Tonewood and vocals

[steveintampa]

Maple is the primary wood used in violin and mandolin production with spruce for the top. Taking that on a larger scale to a guitar is a logical step.

 

[Boomstick]

Back and sides material may be better viewed in terms of frequency response than overtones I would imagine

Exactly.

A lot of overtones are a combination of strings and woods. For example DR Veritas strings have some rich overtones in the mids but most noticeable with maple guitars. Nickel strings have few overtones, etc

 

[HeyMikey]

The guitar maker also has A LOT to do with it. I’ve owned or played similar OM size rosewood guitars by several makers at the same time and they all were very different. Some too much overtones, some too one-dimensional, etc. I settled on Guild because to my ear it was the most balanced and conducive to my vocals.

 

[Boomstick]

Maple is the primary wood used in violin and mandolin production with spruce for the top. Taking that on a larger scale to a guitar is a logical step.

I've been thinking of trying to learn mandolin, or maybe try banjo again. Last time I tried, I was very right hand challenged but after years my right hand is pretty good now so maybe I could do alright. But I noticed that almost all mandolins were maple and spruce when looking at them.

But then I think of my huge todo list on guitar and other things I want to do and realize that it would interfere with my guitar playing.

 

[Skywalker]

Maple is the primary wood used in violin and mandolin production with spruce for the top. Taking that on a larger scale to a guitar is a

I've been thinking of trying to learn mandolin, or maybe try banjo again. Last time I tried, I was very right hand challenged but after years my right hand is pretty good now so maybe I could do alright. But I noticed that almost all mandolins were maple and spruce when looking at them.

But then I think of my huge todo list on guitar and other things I want to do and realize that it would interfere with my guitar playing.

I think it's noteworthy, that from violins to double basses, maple has been used exclusively for back and sides for hundreds of years. Not only that, but the back and sides are very directly enlisted in sound production by way of the sound post, fitted very precisely in relation to the treble foot of the bridge. If the sound post falls out, the sound becomes dull and amorphous. It seems to be difficult to find much detailed reasoning why maple is invariably used here... probably because there are no established alternatives for comparison, but a certain quality to deliver neutrality and note distinction seem to crop us above all .

 

[Skywalker]

Then there is the presumably cultivated concept of how a given instrument is "supposed" to sound. Ie., If maple had never existed, our idea of how a violin or cello should sound would be different. Guitars enjoy a more liberal approach to those evaluations however, which is a fine thing, as it contributes to their exceptional versatility as musical instruments.

 

[steveintampa]

I've been thinking of trying to learn mandolin, or maybe try banjo again. Last time I tried, I was very right hand challenged but after years my right hand is pretty good now so maybe I could do alright. But I noticed that almost all mandolins were maple and spruce when looking at them.

But then I think of my huge todo list on guitar and other things I want to do and realize that it would interfere with my guitar playing.

I have a Weber F body mandolin that I had custom made in '04 that is mahogany with a cedar top. Very versatile, but not a bluegrass machine.

Mike Dulak makes very good and affordable mandolins in a variety of woods, you can custom order.

Big Muddy Mandolin

Buy custom, amazing, handcrafted mandolins made in the US. Mandolins for sale.

www.bigmuddymandolin.com

He made a mandola for me that was also mahogany and cedar.

 

[Boomstick]

I have a Weber F body mandolin that I had custom made in '04 that is mahogany with a cedar top. Very versatile, but not a bluegrass machine.

Mike Dulak makes very good and affordable mandolins in a variety of woods, you can custom order.

Big Muddy Mandolin

Buy custom, amazing, handcrafted mandolins made in the US. Mandolins for sale.

www.bigmuddymandolin.com

He made a mandola for me that was also mahogany and cedar.

Oh these aren't terribly expensive. I'll consider these if I ever do pull the trigger