Tonewood
Encyclopedia
Tonewood generally refers to any wood which may be used in the construction of a musical instrument. Many acoustic properties are often assigned to specific wood species; however the description of these properties is itself a large subject and beyond the scope of this article. Generally tonewood is used in the context of woods used in stringed instruments.
spruce is a very common wood, they can find themselves paying significant sums for large pieces with even grain that represent a very small proportion of total
production. Some tonewoods are particularly difficult to obtain on the open market, in which case small-scale instrument makers might turn to reclamation, for instance
from furniture, or from accidentally felled trees in conservation areas where logging is not generally permitted. Mass market instrument manufacturers have started using Asian and African woods as inexpensive alternatives to traditional tonewoods.
Commonly-used tonewoods
While it is true that any wood may be used by a luthier to build an instrument there are many woods which are used in many different instrument families.Softwoods
- SpruceSpruceA spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
s are often used in the tops of instruments from the violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, and guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
families, as well as other types of instruments. Spruce is particularly suited for this use because of its high stiffness to weight ratio. Sitka (or Alaskan) spruce, Adirondack (or Red) spruce, Englemann spruce and Picea abies (variously known as Norwegian, German, Alpine or European spruce) are particularly valued.
- Cedars, particularly Western Redcedar are traditionally used in the tops and necks of classical guitars and to a lesser degree acoustic guitars in general. Like the spruces, cedar has a high stiffness to weight ratio.
- Other softwoods such as redwoodRedwood-Trees:Conifers* Family Cupressaceae *** Sequoia sempervirens - coast redwood**** Albino redwood*** Sequoiadendron giganteum - giant sequoia*** Metasequoia glyptostroboides - dawn redwood* Family Pinaceae...
, pinePinePines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
, and firFirFirs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
have been used less frequently.
Hardwoods
- MahoganyMahoganyThe name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
may be used in the tops of some guitars as well as the back, sides, and necks of instruments of the mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
and guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
families. Mahogany may be used for the solid bodies of electric guitars, such as the Gibson Les PaulGibson Les PaulThe Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
.
- RosewoodRosewoodRosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
s are often used in the back and/or sides of guitars and mandolins. The most sought-after variety, Brazilian Rosewood, Dalbergia nigraDalbergia nigraDalbergia nigra, commonly known as the Bahia Rosewood, Jacarandá da Bahia, Brazilian Rosewood, Rio Rosewood, Jacarandá De Brasil, Pianowood, Caviuna, or Obuina, is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family....
has become scarce and expensive due to over-exploitation.
- MapleMapleAcer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
is traditionally used for the backs and sides of the violin family as well as archtop guitarArchtop guitarAn archtop guitar is a steel-stringed acoustic or semi-acoustic guitar with a full body and a distinctive arched top, whose sound is particularly popular with blues and jazz players.Typically, an archtop guitar has:* 6 strings...
s and also bassoonBassoonThe bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
s and sometimes for other woodwind instrumentWoodwind instrumentA woodwind instrument is a musical instrument which produces sound when the player blows air against a sharp edge or through a reed, causing the air within its resonator to vibrate...
s. Many drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s are made from maple, as are the necks of electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
s.
- KoaKoaAcacia koa is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is the second most common tree. The highest populations are on Hawaii, Maui and Oahu...
is often used for most parts of ukuleles.
- EbonyEbonyEbony is a dense black wood, most commonly yielded by several species in the genus Diospyros, but ebony may also refer to other heavy, black woods from unrelated species. Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. Its fine texture, and very smooth finish when polished, make it valuable as an...
is often used for fretboards, fingerboardFingerboardThe fingerboard is a part of most stringed instruments. It is a thin, long strip of material, usually wood, that is laminated to the front of the neck of an instrument and above which the strings run...
s, tailpieceTailpieceA tailpiece is a component on many stringed musical instruments that anchors one end of the strings, usually the end opposite the end with the tuning mechanism the scroll, headstock, peghead, etc.-Function and construction:...
s and so forth, but rarely as a true tonewood.
- Basswood (also known as lime or linden) is often used to solid body guitars and woodwind instruments. Visually bland, it tends to be combined with veneers or heavy finishes.
Selection of tonewoods
In addition to perceived differences in acoustic properties a luthier may select wood to be used as a tonewood because of:- Availability.
- Stability.
- Cosmetic properties such as the color or grain of the wood.
- Tradition.
- Size. Some instruments require large pieces of suitable wood.
Sources
Most tonewoods are obtained from sustainable sources through specialist dealers. Musical instrument makers often prefer the best grades of timber, so although (for instance)spruce is a very common wood, they can find themselves paying significant sums for large pieces with even grain that represent a very small proportion of total
production. Some tonewoods are particularly difficult to obtain on the open market, in which case small-scale instrument makers might turn to reclamation, for instance
from furniture, or from accidentally felled trees in conservation areas where logging is not generally permitted. Mass market instrument manufacturers have started using Asian and African woods as inexpensive alternatives to traditional tonewoods.