@@JJ-xt2dq that's what I was thinking . People be really making electrics with any material they find on earth like there are some custom guitars with acrylic body bruh
The best presentation is this one : ruclips.net/video/f40JnmAiKO8/видео.html . Listen to what the luthier says with what he would combine each wood. I don't like cedar&indian rosewood but I like cedar&pau ferro and cedar&madagascar rosewood or amazon rosewood. The sound of cedar is a bit dark, as is Indian rosewood, you need a back wood that opens up the sound. The combination of tones is the most important. The luthier prefers European spruce and redwood. I wonder why?
Lovely video, Paul! Your playing truly does justice to these beautiful guitars. Thanks again for visiting and spending time with us-we’re already looking forward to the next meeting!
Absolutely fantastic collaboration guys. So grateful to people like you that are willing to give back to the community that supports you by educating people. And you picked an amazing partner in Paul.As a consumer it's always stressful to spend what can amount to alot of dollars on anything. Information shared is something that can help with that stress. Well done & thank you both.
I’m a Martin fan, own 3 today but ever since I tried a Furch guitar in a shop in Boston some 10 years ago they have been on my mind and wish list. I’m in Iceland and nobody is selling them here. Maybe I take a trip to Czech Republic and buy one.
Adirondack. Providing it's good Adirondack. While I love a good Sitka top as much as anyone, only a small percentage of the very best Sitka tops can compare to good Adirondack. Adirondack is a very expensive upgrade, but there's a good reason for that. With frequent playing, nothing continues to sound better & better as time moves forward as well as Adirondack does. Generally speaking, it's also the loudest & most responsive of the top woods. Once it gets good & played in, an Adirondack top on a great acoustic has virtually no limits for volume & sustain. Most other tops have a limit for that. Adirondack is the reason so many of those old Martin's from the mid to late 30's have a tone, volume, and sustain that is untouchable. But there's another reason as well: the wood used in those old Martin's & Gibson acoustics came from the biggest old growth trees that is incredibly dense, and it was already at least 50 yrs old when those guitars were produced. I also really love the tone of a great cedar or redwood top.
@@howabouthetruth2157 European spruce will sound best over time, it takes a long time for the sound to open up. It is the most harmonic spruce. and is close in dynamics to Adirondack
I dont want my guitar to sound like a grand piano with ringing overtones.Thats why I LOVE ❤️ Cedar,warm throaty,even across the frequency range and controllable....GREAT VIDEO,THANKS!
The Sinker Redwood sounds best to my ears with the styles you are playing in this video. Good volume, great definition, great clarity. And it looks beautiful.
Without question, the rarest of all the tops in the comparo. Redwood trees only grow in Northern California, with slight spillage into Oregon, and a sister species in China. Finding sinker logs has got to be like panning for gold. There can only be an extremely limited amount that exist in the wild. Unlike the swamps and rivers in the southern U.S. where they still dredge up cypress that sank over a century ago, the odds of a redwood tree ending up completely submerged and remaining there for decades are one in a million. The level of difficulty in just locating and extracting them is unimaginable.
Yes, it needs to be STRINGS for Vol 4. Many of us have only 1-2 acoustic guitars, and cannot change top materials so easily! But what can we do to change our tones by using different types/brands of strings?
First 30 seconds in and I can already relate. Also... if you hold the guitar slightly tilted on your lap so the BACK is also free of touching your belly the guitar resonates even better. So both top and back are essential and holding the guitar "right" makes a difference. Jocelyn Gould mentions this while visiting the gentlemen of That Pedal Show. Be sure to check that!
This reminder about the back of the guitar touching vs. not touching you makes me wonder if the acoustic guitar designs could be further improved by "caging" up the back, top and bottom sides of the body to ensure they aren't "hugged" by the player, while playing.
I bought a Furch around 2009, in their showroom shop in a town not far from the factory. Beautiful Cedar top OM. Very nice shop. The prices back then were ridicously low for such quality guitars. Nice you visited that great company. They make beautiful guitars.
Yes I bought a cedar top in 2013 when they were relatively unknown and inexpensive in my country. You will struggle to buy a new one for under 1200 euros these days . Beautiful OM guitar though. It found me that day.
The longer I own my Taylor 314ce LTD (Red Cedar & Rosewood), the more it opens up. Paul is right, it tops out quickly in volume, but the mid-lows are becoming my favorite. I've also got a Breedlove Myrtlewood 12 that has interesting bass depth that continues to surprise me.
I still have my inexpensive Cedar topped Takamine dread. It’s about 20 years old now and is one of the most beautiful sounds I have. It’s beat up, and so now I only take it out a few times a year to play and appreciate. Looking back, it spoiled my ear. That beautiful mix of clarity, chime, and compression have set a benchmark all these years!
I love these videos, they're so helpful. The first 2 videos helped me start my search for a nice acoustic a year or two ago. My only critique is that I think a mahogany top really should have been part of the comparison because all mahogany small body guitars do something pretty special.
Absolutely! I loved your earlier guitar 'shape' video, and immediately went out and bought a Parlour, which has since become one of my favourite acoustics - thanks Paul!
Digging the sinker redwood! It combines the brightness and loudness in the spruce with the warmth of cedar. No tinny sound. You get clear notes on fingerpicking and warm bright sounding chords.
By far it had the most even tone quality from low to high, and it's a very rich tone quality. I don't know what kind of pick he was using, but that guitar using a metal pick would sound simply incredible.
As a naylon string classical player, I always reach out for cedar top guitars. Maybe its not as loud and dynamic as spruce but always resonates the same way even if you practicing silently at night. And for me the most important thing about a guitar is how much fun it makes practicing.
This has been a super useful video, thanks Paul. We are a Furch family here, wife, uncle and I have them and they are just incredible. I was looking to buy another and this has really helped.
A wonderful video - superbly researched and presented, so many thanks! I studied wood science many years ago and my honours project was on the dynamic response of tonewoods in guitar construction and one important characteristic of tonewoods is that final selection must consider that "there is likely to be as much variation whithin a species of wood as there is between species"
a local music shop stocks furch and i got my hands on a couple last year and for the price (£300 ish) they are really very good quality, the finish is terrific.
scale length might be cool. Also, breedlove makes an affordable cedar top concertina that connects at the 12th fret, has a cutaway, and the longer fender scale. I just love that funky combination. The geometry just works for long sessions of playing, and the fretboard is never very far from your face which makes it so much more comfortable to explore.
I have both cedar and sitka top guitars. I just love how the cedar reaches its limit on dynamic range. It gives that punchy feeling without the effort.
I've had a Seagull S6 with a cedar top for 20 years. I never thought of the range that way, but I love the tone, the lack of harsh top end and the smooth low mids. My choice for slamming chords in a country rock song, because my vocals don't have to compete with the guitar nearly as much as a spruce top.
@@bernie_smith what makes? didn't know so many brands even made cedar tops. I'd love to get a cedar Orangewood but they only use it for their nylon string guitars.
@@joeldcanfield_spinheadMy first cedar top was a Takamine NP15 that I purchased in the late 80s. Then I got a Taylor 714ce in 2001, then an amazing Manzer and finally a Ken Nicol signature Fylde. I believe that model of Fylde is still the highest scoring acoustic ever reviewed in Acoustic magazine. Fylde Guitars used to be made very near to me before Roger moved his workshop to Penrith in the UK. Happy playing!
Lovely video! I've always been a Sitka player, but now the Hawaiian intrigues me. It has such a lovely round tone, perfect for accompanying subtle vocalists.
I'd love to see a video with "identical" guitars with various spruce tops. Engelmann, Sitka, Alpine, Adirondack, and German. Maybe Sitka with Sitka vs. Adirondack bracing, Forward vs. standard bracing, etc. Does bear claw affect the tone as much as it makes the wood beautiful? And yes, prove to everyone else that uncoated D'Addario phosphor-bronze medium gauge strings are superior to all others for tone :)
Nicely done Paul. Redwood is my favorite species to build with because its voice closely resembles the articulation of Cedar, but with a dynamic range similar to Sitka…so it sounds wonderful under a light touch as well as a heavy one. I’d suggest that for your next video in the series, you might look at the different approaches to bracing the soundboard. The standard for many years has been the traditional Martin X-bracing pattern…but there are many modern luthiers like me, who are venturing outside of the box and experimenting with unique bracing designs.
Great comparison! Cedar has been among my favorite top woods for a long time. I went shopping for an inexpensive campfire guitar years ago and landed on an entry-level Seagull. It sounded so good that it quickly got promoted from campfire guitar to one I played alongside my solid wood Martins! That made me think I was a huge fan of Seagull's tone, and over the years I've owned a few all-solid models from their Maritime SWS and Artist lines, but none of them quite captivated me like the cheap one did. Turns out all that incredible magic was in the cedar! Now a cedar-topped all solid wood acoustic is one of my must-have future guitar purchases.
Same for me. Got a cheap Art & Lutherie Ami parlor with cedar top. I play it more than my Atkin! Haha 😂 cedar is the only top wood that works well with my extra light .10 gauge strings. It’s very responsive
Sounds are like flavors for the ears, different "ingredients" or even different "strains" of similar ingredients activating the "tastebuds" in dramatic or subtly different ways. Excellent video.
I am happy to be able to say that I own a Furch by myself. And I remember the day in my guitar shop, trying out various accoustic guitars and then they handed me over one with a cedar top. I immediately fell in love and to this day consider it the best accoustic guitar I will ever have and play What a sound and what a difference - at least for my ears !
Koa has always been my preferred wood. It has a balanced clarity that I prefer and the visual look is unparalleled. Playing for an audience with a Koa guitar always gets a more positive response.
This whole series is so valuable. Thanks! It's nice to now understand why I chose sitka for my dreadnought and cedar for my classical decades ago when I didn't know anything except which guitar impressed me the most in the store when I tried them. I expect my next acoustic guitar will be carbon fiber. Not only because it is a different sound than my other guitars, but also because I'm intrigued by the ideal of a guitar made out of such a different material.
If you chose European spruce for your classical guitar you would be much happier now. European spruce after 20 years is much better. Cedar doesn't sound bad but it doesn't get better after playing with it for years. On the contrary, if you don't take care of cedar, microcracks will appear and it will sound worse and worse
What a great comparison test if all these beautiful woods. My favorite guitar that I owned was a Lowden jumbo Cedar top Walnut back and sides; it was the most balanced guitar that was the perfect recording live in studio experience I have ever had. I’ve owned Taylor guitars and Guilds; all with different tone woods. I think it’s definitely how those instruments resonate against one’s body that helps us all fall a little more in love with them. Thank you for doing an excellent job and beautifully produced video. I’ll be researching the Furch guitars now!!! Because as you know, one can never have enough guitars!
Excellent job showcasing the tonal differences of each material! As for part 4, I spent a TON of time looking for a good string comparison video a few years back, and only found one or two that truly explored it well. I would love to see one here that delved into not only gauge and brand, but coated vs uncoated, material, and how they fare with different playing styles! Maybe even compare them on different guitar sizes and/or materials?
Got my first furch recently, i have a feeling with the help of this video they are going to get much more well deserved attention. Incredible instruments
Found this quite interesting and informative. The differences are there though, as you pointed out, subtle at first listen and then grow with time. 👏👏👏 BTW, a string comparison video would be great!
It's amazing the more I dig into guitar constructions, the more I'm surprised by how much the sound is affected by it. The other day I was watching how the neck of an stratocaster modifies the sound of the instrument and I was fascinated. Thanks for this video Paul!
Hi Paul, thank you for the clear A to B comparison of the different top-woods. What intriges me is the distinct sound that the different guitar brands create. When you hear a Martin - you know it is a Martin - from the more affordable models to the very high end D45's.. Gibson does the same thing to tune their guitars to a certain sound that nobody seems to copy. What is the secret to build an authentic sounding guitar?
Great comparison video, as usual, Paul. A couple of thoughts here. I would have liked to have a mahogany top included. Loved the sparkle of the Koa in this comparison. Going forward, perhaps a comparison of various spruce tops (Adirondack, Sitka, Engelmann, White, European). Strings would make for a great comparison as well. I find that different string materials go with different tone woods. For example, I love Kovar strings on an all Mahogany guitar.
Thank you very much for this video and the whole series, which is, in my opinion, your best. And as a Czech, I am proud that you chose excelent Furch guitars.
Recently signed up to your beginner course, and it's really great, well thought out, put together and with respect to the paying student with downloads etc. After several years of wanting to, I finally bought last month, the Furch Red Master's Choice (I had someone to play for me, and I could just close my eyes and listen). I found that it sounded even better than the stunning Bevel Duo Red Delux, with a fuller, richer sound. Oh, many may disagree with spending €3,500 on a first guitar. But there are big reasons why my choice is ideal. 1. You love the learning process, the journey, because even the most simple tune or chord progression sounds absolutely wonderful. This adds motivation and excitement for the next practice. If you're not engaged in the journey, you will quit. 2. I'm not a teenager or 20 something who jumps from experience to experience. I know what I want. I have finally set myself to learn guitar and I'm going to enjoy it. 3. 'IF' I should quit playing, though I don't forsee that and have no intention of song so; when I set my mind to something, I continue.. but.. if I should sell my guitar, I will get back almost everything that I paid for it.
That koa guitar sound!!! Made me feel a kind of way. I have had one in my sights but was unsure until now. Thank you for the amazing videos and the info.
Get it! I got the Taylor full Koa 723ce for my wife and I w/ wedding gift $. It’s by far the most beautiful looking and sounding acoustic I’ve ever experienced
Just got my hands on a PS24ce. Played hundreds of guitars in my life, even a D200, and this one is absolutely priceless and untouchable. Master grade koa is truly in its own class. If you’ve got the money… i HIGHLY… HIGHLY RECOMMEND grabbing one while there are still a few available. It’s a crown jewel you’ll cherish forever and you’ll almost certainly never have an itch to buy another guitar again.
This video came right on time, as I had an appointment for buying a new guitar. And indeed loved the sound of a cedar one in real life too, better than the others I tried, plus it also felt the best playing it. So very happy with my new guitar.
Great video Paul! Trees make a tone of difference, especially when you find a piece which has been ageing for years. My dad has built a few guitars and one of them has a top which is about 55 years old and has matured really well. Even when I’m talking loudly in the room, I can hear the guitar echoing. Here are the specs of the second guitar he made for me. Hand made Acoustic Guitar Based on C f Martin plans Orchestra model 00028 EC AAA Exotic African Ebony Back and Sides AAAA Acoustic Engelmann Soundboard Leopard Ebony Fingerboard Ziricote Bookmatched Headplate African Ebony bridge African mahogany Neck Décor : New Zealand Paua Abalone Australian white mother of pearl I wish it was possible for someone like you to demonstrate the masterpiece my dad made. Working with ebony is hard and risky, but he took his time to make sure bending was gradual. Overall costs 1000€ including woods, layering.
Cedar, as the topwood, was first discovered by Jose Ramirez, of famed Ramirez Guitars in Madrid, in 1963. The apprentice was sent to buy a shipment of wood, buy the young one mistook cedar for sitka, and bought a lot of cedar. However, it turned out the wood was magnificent, and ever since guitar world is using it.
That story is not true. Ramirez is Spanish and has plenty of access to norway spruce/alpine spruce so there's no need for them to use second grade tonewood like sitka. Besides, Spanish cedar (which btw is a completely different kind of wood than North American cedar - the two tree species aren't even closely related or similar) has been used for European made guitars for ages and have always been favoured by flamenco guitarists. But it did gain popularity during the 1960s when Segovia started performing on a cedar top Ramirez, you got that right at least.
@@tessjuel That story was told by Ramirez III himself and recently repeated by his family. And it is true. There is a video on their RUclips channel about it. The first guitar with cedar top is displayed in Ramirez shop, and shown in the video. (As for the spruce, I wrote sitka above, but meant spruce, my bad. )
Top notch comparison, Paul! Set up really thorough with similar guitars, mic positioning, tunes etc. and also edited so one can grasp the differences quickly without unnecessary fluff. Maybe you being underwhelmed had to do with all the preparation work so you wanted the difference to be extra huge. To me it was standing out immediately, though. Only thing I was missing was a mahogany top, I really like those on e.g. the GS mini. For me the most tempting option to spruce would be the sinker redwood, really loved it. Maybe string gauge next time? Since fretboards are a non-topic with acoustics, wondering why no one makes them with maple, maybe too bright for an acoustic? Anyway, great work!
The generalizations that I've developed through experience are: If you play with picks or with a heavy hand, go with Spruce or Mahogany. If you play fingerstyle (no picks) or with a light touch, seek out a Cedar-topped guitar. Cedar allows you to have "meat" on the note, even when playing lightly with fingernails. Sinker Redwood, Rosewood, and to a lesser extent, Koa are uncommon enough to be essentially irrelevant for generalizations. All of this is moot if you use one of those infernal piezo pickups, however; they will all sound terrible.
Lovely video, Paul and the descriptions by Petr of the different wood characteristics were very refreshing. I own a beautiful Lowden O32 which I bought new in late 2001; it's amazing how much the Sitka top has darkened over the years, to resemble Cedar. Similar to your video, I played 4 guitars in the shop, chose 1, then went home. I returned the following day, played the 4 again, and again choose the same one. 23 years later it plays and sounds better than ever, and remains my single best purchase in 40 years of playing music. 🙂
New guitars that haven't been broken in will hide some of the differences that should get more pronounced as they are played. There is quite a tonal difference that can happen between a new guitar and one that is played every day for a few months. I'd consider remaking a similar video after the guitars are more broken in.
Would also be interesting to do a «twin comparison» of guitars that are as similar as possible, where one is unused (in the same room/humidity conditions) and one that is being played. Could also be done with triplets++ in various amounts of playing
Yeah agree would love to see this repeated five years in the future. I have a takamine that I bought in the early 90’s. Nothing fancy but I have several friends that would buy it straight away if I was to sell it. It just gets better every decade
When you asked the question on what to cover next in this series I immediately thought strings even before you mentioned it. I've recently bought a new guitar and I am experimenting with what kind of strings I like best on it, and read quite a bit about the subject. And there is so much choice it's overwhelming (gauges, different tensions, differen cores, alloys, coated vs non coated etc.). I'd love to see your take on the subject. Btw, you got me into Travis picking and I'm loving the Acoustic Adventure course, thanks very much!
Thank you so much for taking the time and work to put this video together. I am a big fan of Furch guitars and the best way to hear the different in guitar tops, custom made by the best guitar company in the world.
i have had about 60 guitars since 2013 and my current line up is a 66 j45, a 69 epi texan, a maton ebg808TE and a larrivee OMO3Z - and they all sound the same cos my nails are like steel (fingerstyle) comparison videos i've made all sound pretty much the same....
The problem with statements like this is that the player is never the variable. At least, not when buying a guitar for yourself. But of course, if you play ugly stuff, it'll sound ugly.
Interesting comparison, last comparison with strumming, the differences are subtle. But on picking parts you can hear the differences. Sitka seems like the most versatile, it does everything great. Cedar however sounds so good - intimate, warm and nuanced.
Many years ago I bought a custom Martin 00- 12fret with Engleman spruce. I played the snot out of it with a pick and it always sounded ‘overdriven’ like your cedar guitar. I later learned engleman is a finger style wood but I was a flat picker so I sold it. The prettiest guitar I ever owned. Steve Miller Koa model.
I love this video. I have been playing Furch D40 for 17 years, and still love it. Legendary. Always on elixir by the way. Furch is one of best gitar brands of the world. They make instruments with passion. Thank You Paul for Your passion and every video.
This is a super valuable video and a summary. The video is so good that I hope it’s an ad and will support you as a creator. I really hope Furch at least paid for these guitars.
Excellent video Paul! I've been "playing" for many years, and I've always wanted to hear this. Perfect timing as I'm in the market for another acoustic!
This is a beautiful comparison. Your playing style is perfect to show off the tonal properties of each guitar. My wife might be mad at you because now I am on a guitar hunt again😂. Thank you for the amazing video.
Beautifully thought out and demonstrated. Thank you. When each of the five guitars sound very, very good, another thing it shows us is that for most people, the wood choice is not nearly as critical a choice and the builder or brand. I could probably fall in love with any of those guitars and write beautiful songs on them all.
Great video! Doing one on strings would probably be beneficial to a lot of people as well. A lot of people don't realize that not all 80/20 strings or all phosphor bronze strings sound the same either, for example D'Addario phosphor bronze strings are much brighter than virtually any others.
As a recently retired acoustic engineer and algorithm developer, I would have loved to have made some objective measurements on these guitars. In addition, I think a very interesting question to investigate is the effects of the thickness of the top. Rosewood, for example is both dense and strong so the thickness of the top could probably be safely reduced which would increase the responsiveness of the guitar. Also, I would love to investigate what causes the compression of the sound. If this actually is a thing, it implies nonlinear elastic behavior with maybe a little nonlinear plastic behavior happening on a microscopic level (perhaps explaining break in).
Very good work, Paul. And thank you very much to Furch guitars. My opinion is that spruce is the best. Attack, overtones, frequency response, spruce is the winner.
Your study of the technology that goes into acoustic guitar, really wonderful. My friends ask me about why musicians changed guitars during a set. And that is a " going down the rabbit hole " question for me. Perhaps the tuning, or feel,or dynamics. Some people will write a song and the instrument is chosen because it is "just right".
This is such a great demo. I’ve got a few master class tier guitars and hearing the difference between a quilted maple back and sides with Sitka top and a koa back and sides with a red cedar top are crazy. Such a great studio pair as they are so opposite sonically
So many years ago, I trusted you for standards of measurement. I have always been rewarded to find the very best from your work David. From 9 to 71, all the years I've loved the acoustic instruments. Now with an opportunity to hear your take on strings impacting tonal qualities... frankly I'm excited for the next in this series. That which comprises what we would call simply "you" is needed. Humble thanks from an old player!
Great video. I'm a Walnut and Koa fan. I've got several walnut and koa guitars, both electric and acoustic. I recently got a Furch rainbow with koa top and cocobolo back and sides. It's magical.
I absolutely love this series Paul! I’ve wished and waited for someone to make these direct comparisons for so long, and you delivered. The strings comparison would be awesome. You made a string shootout video for electric guitar strings a while ago. I’d love for you to make a similar one but for acoustic strings.
There have been discussions and demonstrations about the different woods to make guitars. Not sure I’ve seen an in depth analysis of the difference woods for the top of the guitar with tonal changes. Excellent video sir.
Listening to them on RUclips through my iPad, I’m sure I’m not getting a “real” tonal deliverance from the instruments, but the Koa sounds best to me. I played a Koa top Taylor once in a guitar shop and the sound blew my mind!
Hello Paul, I watch so many of your videos, for years now. Thanks so much, to all youtubers offering content about guitar, and special thanks to you. Your videos are really well made and so interesting each time. That one helped me to know more my guitars, i've bought about 20 years ago now ! As a young beginner (compared to the old beginner I am now ), I didn't know anything, so I picked my very first one just because it looked great to me, and the price was OK for me 😂 It is a Takamine GS-330S, and i've always thought that it sounded different, compared to my friends guitars. Now I have the explanation, as it's a Cedar top. I've watched your video maybe 4 or 5 times since yesterday evening ! I do love both Koa and Sinker Koa ! Tips to watch this video : do it with a headset. And if you want to have some fun, keep your eyes closed and try to guess.
For this series, I would like to see a video about the voicings of the guitars. Maybe comparing a luthier's handmade top with a factory-built one. And also the setup of the guitar. I think those things feature more of a difference than the material being used. Great serie! I love this vids.
Back in the early days, I thought jumbo guitars had a better projection and more deeper tones. I often wondered why musicians changed guitars especially acoustic, now I understand. Thank You.
I appreciate your scientific approach to the topic of guitar Woods. The only way to make a fair comparison is by comparing guitars that arr identical except for the characteristic that you are testing (top wood in this case).
Though there were distinctive differences in tone and volume between the tops, they were more similar than I expected. Kudos to the Luthier and Paul for this very interesting comparison and video.
This is the best comparison of tone wood I've seen. Thank you for posting.
Tone wood only matters in electric guitars not acoustic guitars 😂
@@IsakuItou did someone not watch the video...?
@@IsakuItouyou mean the opposite right?
@@JJ-xt2dq that's what I was thinking . People be really making electrics with any material they find on earth like there are some custom guitars with acrylic body bruh
The best presentation is this one : ruclips.net/video/f40JnmAiKO8/видео.html . Listen to what the luthier says with what he would combine each wood. I don't like cedar&indian rosewood but I like cedar&pau ferro and cedar&madagascar rosewood or amazon rosewood. The sound of cedar is a bit dark, as is Indian rosewood, you need a back wood that opens up the sound. The combination of tones is the most important. The luthier prefers European spruce and redwood. I wonder why?
Lovely video, Paul! Your playing truly does justice to these beautiful guitars. Thanks again for visiting and spending time with us-we’re already looking forward to the next meeting!
Absolutely fantastic collaboration guys. So grateful to people like you that are willing to give back to the community that supports you by educating people. And you picked an amazing partner in Paul.As a consumer it's always stressful to spend what can amount to alot of dollars on anything. Information shared is something that can help with that stress. Well done & thank you both.
This is amazing guys. Quick question. Is Koa similar sounding to Mahagony?
I’m a Martin fan, own 3 today but ever since I tried a Furch guitar in a shop in Boston some 10 years ago they have been on my mind and wish list. I’m in Iceland and nobody is selling them here. Maybe I take a trip to Czech Republic and buy one.
Thank you for your part in helping Paul create this video. I can imagine the time it took, and I see you 🎶🖐🏼🎶
Paul could make a cardboard box sound great.
The only additions for your comparison I might suggest, would be a mahogany top and a walnut top.
Indeed. I've not heard walnut, but my mahogany Orangewood sounded round and full, nice bottom end for a 3/4 size
I would also suggest Adirondack.
Adirondack. Providing it's good Adirondack. While I love a good Sitka top as much as anyone, only a small percentage of the very best Sitka tops can compare to good Adirondack. Adirondack is a very expensive upgrade, but there's a good reason for that. With frequent playing, nothing continues to sound better & better as time moves forward as well as Adirondack does. Generally speaking, it's also the loudest & most responsive of the top woods. Once it gets good & played in, an Adirondack top on a great acoustic has virtually no limits for volume & sustain. Most other tops have a limit for that. Adirondack is the reason so many of those old Martin's from the mid to late 30's have a tone, volume, and sustain that is untouchable. But there's another reason as well: the wood used in those old Martin's & Gibson acoustics came from the biggest old growth trees that is incredibly dense, and it was already at least 50 yrs old when those guitars were produced. I also really love the tone of a great cedar or redwood top.
There's also koa, mango wood, maple wood😊
@@howabouthetruth2157 European spruce will sound best over time, it takes a long time for the sound to open up. It is the most harmonic spruce. and is close in dynamics to Adirondack
I dont want my guitar to sound like a grand piano with ringing overtones.Thats why I LOVE ❤️ Cedar,warm throaty,even across the frequency range and controllable....GREAT VIDEO,THANKS!
The Sinker Redwood sounds best to my ears with the styles you are playing in this video. Good volume, great definition, great clarity. And it looks beautiful.
Agreed. Very pleasant sound and I think it would make a great studio guitar
Second to that!
Same here!
Without question, the rarest of all the tops in the comparo. Redwood trees only grow in Northern California, with slight spillage into Oregon, and a sister species in China. Finding sinker logs has got to be like panning for gold. There can only be an extremely limited amount that exist in the wild. Unlike the swamps and rivers in the southern U.S. where they still dredge up cypress that sank over a century ago, the odds of a redwood tree ending up completely submerged and remaining there for decades are one in a million. The level of difficulty in just locating and extracting them is unimaginable.
Loved that Sinker...really stood out as the most interesting
Yes, it needs to be STRINGS for Vol 4. Many of us have only 1-2 acoustic guitars, and cannot change top materials so easily! But what can we do to change our tones by using different types/brands of strings?
the gauge of the strings matters A LOT
First 30 seconds in and I can already relate. Also... if you hold the guitar slightly tilted on your lap so the BACK is also free of touching your belly the guitar resonates even better. So both top and back are essential and holding the guitar "right" makes a difference. Jocelyn Gould mentions this while visiting the gentlemen of That Pedal Show. Be sure to check that!
This reminder about the back of the guitar touching vs. not touching you makes me wonder if the acoustic guitar designs could be further improved by "caging" up the back, top and bottom sides of the body to ensure they aren't "hugged" by the player, while playing.
my guess would be that that limits the volume and for that reason the sound wouldn't benefit. But that's just an uniformed opinion@@ccelik97
Feeling the resonance of the guitar on my belly is my favorite part of playing acoustic 😆
Ovation guitars proved decades ago that the top & it's bracing is the most important piece of any acoustic guitar.
I bought a Furch around 2009, in their showroom shop in a town not far from the factory. Beautiful Cedar top OM. Very nice shop. The prices back then were ridicously low for such quality guitars. Nice you visited that great company. They make beautiful guitars.
Yes I bought a cedar top in 2013 when they were relatively unknown and inexpensive in my country. You will struggle to buy a new one for under 1200 euros these days . Beautiful OM guitar though. It found me that day.
@taproot381 my middle class OM model was around 950 that time. Almost hard to believe nowadays😂
I bought a Sitka grand auditorium in that same shop in 2008, was a steal!
Cedar is easily my favorite top wood. In college i had a cheap takamine dread with a cedar top and im still chasing that sound.
Cedar surprised me massively!
The longer I own my Taylor 314ce LTD (Red Cedar & Rosewood), the more it opens up. Paul is right, it tops out quickly in volume, but the mid-lows are becoming my favorite. I've also got a Breedlove Myrtlewood 12 that has interesting bass depth that continues to surprise me.
Only problem with cedar tops is how easy they ding. My old takamine santa fe has a beautiful cedar top, full of dings!!
I still have my inexpensive Cedar topped Takamine dread. It’s about 20 years old now and is one of the most beautiful sounds I have. It’s beat up, and so now I only take it out a few times a year to play and appreciate.
Looking back, it spoiled my ear. That beautiful mix of clarity, chime, and compression have set a benchmark all these years!
Ironically I ordered a cedar topped rosewood b&s flamenco guitar this morning from Spain.
After watching this I’d suggest the most important consideration is the player themself! You make them all sound amazing.
Oh my Gosh! The mids and bass with cedar are soooo freaking beautiful!
I love these videos, they're so helpful. The first 2 videos helped me start my search for a nice acoustic a year or two ago. My only critique is that I think a mahogany top really should have been part of the comparison because all mahogany small body guitars do something pretty special.
Absolutely! I loved your earlier guitar 'shape' video, and immediately went out and bought a Parlour, which has since become one of my favourite acoustics - thanks Paul!
Digging the sinker redwood! It combines the brightness and loudness in the spruce with the warmth of cedar. No tinny sound. You get clear notes on fingerpicking and warm bright sounding chords.
By far it had the most even tone quality from low to high, and it's a very rich tone quality. I don't know what kind of pick he was using, but that guitar using a metal pick would sound simply incredible.
Cedar it is! Sounds so warm and harmonious...
As a naylon string classical player, I always reach out for cedar top guitars. Maybe its not as loud and dynamic as spruce but always resonates the same way even if you practicing silently at night. And for me the most important thing about a guitar is how much fun it makes practicing.
This has been a super useful video, thanks Paul. We are a Furch family here, wife, uncle and I have them and they are just incredible. I was looking to buy another and this has really helped.
A wonderful video - superbly researched and presented, so many thanks! I studied wood science many years ago and my honours project was on the dynamic response of tonewoods in guitar construction and one important characteristic of tonewoods is that final selection must consider that "there is likely to be as much variation whithin a species of wood as there is between species"
This is so informative!! Especially, when you want to buy a new guitar. Thank you Paul🙏🏼
a local music shop stocks furch and i got my hands on a couple last year and for the price (£300 ish) they are really very good quality, the finish is terrific.
This is the best comparison video I’ve ever seen!!! Love Furch guitars too!! Thanks for posting this!!
scale length might be cool. Also, breedlove makes an affordable cedar top concertina that connects at the 12th fret, has a cutaway, and the longer fender scale. I just love that funky combination. The geometry just works for long sessions of playing, and the fretboard is never very far from your face which makes it so much more comfortable to explore.
I have both cedar and sitka top guitars. I just love how the cedar reaches its limit on dynamic range. It gives that punchy feeling without the effort.
I've had a Seagull S6 with a cedar top for 20 years. I never thought of the range that way, but I love the tone, the lack of harsh top end and the smooth low mids. My choice for slamming chords in a country rock song, because my vocals don't have to compete with the guitar nearly as much as a spruce top.
Nearly all my acoustics are cedar. I don't go looking for cedar but it just ends up that way.
@@bernie_smith what makes? didn't know so many brands even made cedar tops.
I'd love to get a cedar Orangewood but they only use it for their nylon string guitars.
@@joeldcanfield_spinheadMy first cedar top was a Takamine NP15 that I purchased in the late 80s. Then I got a Taylor 714ce in 2001, then an amazing Manzer and finally a Ken Nicol signature Fylde. I believe that model of Fylde is still the highest scoring acoustic ever reviewed in Acoustic magazine. Fylde Guitars used to be made very near to me before Roger moved his workshop to Penrith in the UK. Happy playing!
@@bernie_smith Most of my cars have cost less than a Fylde. What a gem.
When i bought my first guitar, i just feel the sound. I didn't know there are so many types of wood used. Thanks man, these are good information.
Lovely video! I've always been a Sitka player, but now the Hawaiian intrigues me. It has such a lovely round tone, perfect for accompanying subtle vocalists.
I'd love to see a video with "identical" guitars with various spruce tops. Engelmann, Sitka, Alpine, Adirondack, and German. Maybe Sitka with Sitka vs. Adirondack bracing, Forward vs. standard bracing, etc. Does bear claw affect the tone as much as it makes the wood beautiful? And yes, prove to everyone else that uncoated D'Addario phosphor-bronze medium gauge strings are superior to all others for tone :)
I love Engelman so so much.
The Alvarez channel did this with at least 3 types of spruce.
Alpin=German. Carpathian (Romanian) is a little different.
@@erou_al_munciisocialiste7665 Italian Alpine spruce is different than German spruce, both in color, grain, and tone
Very good comparison. My favorite is the Koa. The video and sound quality are top-notch as usual.
Nicely done Paul. Redwood is my favorite species to build with because its voice closely resembles the articulation of Cedar, but with a dynamic range similar to Sitka…so it sounds wonderful under a light touch as well as a heavy one.
I’d suggest that for your next video in the series, you might look at the different approaches to bracing the soundboard. The standard for many years has been the traditional Martin X-bracing pattern…but there are many modern luthiers like me, who are venturing outside of the box and experimenting with unique bracing designs.
Great comparison! Cedar has been among my favorite top woods for a long time. I went shopping for an inexpensive campfire guitar years ago and landed on an entry-level Seagull. It sounded so good that it quickly got promoted from campfire guitar to one I played alongside my solid wood Martins! That made me think I was a huge fan of Seagull's tone, and over the years I've owned a few all-solid models from their Maritime SWS and Artist lines, but none of them quite captivated me like the cheap one did. Turns out all that incredible magic was in the cedar! Now a cedar-topped all solid wood acoustic is one of my must-have future guitar purchases.
Same for me. Got a cheap Art & Lutherie Ami parlor with cedar top. I play it more than my Atkin! Haha 😂 cedar is the only top wood that works well with my extra light .10 gauge strings. It’s very responsive
Sounds are like flavors for the ears, different "ingredients" or even different "strains" of similar ingredients activating the "tastebuds" in dramatic or subtly different ways. Excellent video.
I am happy to be able to say that I own a Furch by myself. And I remember the day in my guitar shop, trying out various accoustic guitars and then they handed me over one with a cedar top. I immediately fell in love and to this day consider it the best accoustic guitar I will ever have and play What a sound and what a difference - at least for my ears !
I own a Sitka-Walnut guitar from Furch and it’s so good!!!
Koa has always been my preferred wood. It has a balanced clarity that I prefer and the visual look is unparalleled. Playing for an audience with a Koa guitar always gets a more positive response.
Cedar for delicate fingerpicking and light strumming, spruce for flatpicking and heavier strumming
@@paperwings8673 agree
This whole series is so valuable. Thanks! It's nice to now understand why I chose sitka for my dreadnought and cedar for my classical decades ago when I didn't know anything except which guitar impressed me the most in the store when I tried them. I expect my next acoustic guitar will be carbon fiber. Not only because it is a different sound than my other guitars, but also because I'm intrigued by the ideal of a guitar made out of such a different material.
If you chose European spruce for your classical guitar you would be much happier now. European spruce after 20 years is much better. Cedar doesn't sound bad but it doesn't get better after playing with it for years. On the contrary, if you don't take care of cedar, microcracks will appear and it will sound worse and worse
Cedar is my vote, the end.
What a great comparison test if all these beautiful woods. My favorite guitar that I owned was a Lowden jumbo Cedar top Walnut back and sides; it was the most balanced guitar that was the perfect recording live in studio experience I have ever had. I’ve owned Taylor guitars and Guilds; all with different tone woods. I think it’s definitely how those instruments resonate against one’s body that helps us all fall a little more in love with them. Thank you for doing an excellent job and beautifully produced video. I’ll be researching the Furch guitars now!!! Because as you know, one can never have enough guitars!
Im getting a sinker / Brazilian rosewood jumbo built + an Adirondack/ black n white ebony jumbo. Love those woods. This video was super interesting
Excellent job showcasing the tonal differences of each material!
As for part 4, I spent a TON of time looking for a good string comparison video a few years back, and only found one or two that truly explored it well. I would love to see one here that delved into not only gauge and brand, but coated vs uncoated, material, and how they fare with different playing styles! Maybe even compare them on different guitar sizes and/or materials?
You’re telling me Koa gets even better than that?! That was the most beautiful sound out of all of them to begin with haha.
Got my first furch recently, i have a feeling with the help of this video they are going to get much more well deserved attention. Incredible instruments
Furch all the way, amazing guitars!
Found this quite interesting and informative. The differences are there though, as you pointed out, subtle at first listen and then grow with time. 👏👏👏
BTW, a string comparison video would be great!
It's amazing the more I dig into guitar constructions, the more I'm surprised by how much the sound is affected by it. The other day I was watching how the neck of an stratocaster modifies the sound of the instrument and I was fascinated. Thanks for this video Paul!
Hi Paul, thank you for the clear A to B comparison of the different top-woods. What intriges me is the distinct sound that the different guitar brands create. When you hear a Martin - you know it is a Martin - from the more affordable models to the very high end D45's.. Gibson does the same thing to tune their guitars to a certain sound that nobody seems to copy. What is the secret to build an authentic sounding guitar?
So hard to find the right acoustic when there are so many lovely options. Really gotta find it for yourself with your own ears but this video helps!
Great guitairs and on top from my home country. Definetely wanna buy one, one day... Thanks Paul.
Great video! The tone woods comparison is well done and your playing is fantastic. Excited for more content like this! Keep it up!
Great comparison video, as usual, Paul. A couple of thoughts here. I would have liked to have a mahogany top included. Loved the sparkle of the Koa in this comparison. Going forward, perhaps a comparison of various spruce tops (Adirondack, Sitka, Engelmann, White, European). Strings would make for a great comparison as well. I find that different string materials go with different tone woods. For example, I love Kovar strings on an all Mahogany guitar.
My Martin 000-15M, full solid mahogany sounds so beautiful.
Thank you very much for this video and the whole series, which is, in my opinion, your best. And as a Czech, I am proud that you chose excelent Furch guitars.
Paul you're my role model !!! Love these kinds of imformative videos ! THANK YOU❤
Recently signed up to your beginner course, and it's really great, well thought out, put together and with respect to the paying student with downloads etc.
After several years of wanting to, I finally bought last month, the Furch Red Master's Choice (I had someone to play for me, and I could just close my eyes and listen). I found that it sounded even better than the stunning Bevel Duo Red Delux, with a fuller, richer sound.
Oh, many may disagree with spending €3,500 on a first guitar. But there are big reasons why my choice is ideal.
1. You love the learning process, the journey, because even the most simple tune or chord progression sounds absolutely wonderful. This adds motivation and excitement for the next practice. If you're not engaged in the journey, you will quit.
2. I'm not a teenager or 20 something who jumps from experience to experience. I know what I want. I have finally set myself to learn guitar and I'm going to enjoy it.
3. 'IF' I should quit playing, though I don't forsee that and have no intention of song so; when I set my mind to something, I continue.. but.. if I should sell my guitar, I will get back almost everything that I paid for it.
That koa guitar sound!!! Made me feel a kind of way. I have had one in my sights but was unsure until now. Thank you for the amazing videos and the info.
Get it! I got the Taylor full Koa 723ce for my wife and I w/ wedding gift $. It’s by far the most beautiful looking and sounding acoustic I’ve ever experienced
Just got my hands on a PS24ce. Played hundreds of guitars in my life, even a D200, and this one is absolutely priceless and untouchable. Master grade koa is truly in its own class. If you’ve got the money… i HIGHLY… HIGHLY RECOMMEND grabbing one while there are still a few available. It’s a crown jewel you’ll cherish forever and you’ll almost certainly never have an itch to buy another guitar again.
I played a full koa parlor guitar & was blown away.
Great comparison of tone woods, excellent video, thank you! To add to the mix, I have an all mahogany Martin, that has the most smooth, mellow sound.
I'd love to see a video where @PaulDavids puts his ears to the test and identifies them each by playing them blindfolded.
I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that he could do it! He’s just weird like that! 😂
This video came right on time, as I had an appointment for buying a new guitar. And indeed loved the sound of a cedar one in real life too, better than the others I tried, plus it also felt the best playing it. So very happy with my new guitar.
You forgot Honduran mahogany or other species of mahogany, the Martin 000-15M has a very unique sound because of it!
Great video Paul! Trees make a tone of difference, especially when you find a piece which has been ageing for years. My dad has built a few guitars and one of them has a top which is about 55 years old and has matured really well. Even when I’m talking loudly in the room, I can hear the guitar echoing. Here are the specs of the second guitar he made for me.
Hand made Acoustic Guitar
Based on C f Martin plans Orchestra model 00028 EC
AAA Exotic African Ebony Back and Sides
AAAA Acoustic Engelmann Soundboard
Leopard Ebony Fingerboard
Ziricote Bookmatched Headplate
African Ebony bridge
African mahogany Neck
Décor : New Zealand Paua Abalone
Australian white mother of pearl
I wish it was possible for someone like you to demonstrate the masterpiece my dad made.
Working with ebony is hard and risky, but he took his time to make sure bending was gradual.
Overall costs 1000€ including woods, layering.
Cedar, as the topwood, was first discovered by Jose Ramirez, of famed Ramirez Guitars in Madrid, in 1963. The apprentice was sent to buy a shipment of wood, buy the young one mistook cedar for sitka, and bought a lot of cedar. However, it turned out the wood was magnificent, and ever since guitar world is using it.
That story is not true. Ramirez is Spanish and has plenty of access to norway spruce/alpine spruce so there's no need for them to use second grade tonewood like sitka.
Besides, Spanish cedar (which btw is a completely different kind of wood than North American cedar - the two tree species aren't even closely related or similar) has been used for European made guitars for ages and have always been favoured by flamenco guitarists. But it did gain popularity during the 1960s when Segovia started performing on a cedar top Ramirez, you got that right at least.
@@tessjuel That story was told by Ramirez III himself and recently repeated by his family. And it is true. There is a video on their RUclips channel about it. The first guitar with cedar top is displayed in Ramirez shop, and shown in the video.
(As for the spruce, I wrote sitka above, but meant spruce, my bad. )
Top notch comparison, Paul! Set up really thorough with similar guitars, mic positioning, tunes etc. and also edited so one can grasp the differences quickly without unnecessary fluff. Maybe you being underwhelmed had to do with all the preparation work so you wanted the difference to be extra huge. To me it was standing out immediately, though. Only thing I was missing was a mahogany top, I really like those on e.g. the GS mini. For me the most tempting option to spruce would be the sinker redwood, really loved it.
Maybe string gauge next time? Since fretboards are a non-topic with acoustics, wondering why no one makes them with maple, maybe too bright for an acoustic?
Anyway, great work!
The generalizations that I've developed through experience are: If you play with picks or with a heavy hand, go with Spruce or Mahogany. If you play fingerstyle (no picks) or with a light touch, seek out a Cedar-topped guitar. Cedar allows you to have "meat" on the note, even when playing lightly with fingernails. Sinker Redwood, Rosewood, and to a lesser extent, Koa are uncommon enough to be essentially irrelevant for generalizations. All of this is moot if you use one of those infernal piezo pickups, however; they will all sound terrible.
Fantastic video. Thanks for going through all the work of getting them made, shipped, then making the video. Well worth it, as this was great.
Next video in series: bracing!
Lovely video, Paul and the descriptions by Petr of the different wood characteristics were very refreshing.
I own a beautiful Lowden O32 which I bought new in late 2001; it's amazing how much the Sitka top has darkened over the years, to resemble Cedar.
Similar to your video, I played 4 guitars in the shop, chose 1, then went home. I returned the following day, played the 4 again, and again choose the same one. 23 years later it plays and sounds better than ever, and remains my single best purchase in 40 years of playing music. 🙂
New guitars that haven't been broken in will hide some of the differences that should get more pronounced as they are played. There is quite a tonal difference that can happen between a new guitar and one that is played every day for a few months. I'd consider remaking a similar video after the guitars are more broken in.
I totally agree. A revisit in 6 months or 1 Year would be very interesting.
Would also be interesting to do a «twin comparison» of guitars that are as similar as possible, where one is unused (in the same room/humidity conditions) and one that is being played. Could also be done with triplets++ in various amounts of playing
Yeah agree would love to see this repeated five years in the future. I have a takamine that I bought in the early 90’s. Nothing fancy but I have several friends that would buy it straight away if I was to sell it. It just gets better every decade
When you asked the question on what to cover next in this series I immediately thought strings even before you mentioned it. I've recently bought a new guitar and I am experimenting with what kind of strings I like best on it, and read quite a bit about the subject. And there is so much choice it's overwhelming (gauges, different tensions, differen cores, alloys, coated vs non coated etc.). I'd love to see your take on the subject. Btw, you got me into Travis picking and I'm loving the Acoustic Adventure course, thanks very much!
Me listening to this on shitty phone speakers: 🔊 "Hmm yes, I like the nuances of that tonewood"
Thank you so much for taking the time and work to put this video together. I am a big fan of Furch guitars and the best way to hear the different in guitar tops, custom made by the best guitar company in the world.
If a guitar is at least half decent quality, then the ability of player makes 99% of the sound difference.
It's the player; Davids, Emmanuel, Dawes, whoever can make a junk Amazon guitar sound great! Too much is made of subtle differences.
i have had about 60 guitars since 2013 and my current line up is a 66 j45, a 69 epi texan, a maton ebg808TE and a larrivee OMO3Z - and they all sound the same cos my nails are like steel (fingerstyle) comparison videos i've made all sound pretty much the same....
The problem with statements like this is that the player is never the variable. At least, not when buying a guitar for yourself. But of course, if you play ugly stuff, it'll sound ugly.
Imagine what Tommy Emmanuel wd do to that Koa top!?!
Edit: Relic'd in a week!!
Another faux-enlightenment platitude from the, "tone is in the fingers" denomination.
Interesting comparison, last comparison with strumming, the differences are subtle. But on picking parts you can hear the differences. Sitka seems like the most versatile, it does everything great. Cedar however sounds so good - intimate, warm and nuanced.
Many years ago I bought a custom Martin 00- 12fret with Engleman spruce. I played the snot out of it with a pick and it always sounded ‘overdriven’ like your cedar guitar. I later learned engleman is a finger style wood but I was a flat picker so I sold it. The prettiest guitar I ever owned. Steve Miller Koa model.
I love this video. I have been playing Furch D40 for 17 years, and still love it. Legendary. Always on elixir by the way. Furch is one of best gitar brands of the world. They make instruments with passion.
Thank You Paul for Your passion and every video.
This is the kind of content I want in YT. Saving in anticipation of my next purchase.
This is a super valuable video and a summary. The video is so good that I hope it’s an ad and will support you as a creator.
I really hope Furch at least paid for these guitars.
Excellent video Paul! I've been "playing" for many years, and I've always wanted to hear this. Perfect timing as I'm in the market for another acoustic!
This is a beautiful comparison. Your playing style is perfect to show off the tonal properties of each guitar. My wife might be mad at you because now I am on a guitar hunt again😂. Thank you for the amazing video.
Beautifully thought out and demonstrated. Thank you. When each of the five guitars sound very, very good, another thing it shows us is that for most people, the wood choice is not nearly as critical a choice and the builder or brand. I could probably fall in love with any of those guitars and write beautiful songs on them all.
i think its very important how different stings can react to the woods and make a even different sound!
I watched this video like 50 times, it really helped me choose "my" guitar
Great video! Doing one on strings would probably be beneficial to a lot of people as well. A lot of people don't realize that not all 80/20 strings or all phosphor bronze strings sound the same either, for example D'Addario phosphor bronze strings are much brighter than virtually any others.
As a recently retired acoustic engineer and algorithm developer, I would have loved to have made some objective measurements on these guitars. In addition, I think a very interesting question to investigate is the effects of the thickness of the top. Rosewood, for example is both dense and strong so the thickness of the top could probably be safely reduced which would increase the responsiveness of the guitar.
Also, I would love to investigate what causes the compression of the sound. If this actually is a thing, it implies nonlinear elastic behavior with maybe a little nonlinear plastic behavior happening on a microscopic level (perhaps explaining break in).
I have a couple of cedar-top Seagull guitars from the early 2000s. I absolutely love their tones. Cedar for the win!
Very good work, Paul. And thank you very much to Furch guitars. My opinion is that spruce is the best. Attack, overtones, frequency response, spruce is the winner.
Stunning guitars and a great explanation and demo of the different sounds and capabilities from you and Furch
There is so much peace in this video!
Thank you!
Your study of the technology that goes into acoustic guitar, really wonderful. My friends ask me about why musicians changed guitars during a set. And that is a " going down the rabbit hole " question for me.
Perhaps the tuning, or feel,or dynamics. Some people will write a song and the instrument is chosen because it is "just right".
This is such a great demo. I’ve got a few master class tier guitars and hearing the difference between a quilted maple back and sides with Sitka top and a koa back and sides with a red cedar top are crazy. Such a great studio pair as they are so opposite sonically
So many years ago, I trusted you for standards of measurement. I have always been rewarded to find the very best from your work David.
From 9 to 71, all the years I've loved the acoustic instruments. Now with an opportunity to hear your take on strings impacting tonal qualities... frankly I'm excited for the next in this series. That which comprises what we would call simply "you" is needed. Humble thanks from an old player!
Awesome idea for a video!!! Well done sir!!! Cedar is my FAV!!!!
I bought one of the furch guitars recently and could not stop playing it all day for weeks and weeks until my hands bled.
Great video. I'm a Walnut and Koa fan. I've got several walnut and koa guitars, both electric and acoustic. I recently got a Furch rainbow with koa top and cocobolo back and sides. It's magical.
I absolutely love this series Paul! I’ve wished and waited for someone to make these direct comparisons for so long, and you delivered. The strings comparison would be awesome. You made a string shootout video for electric guitar strings a while ago. I’d love for you to make a similar one but for acoustic strings.
There have been discussions and demonstrations about the different woods to make guitars. Not sure I’ve seen an in depth analysis of the difference woods for the top of the guitar with tonal changes. Excellent video sir.
Listening to them on RUclips through my iPad, I’m sure I’m not getting a “real” tonal deliverance from the instruments, but the Koa sounds best to me.
I played a Koa top Taylor once in a guitar shop and the sound blew my mind!
I have a Cedar Alvarez and have no wish or want to part with it or replace. Fantastic tone, deep, resonant, and complex.
Hello Paul,
I watch so many of your videos, for years now. Thanks so much, to all youtubers offering content about guitar, and special thanks to you. Your videos are really well made and so interesting each time.
That one helped me to know more my guitars, i've bought about 20 years ago now ! As a young beginner (compared to the old beginner I am now ), I didn't know anything, so I picked my very first one just because it looked great to me, and the price was OK for me 😂
It is a Takamine GS-330S, and i've always thought that it sounded different, compared to my friends guitars. Now I have the explanation, as it's a Cedar top.
I've watched your video maybe 4 or 5 times since yesterday evening ! I do love both Koa and Sinker Koa !
Tips to watch this video : do it with a headset. And if you want to have some fun, keep your eyes closed and try to guess.
For this series, I would like to see a video about the voicings of the guitars. Maybe comparing a luthier's handmade top with a factory-built one. And also the setup of the guitar. I think those things feature more of a difference than the material being used.
Great serie! I love this vids.
Great video. I've learnt over time that Australian Blackwood is the best option for me. I love Western Red Cedar tops too.
This was great, thanks Paul! I could head my guitars' sounds in the examples here, I leveled up my hearing because of this video :)
Back in the early days, I thought jumbo guitars had a better projection and more deeper tones. I often wondered why musicians changed guitars especially acoustic, now I understand. Thank You.
Absolutely beautiful video and playing. The quality is the best on RUclips. 😊
I appreciate your scientific approach to the topic of guitar Woods. The only way to make a fair comparison is by comparing guitars that arr identical except for the characteristic that you are testing (top wood in this case).
Extremely interesting video.
These guitars sound really different. I am fond of the cedar top 😊
Thank you so much Paul.
Though there were distinctive differences in tone and volume between the tops, they were more similar than I expected. Kudos to the Luthier and Paul for this very interesting comparison and video.