The selection of the right wood for a guitar is a fundamental aspect that defines both its sound quality and distinctive character. Throughout history, the evolution of guitar construction has been marked by experimentation with different woods and techniques, always seeking the perfect balance between tradition and innovation.
Guitar making is an art that blends ancestral knowledge with modern innovation. From traditional flamenco “blanca” guitars made of cypress to modern variants incorporating exotic woods, each material choice significantly influences the final result of the instrument.
In this article, we’ll explore in detail the various woods used in guitar construction, their specific properties, and how these characteristics affect the instrument’s final sound. We will analyze both traditional options and the latest innovations in the field of lutherie, providing a comprehensive guide to understanding the importance of material selection in constructing these musical instruments.
What Wood to choose based on the guitar type?
The traditional flamenco guitar has always been made with cypress wood and a spruce top, known as the “blanca” guitar.
In the 1970s, or perhaps slightly earlier, “negra” flamenco guitars began to be constructed using Brazilian or Indian rosewood.
Following the rise of the genius Paco de Lucía, my grandfather, Mariano Conde Salamanca, and his brother, Faustino Conde Salamanca (Conde Hermanos, nephews of Esteso, the second generation), built him “negra” guitars tailored for his major concerts and tours. These guitars offered greater volume while preserving the characteristic flamenco sound and comfortable playability.
A curious detail is that traditionally, the tops of flamenco guitars were made with spruce 90% of the time, and cedar was used in the remaining 10%. Over the years, cedar tops have become more common, currently accounting for about 30% of constructions compared to 70% spruce.
In our traditional guitar-making house, while we purchased other species of wood, they were rarely or never used in daily construction. This has resulted in a collection of very dry, well-aged woods, including traditional cypress and rosewoods, as well as some rare, century-old woods like mahogany, majagua, golden wood, maple, sycamore, spruce, and cedar.
An innovation stemming from the scarcity and rising costs of traditional woods has been the ongoing search for sound. Over the past 20–40 years, there has been an increasing incorporation of other woods, such as exotic ebonies, Macassar, Madagascar rosewood, pommele sapele, koa, and cocobolo.
In concert classical guitars, Brazilian and Indian rosewoods have traditionally been used, with spruce and cedar tops nearly equally split at 50%. Here too, we have incorporated new species and revived older woods that had fallen out of use due to time and tradition.
Which woods are most commonly chosen and why?
The most popular woods remain the traditional ones, largely due to their historical prevalence:
- Flamenco guitars: Cypress, Indian rosewood, or Brazilian rosewood with a spruce or cedar top.
- Classical concert guitars: Indian and Brazilian rosewood with a spruce or cedar top.
However, as previously mentioned, the use of high-quality, well-dried woods, along with a constant desire to improve both the instrument’s aesthetics and sound, has led many professional and amateur clients to trust us with these newer, less traditional woods. This has resulted in guitars that break away from the “standard set” of traditional choices, offering exceptional aesthetic and sonic qualities.
What physical properties are most important when selecting woods for guitars?
The quality and dryness of the wood are crucial for building a guitar, as is knowing how to work with it. With the right materials and expertise, guitar makers strive to balance hard and soft woods to achieve the desired result after many construction steps and hours of labor.
Essential Physical Properties
- Rigidity and Elasticity: Rigidity, measured by the modulus of elasticity along the grain, is vital for soundboards and the instrument’s overall construction. This determines the wood’s ability to transmit vibrations and directly affects sound quality.
- Density and Weight: The density of the wood impacts sound propagation within the instrument, ranging from 400–460 kg/m³ for spruce to 1,195 kg/m³ for hard woods like ebony.
- Moisture and Stability:
- The wood must be properly dried to avoid warping and cracking.
- Natural drying processes can take 10–20 years, depending on the species.
- Dimensional changes in the wood are directly related to its moisture content.
- Structural Characteristics:
- Lignification enriches the cells with lignin and minerals, affecting the final sound.
- The grain pattern and direction influence the instrument’s stability and acoustic properties.
- Wood shrinkage varies depending on tangential, radial, or longitudinal directions.
- Durability and Resistance: The wood must withstand wear and environmental factors:
- Longevity depends on the species and environment.
- Resistance to temperature and humidity changes is vital for the instrument’s durability.
- Hardwoods are strategically used in high-wear areas, such as the fretboard, to enhance stability.
How do different woods affect the instrument’s final sound?
Flamenco guitars aim to achieve a pure flamenco sound with the necessary volume and comfort. While certain woods theoretically offer different volumes or brighter sounds, the results often vary. Each guitar, even when made from the same materials, tools, adhesives, and time, will sound unique—a testament to the living nature of wood and the craft.
In concert classical guitars, the approach is similar, but the desired sound is different: greater volume and clearer notes without the “raw” flamenco sound. Despite similarities in materials, the intended sound sets classical and flamenco guitars apart.
Special models: “Poem Guitars Edition”
The “Poem Guitars Edition” series represents a pinnacle of craftsmanship, utilizing the finest and oldest woods available, often century-old specimens. These guitars serve as prototypes for new models, with each featuring unique bracing systems and internal structures born from extensive analysis, testing, and generations of expertise.
My father, Mariano Conde Cavia (third generation), describes these guitars as occupying the top vertex of an imaginary diamond that encompasses study guitars, classical guitars, and flamenco guitars. At the base are study guitars, which are functional but less refined. Moving upward, classical and flamenco guitars represent specialized, high-quality instruments. At the top are the extraordinary “Poem Guitars Edition,” offering unparalleled playability and sound quality.
The creation of the “Poem Guitars Edition” No. 56, “Rombo,” embodies this philosophy, combining the best of all worlds into a single, exceptional instrument.