Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva, Tom Blackshear and Sean O'Brien who went ahead of us.
We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.
Posts: 16224
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Suggest many different tone wood... (in reply to Ahmed Flamenco)
I have enjoyed maple and port orford (aka Lawson cypress). played walnut and Australian blackwood, both worked exceptionally well for flamenco. Other woods like Pau ferro and caviuna etc function more or less like Indian examples I have tried. depends on the builder more than anything.
RE: Suggest many different tone wood... (in reply to Ahmed Flamenco)
Ahmed,
Are there any local wood sellers where you are? Do they have any thing you plan buying?
If you are planning to make a guitar for yourself or a friend then you can be experimental in your choices, but if you are looking to sell the guitars I would recommend going for something which either Spanish Cypress (or an alternative) or Indian Rosewood (or an alternative)
Here are some of the alternatives I've seen before.
Spanish Cypress Alternatives (for a blanca) - Port Orford Cedar - Maple (the many different types) - Silver Oak - Monterey Cypress - Sycamore - London Plane (not sure if it is white in it's unfinished state, it's a type of Maple I think) - Lebanon Cedar
Alternatives for Indian Rosewood - Any Dalbergia RW (eg Honduran) - Pau Ferro - Walnut - Padauk
Depending where you are though, if you are looking for lower priced alternatives to Cypress and Indian Rosewood, then Maple and Pau Ferro seem to be able be purchased for not too much.
Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston
RE: Suggest many different tone wood... (in reply to Ahmed Flamenco)
Liriodendron tulipifera, known as tulip poplar or yellow poplar is a wood that has been used for fiddles (the wood is also known as fiddle wood) and has similar physical characteristics of cypress (density, workability, etc.). tulip poplar is plentiful hence inexpensive. it has a cypress like look to it. as to your question, i suspect things you should look for in an alternative wood are density and workability. these two variables may fit as an alternative but possibly do not have similar sonic qualities as traditional tone woods. this last variable is where historical use is handy. osage orange is a wood that could be used--it is used to make dulcimers and acoustic guitars.
Printable Version
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread