Sonic Sitka project ........... a fabulous idea........

Keira-WitherKay

hi guys and gals heres something i found on another US guitar site and what an awesome idea to finally get closer to separating truth
from myth re tonewoods..... and this experiment is to see how the same tonewood as in cut from same source will sound in different designs........ below is the what i was mailed re it...... can't wait to read the results

SONIC SITKA PROJECT
Luthier Denis Merrill has provided tops from one six-foot Sitka spruce log to a number of the nation’s finest guitar makers in an attempt to compare the sonic results from using the same wood in different instruments. The guitars will be displayed at the 2010 Newport Guitar Festival South Florida, April 16–18, 2010. Participating luthiers include Linda Manzer, Tom Ribbecke, Bryan Galloup, Julius Borges, Charles Fox, and many others. newportguitarfestivalmiamibeach.com

Bob-Dubery

I'll tell you right now there will be differences in those guitars. They are being made by different builders to different designs with different bracing etc. What is required to address the issue is 6 guitars that are as near as can be controlled identical EXCEPT for the tonewood EG same luthier, same body dimensions, same bracing etc etc.

I suspect this "test" is really contrived to promote the luthiers involved. There was a previous discussion on GFSA around an article "the myth of tonewood" and the more I think about it the more the point of that article really was to steer potential customers towards high-end luthiers by "proving" it was their skills and not the materials that made the difference.

Not that I wouldn't mind a Linda Mazner guitar...

Heath

i would like to see the same test with CNC bodys / necks and forth .

take the human factor / flavour out .

Bob-Dubery

I've read a bit more about this project. It seems that the sponsor, the guy who donated the tops, is actually wanting to explore the DIFFERENCES, how the different luthiers store and work with the wood, and the consequences of those differences.

Keira-WitherKay

yeah definitely a project i wanna keep my eye's on .......

Bob-Dubery

Keira WitherKay wrote: yeah definitely a project i wanna keep my eye's on .......

It'll be interesting, but it'll do nothing to prove that tonewoods do or do not make a difference.

There's some good luthiers involved and the chances are all the guitars will be fab.

Keira-WitherKay

yeah i know Bob but unfortunately i do believe there is a lot of musicians who think that prescence of a solid top or a known wood gaurentees a good sound......... this will show how the same wood can sound trebly and articulate in some builds and warm and mellow in others...... anyway it can help to explore what other factors influence the tone besides the tops........

so for example if i want a small parlour size guitar .... i do realise that i will sacrifice acoustic volume... but i would not want to sacrifice the warm tone of a classical ..and maybe this can help us realise what we need in a custom instrument to create a warmer guitar ..........

cos really Bob i been toying for ages for a custom built romantica style guitar ..... but want the warm tone that i am used to.... and just the fact that every luthier i've spoken to have told me that it's actually quite hit an miss till the guitars complete...unless you know the formula..... as in what bracing what back and sides ect ect .....they can gaurentee a well made guitar but an order ..especially a custom one ( as in it's not one of their regular builds) is a bit of a wait and see how it sounds when the strings are on .........
so very nervous to part with money on that basis..... and unfortunately no one really makes enough romantica guitars to get one 2nd hand which would be best so i can hear it first ...

i'm hoping this experiment might be quite informative with the above scenario in mind ....anyway i bet they gonna make steel string instruments and not nylons so maybe this is a moot point after all...........

Bob-Dubery

Keira WitherKay wrote: cos really Bob i been toying for ages for a custom built romantica style guitar ..... but want the warm tone that i am used to.... and just the fact that every luthier i've spoken to have told me that it's actually quite hit an miss till the guitars complete...unless you know the formula..... as in what bracing what back and sides ect ect .....they can gaurentee a well made guitar but an order ..especially a custom one ( as in it's not one of their regular builds) is a bit of a wait and see how it sounds when the strings are on .........
so very nervous to part with money on that basis..... and unfortunately no one really makes enough romantica guitars to get one 2nd hand which would be best so i can hear it first ...

Oh sure. THat's why you need to pay attention to their catalog - these are designs that are tried and tested.

George Lowden, for example, has reduced his regular line down to about 4 combinations of wood that he now trusts. If you WANT a Koa top and Mytle back and sides then I'm sure he'll do that for you, but ask yourself why he's not offering that to start off with.

At least the guys you've spoken to have been upfront about the problems. It would be worse if they said "sure no problem" with their fingers crossed behind their back.

Bob-Dubery

Keira WitherKay wrote: yeah i know Bob but unfortunately i do believe there is a lot of musicians who think that prescence of a solid top or a known wood gaurentees a good sound......... this will show how the same wood can sound trebly and articulate in some builds and warm and mellow in others...... anyway it can help to explore what other factors influence the tone besides the tops........

Well the luthier actually does have an impact too ?

In the last couple of years I've played the following high (or high-ish) end sitka and indian rosewood guitars....

Morgan OMR
Lowden O32
Martin D28
Osborne Dragonfly
Gibson... can't remember the number but it was a small jumbo (if that makes sense)
Larrivee JCL
Santa Cruz OM

And they all had differences. So clearly the wood isn't the only thing determining the tone. You can maybe make some broad general statements about the sitka/rosewood combination, but not all such guitars sound the same. I think you can say that ALL ELSE BEING EQUAL rosewood will be a little darker, mahogany a little brighter but there's a lot of factors that effect tone.

Jack-Flash-Jr

Aaaaaaah jeez. They're not going to test one of my favourite JB Hutto Montgomery Airline tone materials?