Tone wood

Tonewood refers to specific wood varieties that possess tonal properties that make them good choices for use in acoustic stringed instruments.

As a rough generalization it can be said that stiff-but-light softwoods are favored for the soundboards or soundboard-like surface that transmits the vibrations of the strings to the ambient air. Hardwoods are favored for the body or framing element of an instrument.

In addition to perceived differences in acoustic properties, a luthier may use a tonewood because of:

Many tonewoods come from sustainable sources through specialist dealers. Spruce, for example, is very common, but large pieces with even grain represent a small proportion of total supply and can be expensive. Some tonewoods are particularly hard to find on the open market, and small-scale instrument makers often turn to reclamation, for instance from disused salmon traps in Alaska, various old construction in the U.S Pacific Northwest, from trees that have blown down, or from specially permitted removals in conservation areas where logging is not generally permitted. Mass market instrument manufacturers have started using Asian and African woods, such as Bubinga (Guibourtia species) and Wenge (Millettia laurentii), as inexpensive alternatives to traditional tonewoods.

Tonewood choices vary greatly among different instrument types. Guitar makers generally favor quartersawn wood because it provides added stiffness and dimensional stability. Soft woods, like spruce, may be split rather than sawn into boards so the board surface follows the grain as much as possible, thus limiting run-out.

For most applications, wood must be dried before use, either in air or kilns. Some luthiers prefer further seasoning for several years. Some guitar manufacturers rarefy the wood, which mimics the natural aging process of tonewoods. Torrefaction also is used but often changes the cosmetic properties of the wood.

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