Buying an Acoustic Guitar -- Woods

Spruce

Strong and light, this is the most common top. About 90 percent of the steel-string guitars made today use spruce. It has a well-balanced tone for both low and high notes. The clear and full sound of spruce improves with age and playing.

Maple

Maple is a more expensive wood. It is hard and dense, producing exceptionally bright, crisp tone. It stands up to changes in humidity and temperature. "Figured" maple adds beauty to the guitar since the finishing process enhances patterns in the grain

Other Woods

You will also see tops made of ash, walnut, and cedar. More exotic woods featured in finer guitars are Koa (from Hawaii) and Dao (shown in the photo). These gorgeous woods produce a well-balanced, brilliant tone with sparkling highs and wonderful sustain.

Cedar

Cedar is a popular top for classical guitars. It produces lots of sustain and creates a warm, sweet sound. Its tone is slightly darker than that of spruce, with an accent on the mid-range notes. While the sound of a spruce-top guitar will mellow with age, a cedar guitar is capable of its full power immediately after construction.

Spruce

Although most popular for steel-string acoustic guitars, spruce is finding its way onto classical guitar tops. It's strong and light and has a well-balanced tone for both low and high notes. The clear and full sound of spruce improves with age and playing.