I am not a builder myself, although I am commissioning a flat top/back octave mandolin but I have no idea what wood I should ask for. I thought that some of you builders out there may have some more knowledge on the subject.
I am looking for wood that can produce a very loud and bright, but also rich enough to accompany singing. I don't want it to sound too "zingy" but I also don't want it to be too deep and rich to the point where it is drowned by fiddles.
I have a very large selections of woods available to use, including sitka and angelmann spruce, the usual tonewoods such as mahogany, maple and rosewood and sapele but also some more exotic woods. It is these woods that I am most interested but also cautious about.
There is zebrano, goncalo alves (I think this looks amazing),bubinga, hyedua and Australian blackwood (I am also very interested in this)
Basically, what I really want to know is, are goncalo alves and Australian blackwood (or other woods on this list) as worth buying as the much more available and standard woods above. Are they as loud (This is very important) and do they produce a tone that is comparable to a good piece of maple?
Also, one final question, what woods (Both top and back) would any of you personally recommend for lower, larger instruments, such as an octave. I really appreciate any advice. (I'm a bit lost in all of this).
Bookmarks