b/s and redwood top. Was originally going to go Yellow Cedar but that is best suited for flatpickers. I know this subject has been beaten to death but I figured I would ask for some guidance here before starting. Thanks all!

sitka top, mahogany or walnut B/S dread

Lutz top with Maple or Cherry.
Good for both picking & grinning
Maple or Cherry neck!

Mike

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Mike Collins

It's hard to go wrong with cherry, which is a lot like Carribbean mahogany structurally and acoustically. Black locust tends more toward the 'rosewood' end, at about the same, or slightly higher, density, and with lower damping. Quartered oak (don't use flat cut!) works nicely too, although the damping is a bit higher than that of locust. Osage orange will get you fully into the rosewood camp. On the other end, you could try walnut or koa.

All of this has to be in relation to the size and shape of the guitar, of course: I'm not sure I'd use oak on a Dread, although it makes a nice Jumbo.

I'd pick the top in relation to the back wood, too. I like low damping top woods like redwood and Western red cedar, with higher damping B&S stock like walnut or oak. Don't get too hung up on the species of top wood: in terms of properties, spruce is pretty much spruce, and you have to go by the piece rather than the species in general.

ok, so i ran it by my friend and he said "any resonant type wood. Basically I need an acoustic that can be hit hard and still have tone."...so any suggestions from the pros?

Red Spruce over Osage Orange.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

As far as I know, there's no actual Mahogany that grows in the (continental) US, so you'd have to find a substitute. Cherry is a great substitute for Maple, and it would be a great substitute for mahogany as a neck wood. If your friend will accept wood from US territories, then there is Hog to be had, just with more difficulty.
If you're seriously talking about a flatpicker, then yes, red spruce (lutz is from Canada) and I also like the Osage suggestion. I've never looked that hard at Black Locust, but I know Al's opinion and I trust it.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Cherry back, sides, and neck with an Adi top. This combo yields plenty of headroom if he is going to play it hard. Try to get some mesquite for the fretboard and bridge.

Chuck

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I have some Cuban mahogany that grew in South Florida and was felled by hurricanes. It is not common on the market, but it does surface occasionally.
Based on the user's requirements, I would definitely go with red spruce or Douglas fir for the soundboard. The back and sides are much less of an issue. The domestic I have used most for back and sides is cherry, but black locust and osage both make great guitars.
Walnut and cherry are two good choices for the neck.
For appearance, it is hard to beat a nice piece of QS curly cherry, IMHO.

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John

Check out the domestic wood selection at RC Tonewoods. They have a great selection of cherry, white oak, walnut, and more.

Koa B/S and headplate, Adi top, Maple/Cherry neck, Figured Tan Maple bindings, and butt wedge, and something 'hard' close grained and dark that grows in the USA for the fretboard and bridge with an osage o bridge plate.

Cheers

Kim

Rims and back Cherry, walnut, myrtle. Top spruce (name your brand) that said I have used WRC with good results in SJ and MJ.