Official Luthiers Forum!

I couldn't remember if Port Orford cedar was a top or back and side wood? What is it?

I think we should show off our favorite sets in the stash... that might be fun.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Okay.

The choice for me is an easy one. I use the same kind of wood every truly incredible guitar I've ever seen or heard had. European spruce.

I believe its potential to make a great instrument (well, I make Classicals...) exceeds the other spruces markedly.


Regards,
Joshua French

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Instagram: @jfrenchluthier
Web: https://www.jfrenchguitars.com/

Tough one.

For me it's either Sitka or Englemann. Of the two, I'd go with Sitka for the fast attack.

Ray

Bruce, can I cast more than one vote for Sitka? That is simply an amazing tree. Someone posted a while back that it's different from other spruces, in fact it looks like it might have come from Jupiter. That's it...I go for that cosmic sound.

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

I've had my best success with addarondack but I have a three sets of Bob's carpathian on the way so ya never know I may have a new fav soon. I have in progress right now, two cedar topped one engleman and one sitka topped guitars. Sitka has always been a tough one for me. I think because I'm primarily a fingerstyle player, but there is usually a little too much fundamental in there. Maybe I just need to pare them down a little more to open up the harmonics. Or maybe I should grab a pick and start bangin on it. We'll see on the new one, it is a pretty big guitar.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

addy for sure

For now, it's gotta be Euro Spruce (but I'll admit to not having built with anything else yet). Mine's all from Rivolta right now, but I may be branching out a little in the near future. Lovely stuff.

Again I'm going for my obvious choice, European Spruce, (Carpathian is included in that). My tone wood dealer goes to the the sawmills in Europe and picks his timber first hand. This is all true Master grade wood, wood of a quality that I've never see on your side of the pond. With the American timbers, we get the left overs in Europe, I'm afraid that with European Spruce you get the left over in the US. OK, twist my arm, If I had to I'd use Englemann or WRC.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

My first choice is European Spruce that comes from the Bohemian forest. I handpick it direct from the sawmill here in Austria. Really good quality at a very reasonably price.

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http://www.hl-guitars.at

I'm only half way done with my Redwood guitar but I already like it better than spruce. Great tap tone and, so far, easy to work.

I like the look of Redwood but my ear prefers Sitka and Carpathian. With that being said my all time favorite is my stash of 1959 Sitka, it's beauty, aged color and cross silking medulary rays are unlike any tops that I have seen.

Here's a link- http://www.mcknightguitars.com/search.html

Scroll down to the 4th and 5th rosettes

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

For my self I build mainly OMs and 000s for finger-style play and I prefer a more blended tonal response with throaty base and clear but not over ringing treble so my favorite top for myself is Koa. With that said if I am building for a client a D model to be flat picked I would have to go with Euro spruce.

After all the pros and cons are weighed I like bear claw Sitka the best. It has beautiful looks and it makes the sound I like to hear as well as any. And the price is right too.

So far, Addy has to be my choice...but I am looking forward to hearing how some of the Euro spruces I am using now will sound. The Italian an Austrian stuff is AWFULLY nice...... :)