Acoustic Guitar Wood Types By: Phil Dyck There are many factors to consider when beginning any woodworking project; how much material do I have to work with, what’s my budget, what’s my timeframe, etc. These issues become move critical when you are building a musical instrument. Not all woods share the acoustical qualities necessary and it is important to know what to look for, otherwise you’ll end up with a guitar what sounds like a tin can. Tonewoods Tonewoods are types of wood with consistent and recognized acoustical properties. They can be hardwoods or softwoods and are found in all areas of the world. The tonewood will vary with the part of the instrument it is going to be used for, typically dense materials for the sides, back and fretboard and light, stiff materials for the top, or soundboard. Quite simply, dense material transmits sound slowly and stiff, light material transmits sound faster. There are 3 sections of the guitar which we will concern ourselves with for sound production and transmission: Soundboard – the top of the guitar where 90% of the sound is created, wood selection is the most important here. Sides/Back – usually have different characteristics than the soundboard to create a balanced sound. The sides and back are made of the same material for purely aesthetic reasons. Fretboard/Fingerboard – made from dense wood which transmit sound slowly, thus not affecting the sound from the guitar. Below are lists of tonewoods available for each of the 3 above sections.