Tonewood doesn’t matter

[Rex]

my local Bunnings is selling framing timber. Have a look:

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/products/building-hardware/timber/framing-timber

the relevance to the current discussion is that a type of wood might be categorized based on its application. Not necessarily to sound 'cool'.

Here's what I get when I click on your link:. I let it go for 30 seconds before deciding it's not in by best interest to stay on that page.




Judging from the context of what you wrote, I'm guessing that "framing timber" is a Kiwi turn of phrase referring to what we call "framing lumber," which is lumber chosen for its strength and low price, without regard to its appearance, making it suitable for framing. That's legit.

For the most part, guitars are made of wood that's chosen because it's plentiful and cheap, and it looks good — not because of its tone. It's not legit to call it "tonewood."

 

[phil92]

we established that the wood affects the tone. We can also agree that there are categories or species with distinctive characteristics.

But a guitar builder will (for the most part) ignore all of those and select his material purely based on availability, optics and price? I don't think that's plausible.

 

[Rex]

we established that the wood affects the tone. We can also agree that there are categories or species with distinctive characteristics.

All true.

But a guitar builder will (for the most part) ignore all of those and select his material purely based on availability, optics and price? I don't think that's plausible.

Yes.

Leo Fender didn't set out to make the best guitar in the world. He set out to make a competent, affordable guitar that could be mass-produced by people with limited skills. He chose paper capacitors because they were cheap and available. Because of this choice, there are people who believe that paper capacitors are important for tone. He chose woods for price and availability. Because of his choices (and the choices of other large builders), there are people who believe that some woods are "tonewoods," and ash is one of them.

 

[Churchhill]

I agree, most/all mass-manufactures will give more weight to woods that are readily available and affordable. If it looks nice, so much the better, but there was a reason for all the custom (opaque) colors both Fender and Gibson offered in the '60s.

However, when dealing with a small builder or a custom shop, I would expect they would pay more attention to the general qualities (weight, density, strength, tonality) and I would ask about their wood acquisition practices before I purchased, at least the first time. Andy Eagle mentioned above that how the neck resonates, how the body resonates, and how they work together (or how poorly) is a big part of the equation. I wouldn't expect an assembly line to take the time to do this (I could be wrong, maybe some do), but I would want to work with a luthier who did understand this relationship.

Edit to correct typo

 

[phil92]

All true.


Yes.

Leo Fender didn't set out to make the best guitar in the world. He set out to make a competent, affordable guitar that could be mass-produced by people with limited skills. He chose paper capacitors because they were cheap and available. Because of this choice, there are people who believe that paper capacitors are important for tone. He chose woods for price and availability. Because of his choices (and the choices of other large builders), there are people who believe that some woods are "tonewoods," and ash is one of them.

except that

A. Leo didn't use Bubinga, Wenge or Koa which are still considered tonewoods

and

B. specific woods have been selected by Violin makers for centuries explicitly for their sonic charateristics

it's neither a new word nor a new phenomenon, although I will admit that very likely large guitar manufacturers are abusing the term for marketing purposes.

 

[Rex]

except that

A. Leo didn't use Bubinga, Wenge or Koa which are still considered tonewoods

Back when Leo started designing guitars, bubinga, wenge and koa were exotic, expensive and scarce. Then, when traditional woods started becoming more scarce and expensive, woods like bubinga, wenge and koa started becoming financially attractive, and the big makers started making guitars from them. That's when most people started calling them "tonewoods." Before that, you'd mention wenge, and people would say, "What?"

and

B. specific woods have been selected by Violin makers for centuries explicitly for their sonic charateristics

See below.

...I will admit that very likely large guitar manufacturers are abusing the term for marketing purposes.

Bingo. And lots of others are abusing it too; many unknowingly. To call it tonewood simply because someone chose it to make a guitar is disingenuous at best. Species membership does not ensure good tone.