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Do grading on tonewoods really affect the final tone of the guitar consistently?
Does a top, let's say of spruce that has finer grain, but all else is equal, going to have a better tone than one of courser grain?
For you makers, what are your priorities in selecting a better wood? If a player says money is no object, but I want the best spruce and cypress for tone available, what would you look for? How would you test it? Do you give more creditably to visual or auditory? Let's assume the player is blind, so tone is of importance, not looking at the wood.
What tone test do you use? In my limited experience, I have found some of the lesser grades to actually have a better response to tapping, rubbing, scratching on ends, etc. When asking the dealer why they are graded lower, it is generally an appearance thing. Is too much importance being put on appearance?