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Fingerboard and bridge material: Laurel vs Rosewood vs Ovangkol


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Hi everyone,

What type of finger board and bridge material is best for acoustic steel string guitar among Rosewood, Ovangkol and Laurel? I've been looking to purchase a new guitar for some time now and finally narrowed down to three or four models. Anyway, I've noticed these three materials being used and was wondering if it really makes a difference apart from how it looks. 

Let me know what you think.

Nairon

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Hello Nairon,

Rosewood has been a standard for many years and creates a warmer sound than maple fretboards. Some rosewood species are becoming endagered and that restricts their availability. Alternatives are being tried, including the two you mention, baked maple and even manmade fingerboards such as Richlite and Micarta. Expect rare species on only top end guitars and other rosewppd species on guitars across all quality and price bands.

Ovangkol is said to be a relatove of rosewood and so will have similar properties. Given that not all species of rosewood are thought of as the pinnacle of guitar sounds, I expect ovangkol to be used on mid-range (and thus mid-priced) guitars.

Laurel fingerboards are already available on some guitars, pretty much all at the budget end of the market, so read into that what you will. I have not played a laurel fingerboard but with today's guitar-making technology even budget guitars are better made than many were 40 or more years ago. The question will be how does it contribute to the guitar's sound along with other budget-priced woods on a budget guitar, and in what condition will it be in after years of continuous use. That I am not sure.

As far as bridges go, I have to admit that I don't have any specific knowledge or experience to push you in one direction other than the harder the wood the more likely it is to get the string vibrations to the guitar top with less damping or colouration of the sound. I tend to think of ebony and rosewood but I expect I can be shown to be out-of-date as other tested and proven  woods crop up with increasing frequency.

What sort of guitar are you looking for and what sort of music do you play?

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7 hours ago, Fretless said:

Hello Nairon,

Rosewood has been a standard for many years and creates a warmer sound than maple fretboards. Some rosewood species are becoming endagered and that restricts their availability. Alternatives are being tried, including the two you mention, baked maple and even manmade fingerboards such as Richlite and Micarta. Expect rare species on only top end guitars and other rosewppd species on guitars across all quality and price bands.

Ovangkol is said to be a relatove of rosewood and so will have similar properties. Given that not all species of rosewood are thought of as the pinnacle of guitar sounds, I expect ovangkol to be used on mid-range (and thus mid-priced) guitars.

Laurel fingerboards are already available on some guitars, pretty much all at the budget end of the market, so read into that what you will. I have not played a laurel fingerboard but with today's guitar-making technology even budget guitars are better made than many were 40 or more years ago. The question will be how does it contribute to the guitar's sound along with other budget-priced woods on a budget guitar, and in what condition will it be in after years of continuous use. That I am not sure.

As far as bridges go, I have to admit that I don't have any specific knowledge or experience to push you in one direction other than the harder the wood the more likely it is to get the string vibrations to the guitar top with less damping or colouration of the sound. I tend to think of ebony and rosewood but I expect I can be shown to be out-of-date as other tested and proven  woods crop up with increasing frequency.

What sort of guitar are you looking for and what sort of music do you play?

@Fretless Thanks for taking the time to answer in so much detail. I was looking at the solid top guitars with electronics up to the 550USD mark. I'm still making my way through the L&M course and the Hits so learning different styles atm. Something versatile and good value for money. After combing through brands like Yamaha, Takamine, Guild, Breedlove, Alvarez and Ibanez (solid top Martins and Taylors were way out of range and I wasn't sure about the Martin high pressure laminate), I narrowed it down to three Takamine GN30CE, GF30CE FXC. GN51CE and one Ibanez AC340CE. 

Still on the lookout though. 

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More so with acoustics than electrics it is important to go and try these guitars before you buy because wood varies depending on the particular tree it came from and what weather that tree has had through its life.

A few years ago I wanted to buy a guitar as a gift for a great children's worker I worked with one summer. His faithful old guitar was a mess. I went to my local guitar shop and headed straight for the Yamaha and Fender acoustics. I was a bit surprised that the sound was okay but not seductive and they weren't finished or set up as I would have hoped. I started trying some others in the shop and I stumbled on a pretty unknown brand (Klema) and it was like velvet in my hands, so nicely made, so easy to play and the sound was beautiful. That was 400 euros, not a lot short of USD$500. I am not suggesting you hunt down a Klema but go into a shop with a good selection of electro-acoustic guitars and be prepared to find which guitar feels and sounds perfect for you.

And don't forget to let us all know what you get!

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On 8/3/2021 at 3:55 PM, Fretless said:

More so with acoustics than electrics it is important to go and try these guitars before you buy because wood varies depending on the particular tree it came from and what weather that tree has had through its life.

A few years ago I wanted to buy a guitar as a gift for a great children's worker I worked with one summer. His faithful old guitar was a mess. I went to my local guitar shop and headed straight for the Yamaha and Fender acoustics. I was a bit surprised that the sound was okay but not seductive and they weren't finished or set up as I would have hoped. I started trying some others in the shop and I stumbled on a pretty unknown brand (Klema) and it was like velvet in my hands, so nicely made, so easy to play and the sound was beautiful. That was 400 euros, not a lot short of USD$500. I am not suggesting you hunt down a Klema but go into a shop with a good selection of electro-acoustic guitars and be prepared to find which guitar feels and sounds perfect for you.

And don't forget to let us all know what you get!

@Fretless, I finally got the new guitar. Where I'm from I couldn't find a store with many guitars that have solid tops to choose from so I ended up eventually taking a chance on an online purchase from Sweetwater. (Excellent service, btw. loads of patience explaining and answering questions from a rookie like me).

Anyway, I bought the Takamine GN51CE, solid spruce top and walnut back and sides. To be honest I've never played a steel string apart from my Fender FA-100 so the difference in sound and playability was amazing.

The last time I felt like this, I was a child at Christmas. lol.

Nairon

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@Nairon Congratulations 🎉🎊🍾 

Enjoy your new addition to the family. 
 

Bryan

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On 10/2/2021 at 4:43 PM, Nairon said:

I bought the Takamine GN51CE, solid spruce top and walnut back and sides ... the difference in sound and playability was amazing.

That is great news, indeed! Walnut will help give each string its own clear sound so that should be more of a crisp and clear sound rather than a warm, possibly muddy sound.

For strings you might like to try and compare 3 sets: whatever you have been happy with on your Fender FA-100, a set of phospher bronze, because they are pretty mush the benchmark for acoustic guitars, and a set of silk and steel which will give a mellower sound than phosper bronze. My guess is that while the guitar is new and has a brighter natural sound, silk and steel may turn out to be your preferred choice, and then after a few years, as the wood starts maturing and mellowing (my 1997 Takamine took 9 years before I noticed the change), a move to phospher bronze might be worth trying again.

I hope that child at Christmas feeling lasts a very, very long time.

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