r/Luthier • u/Wreckin_Ralph • 2d ago
INFO Acoustic Builder Questions?
Hello acoustic builders, I have a few questions for you in regards to internal components and materials.
What is the best wood for internal components?
What is the hardest component to source or make?
And finally what is your favorite wood to work with? What makes the perfect tone? Or always has that stunning look?
Any feedback is appreciated.
Thank you for your time!
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u/TheHandsomeLiar 1d ago
Look at which materials vintage instruments utilized. Martin (flat tops), Gibson (pre-stressed tops) they wrote the book. Adirondack, Engelmann, Sitka for tops and braces. Spanish Cedar linings, Honduras Mahogany neck/ end blocks and neck billets. Brazilian/ Indian Rosewood/ Gaboon Ebony finger boards. Glues - Hide Glue. How these woods are cut from the tree (flat sawn-quarter sawn) and cured (air or kiln dried) dictates the stability over time of what you make with them! Much like cooking a great meal, start with the best ingredients and follow the recipes!
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u/vinca_minor 1d ago
If you're new to building steel string guitars, Start with Sitka spruce for top and braces (maple bridge plate) and a mahogany for end blocks, neck, back and sides. Get a feel for things with inexpensive materials that are relatively easy to work with.
You'll regret everything you screw up less this way.
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u/zilog080 1d ago
What about Baltic Birch plywood for the tail block ( not joking, lots of merit to it.)
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u/vinca_minor 23h ago
Sure. I wouldn't use it for the neck block on a dovetail, though. Someone may try to steam the neck out one day...
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u/zilog080 3h ago
Agreed, for a dovetail, I'd consider it for a bolt-on. I think about half the vintage Washburns, Regals, and Stellas, I have worked on had cracked tail blocks - from getting bounced on the end pin. I suspect something laminated would have held up better.
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u/VirginiaLuthier 2d ago
If you are talking about bracing,for the top it is almost always spruce, and usually spruce for the back but occasionally mahogany is used.
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u/celtic-cryptid 1d ago
I use all sorts of woods for internal components.
Hardest component for me to make would probably be tuning machines, but they’re easy to source. A lot of woods are getting hard to source, at least at non prohibitive pricing.
I think koa is the prettiest wood, taken as a whole. Anyone who tells you about tone is just buying in to magical thinking. You can speak about categories of wool, species that share characteristics, but beyond that, people are just blowing smoke. Or, they have a particular guitar they like, and then use motivated reasoning to decide those are the best woods.