Leave a comment below and share your thoughts! Our Timber Durability Chart & Database has all of the information you're looking for! If you want high-end, look no further. Walnut. You’ll see a number of species of used in acoustic guitar construction, the most common being Sitka, Engelmann (also known as European) and Adirondack (also known as Eastern Red Spruce). In summary, it provides a punchier and darker tone than rosewood, with a prominent midrange. Because of its rich heritage and place in guitar history, mahogany backs and sides can be heard on loads of old school recordings, and the inherent character of the tone lends itself well to blues and roots music to this day. When it comes to acoustic guitars, however, the wood configuration arguably plays a more crucial role. Thanks. In other words, maple makes it possible to identify each individual note in a chord relatively clearly compared to some other varieties of wood that will provide a more blurred, overtone-heavy sound. Although spruce is the most commonly employed top wood, cedar comes in at second place. This was the first time I came across Sapele Wood, and naturally I had some questions about it. You’ll get a consistent sound regardless of your style of playing; some consider this to be lacking in character, but it does mean that spruce could be considered versatile in terms of its sound. All else being equal, Sapele will be a lot like Mahogany, to be fair, but with some subtle differences. Cedar tends to produce slightly richer overtones, and this results in a tone with less sparkle but more character. May have awesome figure. It adds dimension to my ideas as to what projects to use these two distinct woods for. Another way to put it might be if you were to think of Mahogany as 1 on a scale of 10, and Rosewood was 10. Summary: rich sound with complex overtones and crystal-clear high frequencies. If you strum a guitar in the small room, there’s less space for the sound to move around in, so the sound dies down quicker but is clear. It is similar to Mahogany, and it’s fair to compare the two because Mahogany would be the closest to Sapele. Sapele features interlocking, fine textured grain that frequently changes direction. It has a relatively high velocity of sound, and the highest strength to weight ratio than any other wood. From shop BedfordAvenueFlutes. Sapele is offered in many of our wood door styles.When “Solid” is noted, that is the version available. Can you notice the difference? Last updated: August 22, 2019 by Nate 19 Comments. I am purchasing an online guitar with Spruce top, Sapele back and sides. Walnut. Some sites referred to them as the same thing and they do look so very similar, but other sites claimed differences, so to be sure I googled sapele vs mahogany wood. The Sharpest Tool in The Shed. Wenge Tonewood. 5 out of 5 stars (11) 11 reviews $ 110.00 FREE shipping Favorite Add to 3d Printed Real Wooden 12-hole Ocarina and Stand ArcadianSunflower. Glad you found this article helpful. I have a distinct fondness for maple bodied guitars. Some observe a slight mid-scoop with slightly enhanced lows as well as highs. I’ve been playing guitar for several years, and now I’m looking to get myself a Ukelele. Although maple is frequently employed as the back and sides tone wood for violins, it’s not quite as common in acoustic guitar building. Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Sapele has been reported as a skin and respiratory irritant. Whether you get Honduran Mahogany (probably more commonly referred to as Tropical Mahogany these days because it is sourced from a number of Central and South American countries now), or African Mahogany, the sound characteristics are going to be pretty close. What’s your experience with these tone woods? I do have guitar back and sides sets in rosewood, mahogany, sapele, maple, cherry and walnut, so I can tap to my heart's delight. Did you enjoy reading this article? Sapele has a slight blunting effect on cutters, but it turns, glues, and finishes well. As we touched on earlier in this article, mahogany is a stiff, hard and dense tone wood that provides a distinctly wood and warm tone. It’s technically a brand name, but in the guitar world, it means a composite of materials that’s bonded by a number of resins. As a tonewood, maple provides excellent separation where every note sounding at the same time has clear definition. Is it truly just a different type of mahogany or is it closer to a sapele? I was also more of a Martin guy before starting this website but over the last couple of years Taylor have become equals for me. Curly maple (also known as flamed Maple) and quilted maple are the two most commonly seen, although birdseye maple does make an appearance every now and then. It’s closer to Rosewood than Mahogany is but it’s much more similar to Mahogany than it is to Rosewood. January 8, 2016 at 6:24 pm. Through eliminating or amplifying different frequencies produced by the strings, these tonewoods can have a considerable effect on the overall tone generated by any given guitar. Mahogany is the cornerstone tonewood of the fretted instrument world. Ranging from cinnamon, through honey brown, and onto light chocolate in colour, cedar is relatively easily identifiable as being a darker brown than spruce. Peruvian walnut is slightly more dense than North American Walnuts, which may increase volume and/or projection. If the wood is less dense, the sound will have more space in the grain to move around in, so you can expect a darker resonance with increased sustain! It has a straighter grain pattern than its Brazilian counterpart with less striking figuring, and it can include hints of purple, red, and grey highlights. Any other comments or questions welcome in the comments section below. The Martin 15 series is a good example of modern mahogany-topped acoustics. Sapele trees are protected in such a way as to prevent over-harvesting which makes this a relatively sustainable wood that is being harvested responsibly. Its resonance could be described as dark and complex, with notably rich overtones and a metallic zing that’s difficult to replicate with other woods! Summary: bright, immediate tone with excellent projection. Thank you so much for the information btw! Fundamental vs. Overtones A fundamental tone is the initial sound heard when you pick or pluck a note (and which decays at varying rates depending on the sustain); the overtones are complex harmonic layers that can make the note swell after the fundamental is initiated. Hi, I too feel your article on the comparison of the two Woods is highly educational. Thanks again for the helpful information. Mahogany topped acoustic guitars are not especially common but have been around since the ‘20s. Summary: similar tone to mahogany but with a little extra high-end definition, with stripy red colouration. It’s a stiff, hard and dense tone wood that provides a distinctly wood and warm tone. The fretboard is where you tend to get a broader variety, as this is one of the main parts that you’re in contact with when playing your instrument. This is no surprise given that it’s quite a hard wood but is still easy to carve. The Janka scale is used to determine the relative hardness of particular domestic or exotic wood species. Because wood is an organic material, it changes shape and density as it grows; with age, wood develops deeper grains that change almost immeasurably during its lifespan. Walnut Cutting Boards. The luthier simply takes the thinnest possible piece and reinforces it with cheaper materials, meaning that the attractive piece of wood can be used for a number of instruments. Sapele lumber is often marketed as a type of African Mahogany. Micarta is worth a mention; though it’s not technically a type of tonewood, it’s becoming more popular as a significantly cheaper alternative. Our Sapele is “quarter sawn” at the mill, a process that creates a ribbon or stripe … Traditionally used on classical guitars, cedar is becoming increasingly common in steel-string instruments. Its tonal brightness, woody midrange and dark, rich appearance have proven popular among numerous luthiers; for many, it’s something of a departure from the usual suspects, resulting in a uniquely beautiful instrument that remains versatile and playable. It grows up to 30–60 feet (9.1–18.3 m) tall, has a single erect trunk, commonly without branches for 10–40 feet (3.0–12.2 m), and a crown that can be wider than the tree is tall. It has become a perennial favourite and features on the comfortable majority of steel-string acoustics available today. Some people prefer the look of Sapele, and others prefer Mahogany. On the other hand, the relative prominence of the overtones in the sound it generates results in cedar being a favourite among fingerstyle players who value the quality and character of tone above volume and clarity. Glad the article helped with your decision and glad that you’ve found the tonewood combo that suits you the best. Sapele Tonewood goes is a great all-purpose tonewood that works for many different applications. It’s a less dense wood than spruce, providing you with a slightly darker tone. Light and unassuming in appearance. Odor: Sapele has a distinct, cedar-like scent while being worked. Being a novice in guitar playing, I have not yet posted on guitars in my blog, but I believe this year I will. Because of this, the choice of fretboard wood is one of the most important things to consider in terms of feel and playability. The timber is in the same strength category as Oak, and is considerably stronger than African Mahogany. The wood is also naturally oily so it doesn’t need its own finish, meaning it feels extremely soft and natural under the fingers. A dark, luxurious appearance with fine black lines in the grain. Great post and very helpful….Now if I could only find out if my 2007 Martin 000-15 was hog or Sapele…that would be great…lol. Light, golden colour with a rich variety of distinct grain types. Sign up! I am hoping for sound quality similar to Taylor guitars. Thanks for the technical differences. You simply use the thicker, more expensive piece of wood. Ebony has also been a staple fretboard wood choice for years, though it’s more commonly seen on electric guitars. It’s just not heard of as much as Mahogany. As I’m about to buy an acoustic guitar I’ve sampled many different brands and models of guitars. <

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