Suggest many different tone woods for flamenco and classical guitars

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

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 and Tom Blackshear 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.

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>Lutherie >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

Ahmed Flamenco

Posts: 163
Joined: Feb. 22 2014
From: Egypt

Suggest many different tone woods fo...

Guys if I wanna use different tone woods rather than cypress and Indian rosewood
What should I look for?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 17 2015 18:16:41

Ricardo

Posts: 14822
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.

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 17 2015 18:35:52

tijeretamiel

Posts: 441
Joined: Jan. 6 2012

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.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 17 2015 18:44:44

keith

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.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jun. 18 2015 7:29:58