Alternate acoustic tops

[Hugh Anderson]

I made an all mahogany j45. It is responsive and sounds good, but definitely different from spruce.

[Matthew Orifice]

i did an A/B test on a stick dulcimer between birch plywood and spruce... the birch plywood (1/8") was a bit brighter but still pretty rich, it was also significantly louder. i like the spruce sound better, but there is definitely somewhere in the world for the birch. 3" deep bodies that were a good bit smaller than a guitar (look in the other instruments section for pics of the spruce) both had a sound somewhere between guitar and mandolin. with the spruce being more guitar and the birch being more mandolin, it's been an interesting comparison. ironically both are "opening up" nicely which i've heard a lot of people say plywood won't do.

[Douglas Ingram]

I've used White Pine and liked it a lot. Used it on a classical guitar. I haven't experienced any detriments to its sound. Nobody who has played it, and that includes some pretty damn fine players, said anything like "Hmmm, sounds interesting.".

[Scott Abrams]

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum and very happy to find this post.
I'm working on an all Walnut acoustic and this info. will definitely go a long way.

Do you have any thoughts on the bridge and bridge plate for a hardwood top.
I was going to use Rosewood for both.

Thanks again,

Scott

[Michael Lewis]

Use contrasting woods for visual effect, or not. Walnut would do nicely for the bridge, bridge plate, and fingerboard. I have seen less suitable choices used in production instruments.

[Ron Zentz]

Have not built a hardwood topped guitar but have an Alverez-Yairi all-koa 6-string. Great acoustic-electric sound but lower volume and less bass acoustically. On the reclaimed wood thread here, the photos show a build with left-over walnut from furniture work and cedar from the hardware store scrap bin. I did buy the fretboard and bridge blank. Everything else is a "leftover" from furniture projects. Great-sounding guitar and great volume.