As discussed earlier, walnut has a striking, rich appearance when used for acoustic guitar backs and sides, and would stand out in a similar fashion if used for the fretboard. It is well known for making an instrument sound bright and loud, and generates a tight, focused tone with little overtone presence. Does it mean one is thicker and/or harder than the other? I have a distinct fondness for maple bodied guitars. Many argue that solid wood also offers a more resonant tone, again due to the uniform grain and thickness. Sam is one of our content writers, as well as being our resident southpaw and synth enthusiast. In fact some retailers sometimes even just say Mahogany, when it’s actually Sapele, just because less people have heard of Sapele. You’ll see a number of species of used in acoustic guitar construction, the most common being Sitka, Engelmann (also known as European) and Adirondack (also known as Eastern Red Spruce). In terms of tone, ebony provides a very responsive bright, snappy and crisp attack coupled with a smooth sustain. Sitka Spruce is used more than any other species for guitar soundboards. A dark, luxurious appearance with fine black lines in the grain. Mahalo. The Martin 15 series is a good example of modern mahogany-topped acoustics. For example I have already “discovered” the silk & steel strings (Martin) you suggest for beginners, which I use on my parlors , Dimitris (zaosan) – hitthewave.wordpress.com. Registered Member. It also wears very well and will hold up to years of playing, even more so than some of the less dense options available like rosewood. Sapele vs Mahogany. Much like koa, walnut is a dense wood that delivers a sparkly brightness. Maple cabinets weigh more than walnut cabinets. Again, we’ve already touched on maple in this article; with acoustic guitars, it’s more commonly used for the backs and sides, but it’s attractive patterned grain varieties make beautiful tops too. One of the most common reasons for this practice is so that the guitar can feature an attractive natural grain on the surface without needing to use a thicker piece of wood. Another way to put it might be if you were to think of Mahogany as 1 on a scale of 10, and Rosewood was 10. Because of its rich heritage and place in guitar history, mahogany backs and sides can be heard on loads of old school recordings, and the inherent character of the tone lends itself well to blues and roots music to this day. He spends his free time composing for music libraries and playing in a post-rock band. Engelmann tends to be marginally lighter and less stiff, which results in slightly less projection, while Adirondack is generally slightly heavier and stiffer resulting in a louder guitar, but they are all relatively loud top woods. Sapele features interlocking, fine textured grain that frequently changes direction. Don’t be fooled into believing that means that is a lesser quality, however; it’s just different. The result is a tough, resilient material that lends itself well to fretboard use. The luthier simply takes the thinnest possible piece and reinforces it with cheaper materials, meaning that the attractive piece of wood can be used for a number of instruments. When used as a back/side wood to compliment a brighter sounding top wood, Mahogany is good for mellowing out the brightness and adding some warmth and a stronger mid-range plus softening the highs and reducing the overtones. Claro walnut is a medium-sized tree of short bulky proportions. Any other comments or questions welcome in the comments section below. Of course, this hardness isn’t the only thing that determines the sound qualities. Check out our ‘Electric Guitar Tonewood‘ guide! Summary: bright, immediate tone with excellent projection. Due to the unpredictable and ever-changing nature of this growth, you can almost certainly expect inconsistencies and imperfections at every level of detail, whether it’s an unmistakable fist-sized knot or a microscopic hole. It’s been used to very good effect for decades, and there are two main varieties that have been employed throughout this time: East Indian rosewood, and it’s more elusive and expensive alternative, Brazilian rosewood. Some people are good at distinguishing the difference. Rosewood is popular for fretboards thanks to its smooth feel, but its durability is also crucial. I am thinking of buying a Talor gs mini and did not know if sapele was a real wood or a man made product( I know that sounds dorky but I never heard of the word before). Privacy Policy. Brazilian rosewood has a luxurious appearance and rich, sparkly tone, making it highly sought-after. Our Sapele is “quarter sawn” at the mill, a process that creates a ribbon or stripe … Bamboo. Relative hardness of wood flooring species. Let me count the ways: L‑00, D‑18, O‑22, J‑45, Les Paul Junior…. It’s closer to Rosewood than Mahogany is but it’s much more similar to Mahogany than it is to Rosewood. This makes it a good choice for live performance because the clarity of tone cuts through the mix well, and feedback is less likely to be problematic. Acoustic vs Bass Guitar: Which is better for Beginners? To better understand the differences between the two, let’s first take a look at each wood individually. What it lacks in dramatic visual appeal and breathless testimonial from wood-sniffers, it more than makes up for in suitability for instrument construction. 21 Guitar Playing Tips Every Beginner Should Know, Tips for Learning How to Play the Guitar and Sing at the Same Time, Acoustic Guitar Stands: Ways to Keep Your Guitar When Not Playing, Takamine Serial Numbers: What They Can Tell You and How to Decode Them. A very well done article. Sapele is a hardwood tree native to central Africa and is obtained from sustainably managed forests. Naturally, the pieces of wood that are used to make acoustic guitars are thin, as they need to be manipulated into a shape that works with the intended design. My cynical mind tends to think sapele has a negative reputation, deserved or undeserved, and now the name of Okoume as a mahogany is exotic enough for people to take a chance on it. Darker woods are generally considered more attractive, aesthetically at least, for acoustic guitar fretboards. The timber is in the same strength category as Oak, and is considerably stronger than African Mahogany. Sapele would then be a 2 or 3. Ebony has also been a staple fretboard wood choice for years, though it’s more commonly seen on electric guitars. For the most part, acoustic necks consist of either maple or mahogany. It should also be noted that Sapele on one guitar (with different materials and construction) will sound different to Sapele … Sapele is less heard of than Mahogany. Through eliminating or amplifying different frequencies produced by the strings, these tonewoods can have a considerable effect on the overall tone generated by any given guitar. Summary: bright, sparkly tone with slightly boosted low and mid frequencies compared to koa. If you strum a guitar in the small room, there’s less space for the sound to move around in, so the sound dies down quicker but is clear. Summary: rich sound with complex overtones and crystal-clear high frequencies. As a tonewood, maple provides excellent separation where every note sounding at the same time has clear definition. I , too, in my ignorance was not sure if it was man made or natural wood. The Janka scale is used to determine the relative hardness of particular domestic or exotic wood species. 5 out of 5 stars (11) 11 reviews $ 110.00 FREE shipping Favorite Add to 3d Printed Real Wooden 12-hole Ocarina and Stand ArcadianSunflower. Your site is third on that list. I hope this post has helped you to learn the difference in Mahogany and Sapele. Summary: similar tone to mahogany but with a little extra high-end definition, with stripy red colouration. After much thought , I finally arrived at the best combo of woods that I feel produce the best tonal sound for me and my style of playing, a mahogany top with Sapele back/sides. It can be a rich dark chocolate brown color, sometimes broad, dark lines. The issue here is there are many species that get lumped under the African Mahogany moniker. Engelmann for example, tends to be a little whiter and creamier than Sitka, but all Spruces are in the same ballpark ‘creamy white’ category. Last updated: August 22, 2019 by Nate 19 Comments. Many argue that it’s well worth the effort and the wait to get it there though! The Asian variety often features brown stripes that many players find ugly or distracting when they are looking for frets, which means that it’s the African alternative with its uniform colour that is more commonly found on guitar fretboards. Your article was very helpful and I will go for the sapele, since I prefer the sound of steel strings. The wood is also naturally oily so it doesn’t need its own finish, meaning it feels extremely soft and natural under the fingers. It’s important to note that although the quality of the figuring in the wood can have a bearing on the price tag, it will not have any impact on the tone of the wood. Don’t yet know the acoustic resonances and vibrations on this guitar. It is similar to Mahogany, and it’s fair to compare the two because Mahogany would be the closest to Sapele. Thank you so much for the information btw! Some people prefer the look of Sapele, and others prefer Mahogany. I am going to buy a concert uke made of mahogany just for kicks and I usually have tow of each instrument any way; one for playing seriously and another to travel with, taker to the beach, parties etc. These include: Honduran Mahogany is generally considered to be a better quality tonewood. When it comes to acoustic guitars, however, the wood configuration arguably plays a more crucial role. Cedar tends to produce slightly richer overtones, and this results in a tone with less sparkle but more character. Great post and very helpful….Now if I could only find out if my 2007 Martin 000-15 was hog or Sapele…that would be great…lol. Solid wood is the opposite approach. Glad the article could help. I ended up to your site, trying to understand the difference between sapele & mahogany, as I’m considering to buy an inexpensive nylon strung electroacoustic crossover guitar, and the 2 candidates are full sapele the one and full mahogany the other. The midrange is where it differs, however, with a healthy bark that puts it somewhere in between rosewood and mahogany. Sign up! Restrictions to many of these woods. I didn’t expect that this post would ever be used for 3D modelling purposes (or anything outside of acoustic guitars)! That said, it is also sometimes mistakenly called Mahogany, which could also lead to less awareness of this wood. The distinctive patterns created by the wood’s varied colors and graining make for an eye-catching door. The midrange is where it differs, however, with a healthy bark that puts it somewhere in between rosewood and mahogany. your information on both Mahogany and Sapele tone woods was very helpful. There are several reasons for this, but its appearance certainly isn’t one of them; maple tonewood can boast numerous different figuring patterns, all of which can look absolutely stunning! As we touched on earlier in this article, mahogany is a stiff, hard and dense tone wood that provides a distinctly wood and warm tone. Both varieties offer a clear, bright sound with a fairly even response across all frequencies. Below are listed the relative hardness for numerous wood species used in flooring. Love the education. Sapele is definitely a real wood! This is the average hardness and an individual piece of wood will differ. In steel-string instruments an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases learned Martin! 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