It is important that a musician’s instrument match his or her tonal as well as visual ideal. The first step toward achieving this is wood selection. I offer the finest hardwoods available as a standard feature of my instruments, usually at no extra cost. Additional charges will only apply if the desired wood requires special ordering or if it is priced in excess of $20 a board foot. In the case of special ordering, the customer need only pay the ordering cost plus shipping, with no extra markup. In the case of high board foot cost, the additional charge would equal the board foot cost x5 for a guitar or x8 for a bass. (For example: a guitar using wood priced at $25 a board foot would incur an additional charge of $125.) If you have any questions, please contact me.

The Myth of Tonewood

            There are several species of hardwoods that, due to their prominent use in instrument manufacturing, have been classified as “tonewoods.” This classification has led to a great deal of misunderstanding concerning the nature of wood. The most common misnomer is the belief that woods labeled as “tonewoods” have preferable tonal characteristics to woods not labeled as such. To dispel this myth we must understand the reasons that these woods gained prominence in the industry: availability, durability, workability, and perhaps most importantly, beauty.

            The truth of the matter is that all species of wood have positive and negative tonal characteristics, depending on your point of view and it is important that you understand these characteristics when selecting wood for your instrument. In general, stiffer woods will give your instrument a brighter tone, more clarity and greater sustain with pronounced harmonics; flexible woods provide a warmer and darker tone but with less sustain. The density of a wood contributes greatly to tone as well as sound projection as denser woods absorb sound, particularly in the lower register; lighter woods project more volume, especially in middle to low frequencies. Personal taste is very much a factor here; to some people bright may mean “brittle” and to others dark may mean “muddy.”

Environmental Responsibility

            Due to the value of many species of hardwood, there has been a steady increase of illegal harvesting practices globally. The destruction can range from the cutting of individual trees to outright deforestation. I realize that my business is small, but this is a tragedy that I refuse to be a part of on any level. If I can not find a reliable source for the wood you are requesting I will not use it, but I will suggest some possible alternatives. As you can see, this issue is clearly important to me and I appreciate your understanding.