Myths and Truths
Even a guitar built with great craftsmanship can fall far short of its potential if the wood is of inferior quality or cut poorly. Guitar and instrument building has taken off in the last two decades and luthier wood supply is meeting demand. Only the best wood can build the best guitars, however, and to get the best wood possible requires careful selection by the artisan.
In order to control the quality of wood used in his guitars, Ned visits a local specialty wood supplier and spends hours carefully choosing rough hewn boards that will later be re-sawn into pieces of various sizes and thin sheets needed for guitar building. Present stock includes Indian rosewood, Honduras mahogany, figured maple, ebony, wenge, Spanish and Western red cedars, and several spruce species including local Nova Scotian FSC certified red spruce.
Although it is true that all luthiers seek wood that is at the same time beautiful and of high quality, even the most beautiful sounding wood will not yield its full strength and resonance if it is not cut well in relation to the natural grain lines. Hence, to produce a guitar superior in resonance and playability, the wood must be both carefully chosen and carefully cut by the luthier.