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Hi, I have just finished my 3rd guitar, a Maple/Spruce Hauser classical guitar, and I am already hankering for another kit LOL.

I have built 1 steel string and 2 classicals, and I am thinking about going back to steel string. I have gotten down a lot of the specs but have not yet made a decision on the B&S. The specs would be:

000 12 fret
24.9 scale
1&7/8 inch nut
Mahogany or Spanish Cedar neck
Rosewood Fingerboard
Spruce top
Rosewood Bridge
B&S: ?

I have been narrowing towards a rosewood alternate for the B&S, because I want a juicier/wetter tone with softer trebles. However, I don't really want to go for traditional woods, because that's a bit boring to me LOL.

Do y'all know what types of woods can be substitutes for Rosewoods? And it would be better if they are non CITES, even better if domestic. If you could give me a good variety I would appreciate it!

Thanks.

Black Walnut comes to mind. Black Locust is almost a direct substitute for Brazilian Rosewood. Maple is well regarded in both Steel String and Classical guitars. Alaskan Yellow Cedar and Port Orford Cedar have been used for backs and sides as well as tops. Myrtle, Claro Walnut......there are quite a few.

bftobin wrote: ↑Wed Aug 14, 2024 11:16 pm Black Walnut comes to mind. Black Locust is almost a direct substitute for Brazilian Rosewood. Maple is well regarded in both Steel String and Classical guitars. Alaskan Yellow Cedar and Port Orford Cedar have been used for backs and sides as well as tops. Myrtle, Claro Walnut......there are quite a few.

Thank you for your reply! I actually have a classical guitar from Blues Creek w/ Maple back and sides, and it is probably my best guitar. Maple is an AMAZING tonewood!

I've built a Black Locust 000, love it. Really nice wood, somewhat crack-prone.

I have a set of Osage Orange for my next personal build. Also a really good wood.

I've built a number of Black Walnut guitars - great tonewood but I'd categorize it as more mahogany-like than rosewood-like.

Skarsaune wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2024 9:23 am I've built a Black Locust 000, love it. Really nice wood, somewhat crack-prone.

I have a set of Osage Orange for my next personal build. Also a really good wood.

I've built a number of Black Walnut guitars - great tonewood but I'd categorize it as more mahogany-like than rosewood-like.

Thanks for your reply! Black Locust and Osage Orange are on my shortlist, I hope Mr. Hall has some of those woods available.

Walnut sounds very interesting but I don't know if it will give me what I'm going for. I'm looking for a juicier, wetter sound with soft rather than cutting trebles. I feel like Walnut might give me a drier, more fundamental sound.

I like your thinking about using local woods if you can. And I agree with Skarsaune. I built an OM/000 in Black Locust and it is the best guitar I have made, including two in rosewood. It's one of the hardest North American woods, after Osage Orange and maybe Hickory, and a few smaller species. I will definitely make another. I've also made two Black Walnut guitars and they are less bright, quite warm, and similar to but I think better than mahogany. A friend has recently finished a guitar (only his second) that is almost entirely Douglas-fir - top, back and sides, and neck, and it sounds wonderful. It is not glamorous looking, but I have a lot of it in my house, and and it ages richer and darker, quite reddish. Cherry can also be good- Diane K also speaks highly of it. Bruce W.

Local woods - good choice. I've used cherry and walnut from trees in my yard and have a hornbeam (fastigiata carpinus) log and white ash logs drying that will be next. Each completed guitar has its own voice, but not much different from typical tonewoods.

I will really have to ask Mr. Hall if he has black locust, it seems to be popular!

I actually have a guitar with Cherry B&S. It is a very nice wood! It consider it to be in the Mahogany family, maybe a bit harder. It is very beautiful and has a warm tone with some overtones. For this guitar, however, I probably want another type of wood, as I already have Cherry.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but...

There's some good discussion about alternative domestic woods for back and sides, but what about tops?

I've read some about various spruce species, and red cedar for a warmer tone than spruce. Sinker redwood is crazy expensive. What other good alternative soundboard woods has anyone here used successfully?

magnolia is another