Wood And Materials

The timber used in building instruments has a big influence on how they sound; good  design in itself is not enough. The best wood has a ring to it; not for nothing are instrument building woods known as tonewoods. Whether hardwood or softwood, if it doesn’t have a good tap tone it is unlikely to make a great instrument.

Stock

I take a great deal of trouble finding and buying the best wood available; in relation to the small number of instruments I build I have good stocks. This means all my wood is stacked and seasoned for years before being used; thoroughly seasoned air-dried wood makes the best sounding and most stable instruments.

 If I had to find twice as much wood as I use now, I'd have trouble maintaining the same quality; if I had to find ten times as much or more, I know I couldn't. A luthier building one or two instruments a month can select outstanding wood in a way that a shop building fifty a month must struggle to do; factories building hundreds a month or more must have a very hard time.

I build most of my instruments with soundboards of European spruce. This gives a combination of power and subtlety that is hard to match. It takes a couple of years to approach its full potential, opening out into warmth and power without losing its clarity and ring and sustain.

I buy my European spruce from southern Germany. Every few years I visit the main suppliers and some of the smaller ones, and select what I consider to be the very best. This is stacked and stored for years before use. I also buy from UK dealers, sorting through their stock and selecting only the very best wood.

I now also use Adirondack (American Red) spruce and Italian spruce. Adirondack was used as soundboard material on classic US guitars of the 1920s and 1930s; I use it primarily on my New World model guitars but it also makes an interesting alternative to European spruce on other flat-top instruments. Italian spruce is similar to Adirondack in sound and appearance.

I use Western Red cedar only occasionally for arch-top mandolin family instrument soundboards. Softer and lighter than spruce, it has a warm sound from the start but is more fragile than spruce and doesn't develop and improve over the years in the same way as good spruce.

Backs and sides

On citterns, bouzoukis and guitars, I make backs and sides from a variety of rosewoods.

Best old Brazilian rosewood is rightly regarded as making wonderful guitars. My stock is cut from logs cut between 20 and 50 years ago and includes the best quality very dark brown Brazilian. This can be very regular and even, or more decorative with vivid pink or orange stripes.
I also have a stock of reclaimed Brazilian rosewood, most of which is not only a great tonewood, but is also colourful and decorative. Like all my wood, this is absolutely ethical and legal with full authentic CITES documentation.

As well as these sets, I have a  quantity of scantlings (see top picture), small section lengths of top quality wood which are cut and joined to make multi-piece backs and sides  (see news item 14 August 2005). This is a time consuming business, but it's a pleasure to work with such wonderful wood.

Brazilian rosewood guitars have exceptional clarity and projection. It's easy to understand why it has been so highly regarded over the years.

With the scarcity and restrictions on Brazilian rosewood, luthiers everywhere are investigating alternatives. African Blackwood, Honduras rosewood and Madagascar rosewood can also make great sounding instruments with a deep clear tone. I keep stocks of all these woods.

Other timbers are now being introduced, including some Malaysian Blackwood which I plan to use on a future protype instrument. It varies considerably, but the sets I have are a lovely subtle dark colour and have an excellent tap tone.

Good Indian rosewood is similar to Brazilian, but gentler sounding. I buy only the best and stack it to season; at present I'm building with Indian rosewood bought years ago, and the wood I'm now storing will not be used for years to come.

Maple makes wonderful (carved back) mandolins and mandolas, giving a clear full tone. I use birdseye maple from Canada and northern US; very pretty, it's harder than European maple and gives a clear smooth sound.

 Necks

The wood used to make a neck does more than keep it straight. As with all materials used to build a guitar, it has an effect on the sound of the instrument and must be well matched with the body.

For many years I used Brazilian Mahogany for all necks, but I now also use Cuban mahogany. I have in the past built guitars with Brazilian rosewood necks, but  now use Madagascar rosewood instead. This has similar ring and stiffness to Brazilian, but is lighter in weight. Because of its stiffness, a Madagascar rosewood neck can be slimmed down  greatly without losing rigidity.

Fingerboards and bridges

Fingerboards and bridges are all made from seasoned ebony. Ebony fingerboards are stiff and hard-wearing and feel good under the fingers.

While I've built guitars with rosewood bridges in the past, I prefer the clear solid sound from an ebony bridge.

 
Cuban mahogany board

Tailpieces 

Arch-top instruments have tailpieces made from solid brass.  Cittern and mandolin tailpieces are one piece, guitar tailpieces are two pieces hinged together so it automatically sits in line with the strings.     

 

Lacquer

All instruments are lacquered by David Wilson with 2007 compliant melamine lacquer. This is applied in a series of thin coats each of which is allowed to dry for several days before being rubbed down. After another week or so to dry and harden it is flatted and buffed to a high gloss. The complete process takes around a month.

David has been lacquering my instruments for the last 25 years or so and is simply the best.