...What Woods?
Do you often wonder what all
the woods are that are quoted in your guitar description?
Well, I did, so just in case you're with me here, I've put together a bit of
info - anyone is welcome to add to detail that will be of use to players and
collectors.
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What is Ash? (AKA: Canadian Ash,
American white ash)
Hardwood, Below average number of knots, heavy wood.
Coarse, straight-grained wood with almost white sapwood.
Heartwood is pale-brown, similar to European Ash. High bending strength and
shock resistance.
Common Use: Tool handles, ideal for bent work, upholstery and construction
frames, vehicle parts, and aircraft parts, such as propellers, and bearing
blocks. boatbuilding, joinery, curved furniture.
WOW... Still not played a Scandi yet?
What is Maple? (AKA: Rock maple,
sugar maple)
Hardwood, very heavy, straight-grained wood with fine texture.
White sapwood with light red-brown heartwood.
Hard to work with because of its density.
Common Use: Furniture, turning, butcher's blocks, flooring.
We're still talking Scandi here... but let's move on shall we?
What is Black Cherry? (AKA:
American Cherry)
Hardwood, straight-grained wood with fine texture,
Heartwood is red-brown to deep red.
Common Use: Furniture, musical instruments, tobacco pipes.
What
is Mahogany?
Hardwood, easy to work, fairly strong, medium weight, durable.
A medium-textured wood with straight and even, or interlocked grain.
Heartwood is red-brown to deep red.
Common uses: furniture, panelling, pianos, guitar bodies, veneers, boat
planking.
What is Beech?
Straight-grained wood. Light brown to red-brown color.
Beech has an average number of knots.
American Beech is slightly coarser than the European variety.
Common Use: Cabinet-making, bending, turning
What is Bubinga? (AKA: African
Rosewood)
Hardwood Moderately coarse, even textured wood.
Can have straight, interlocked or irregular grain.
Red-brown in color, with purple veins.
Common Use: Furniture, wooden utensils.
What is Ebony? (AKA: Tendu)
Hardwood, A dense wood with fine, even texture and straight, irregular or wavy
grain.
Heartwood is dark brown to black.
Common Use: Turning, musical instruments, knife handles.
What is Jacaranda? (AKA: Rosewoods - various)
Hardwood, dense but easy to work.
It
is also very stable which it particularly important for musical instruments.
Collectively these woods are known as rosewoods.
Some of the most highly prized woods for making furniture and musical
instruments.
Some examples: Cocobolo - red to orange colour, typically used in furniture.
This is what most people know as Rosewood. Kingwood. Tulipwood.
Common Use: African Blackwood - dark purple to black wood, typically used for
making guitar fret-boards and woodwind instruments like the clarinet.
What is Spruce? (So many types
I'm not sure!) ...Somebody help me out here eh?
Softwood, strong, resistant to splitting, not very durable All the Spruces are
members of the Pine family and are close relatives of the Firs. The trees are
noted for their beauty; many cultivated for park and lawn landscaping.
Common Use: Red Spruce is used in organ pipes and sounding boards of musical
instruments; indoor work.
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