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Craftsmanship & Education

Understanding Tonewoods, Part 4: The Science and Sustainability of Acoustic Guitars
Understanding Tonewoods, Part 4: The Science and Sustainability of Acoustic Guitars
We’ve been through quite the journey exploring tonewoods… From the responsiveness of softwood soundboards (Part 1) to the resonance of hardwood backs and sides (Part 2) and the tactile influence... Read more...

Craftsmanship & Education

Understanding Tonewoods, Part 3: Fingerboards & Playability
Understanding Tonewoods, Part 3: Fingerboards & Playability
In Part 1 of our series, we talked about the soundboard—the primary driver of an acoustic guitar’s tone. We looked at how softwoods like Sitka, Lutz, Engelmann, cedar, and redwood... Read more...

Craftsmanship & Education

About Radiation Ratio (RR)
About Radiation Ratio (RR)
Several of our customers have asked about radiation ratio. Here, we’ll describe the concept, discuss its limitations as a grading tool for tonewood, and provide the information needed to calculate... Read more...

Craftsmanship & Education

Understanding Tonewoods, Part 2: Hardwoods for Acoustic Guitar Backs & Sides
Understanding Tonewoods, Part 2: Hardwoods for Acoustic Guitar Backs & Sides
Previously in Part 1 (Softwoods for Acoustic Guitar Soundboards)… We explored why softwoods like Sitka, Lutz, Engelmann, cedar, and redwood are the heart of an acoustic guitar’s voice, defining responsiveness,... Read more...

Craftsmanship & Education

Luthier marking a softwood soundboard blank, outlining the guitar shape before cutting and voicing the top.
Understanding Tonewoods, Part 1: Softwoods for Acoustic Guitar Soundboards
Tonewoods influence sound, playability, and aesthetics, beautifully blending tradition, science, and builder intuition. Softwoods (spruces, cedar, redwood) are used for soundboards because they’re light, stiff, and responsive. Sitka: versatile all-rounder... Read more...

Craftsmanship & Education

Researcher testing guitars inside an anechoic chamber to measure tone and resonance during sonic grading studies.
What Is Sonically Graded Wood (And Why It Matters for Your Next Build)
At first glance, one soundboard may appear identical to another in terms of grain, color, and density.  But once a string is stretched across it, the truth reveals itself.  Two... Read more...

Craftsmanship & Education

How to Choose the Right Binding Wood for Your Custom Guitar
How to Choose the Right Binding Wood for Your Custom Guitar
In guitar making, it’s often the largest pieces that get the spotlight. You know, that perfectly quartered spruce top, beautifully figured maple back, or the depth of a dark rosewood... Read more...