Wood Choices for the Back & Sides of a Classical Guitar
African Blackwood
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Amazon Rosewood
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American Cherry
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Black Acacia
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Bocote
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Bubinga
Figured & Quilted Bubinga
Bubinga, also known as African Rosewood, is harder and heavier than either Brazilian or Indian Rosewood. It has a medium texture with interlocking grain. It’s pinkish-mauve cast oxidizes to a nice brownish-red over time.
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Camatillo Rosewood
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Canadian Cypress
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Cocobolo
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Eastern Indian Rosewood
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Granadillo
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Honduran Rosewood
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Koa
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Lacewood
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Macassar Ebony
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Madagascar Rosewood
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Mahogany - African & Honduran
Plain, Flamed & Quilted Mahogany
Honduran Mahogany used to be exported mainly from Honduras, but now comes more often from Brazil. African Mahogany is a little heavier and finer textured than Honduran Mahogany. Mahogany is fine for guitars due to its relative low cost, ease of working and stability. Colors range from light pink to medium brown to reddish brown.
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Maple
Flamed, Bigleaf & Burl Maple
Maple is known for its figure, particularly “curly” or “flamed” wood, exhibiting the tight even curls of “fiddleback” figure, as well as “birds-eye” and “quilted” or “blister” figure. European Maple is between Rock Maple and Bigleaf in hardness, and is fine and even-textured. Bigleaf Maple is a bit coarser and harder to work. It can range in color from ivory, to pink, to tan. Quilted Maple is the hardest to obtain.
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Monterey Cypress
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Oregon Myrtle
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Ovangkol
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Padauk
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Palo Escrito
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Pau Ferro
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Spanish Cypress
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Walnut
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Wenge
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Zebrawood
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Ziricote
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See: Alternative Wood Choices for the Classical Guitar
