Both the luthier (Andy Browning) and I appreciate the beauty and value of great woodwork, especially when it comes to guitars!
From the start, Andy insisted that he would hand pick only the best wood, and I just needed to decide what I wanted to do. Deciding on a rosewood fingerboard and a maple neck was an easy decision for me, liking the combination of tone, feel, strength, and stability.
For the body, I had to put a lot more thought and debate into this. There are a number of different "tonewoods" that are known to impart a certain character to the tone of an instrument. Having the right wood can be the difference between a guitar being good, or a guitar being great. Ultimately, I decided on a mahogany body, and not the cheap so-called mahogany found in some guitars, but a good quality mahogany. Why mahogany? It is known to be very rich harmonically, have great sustain, and have a "warm" or slightly "dark" character to it. Treble and Bass frequencies are emphasized slightly, giving it a bit of a natural "scooped" sound in the mids. It sometimes is said to add a little "punch" to the tone, and in every way possible, it nicely compliments a good quality humbucking pickup.
But wait... a mahogany body still needed a little help to get the right tone. A top grade flame maple top was selected to cap the mahogany body. Maple is known for great sustain, a bright sound, and adding a little "bite" to the tone. Combined with the mahogany, a beautiful balance of full, rich, even tone can be obtained - with warmth but without being dull, bright without being harsh. And talk about sustain..........
A few pictures of the wood in the early stages is below. The maple top in particular is quite impressive. Each piece was hand-selected specifically for this project by Andy.
Next installment, we'll showcase the neck and headstock!
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| An early photo of the rosewood fingerboard |
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| Mahogany body in progress |
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| Stunning maple top |
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