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What does Myrtlewood sound like??


Johnnyb8612

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Ok, so, I've got the itch for another custom guitar from my dad, so I'm hopefully 'ordering' 2 guitars from him soon. He just came up with his own custom cutaway design, and I'm eager to see how his prototype turns out. Since it makes more sense to build 2 or more at a time, I'd like to do a basic model, say with mahogany back/sides, sitka top, understated trim, wooden rosette with a satin finish. On the second one, however, I'm thinking of something a little more unique. I have the Indian Rosewood/Adirondack Red Spruce dreadnought we built together, and I'd like something to compliment that sound/look.

 

I found Myrtlewood on a tonewood website, and found that Breedlove and Goodall guitars both use it. The figure and colors can be quite stunning, with flame, burl and dark striping all mixed together. I love the looks, especially if I paired it with a Bearclaw Sitka top, and some flame Koa binding and abalone purfling, but I have no idea how it sounds. Does anybody have a Myrtlewood guitar?? Surely if Breedlove and Goodall use it, it's a decent tonewood, right?

 

Here is the set I'm considering:

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. . . . . Surely if Breedlove and Goodall use it, it's a decent tonewood, right? . . . .

 

 

I think a lot of nonsense is talked about "tonewood" - often, alas, by manufacturers who just want your money. If you like the look of the wood, use it.

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I'm thinking that I read somewhere that it's a lot like maple, but a bit more complex-sounding...so perhaps like a maple/rosewood hybrid, at that.

 

Surely is a pretty wood...that piece you showed would look amazing with a light stain (perhaps a gold or light green), just enough to bring out all the grain's character w/o disguising any of it.

 

How about pic of the already finished Indian Rosewood/Adirondack Red Spruce guitar?

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I'm thinking that I read somewhere that it's a lot like maple, but a bit more complex-sounding...so perhaps like a maple/rosewood hybrid, at that.


Surely is a pretty wood...that piece you showed would look amazing with a light stain (perhaps a gold or light green), just enough to bring out all the grain's character w/o disguising any of it.


How about pic of the already finished Indian Rosewood/Adirondack Red Spruce guitar?

 

That would indeed be interesting - the brightness of maple combined with the complexity of rosewood. I think I'd like that! :)

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Well, the soundboard is a bit smaller... but the sound of this myrtle was like bells. I'm really sorry to have sold it. Wouldn't hesitate back and sides on a guitar, as long as the figure was like this, so 3D you could get lost in it.

Glyphfront.jpg

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Yeah, it's a pretty hard wood (grew up in SW oregon... the stuff grows along the street there). As far as the tonal properties go, it's very much like maple or more closely to Walnut. You can also get just about anything you can make out of wood made up from Myrtlewood in that area.

 

Also, local luthiers have been building guitars with that stuff for years. Les Stansell has build some pretty sweet classicals from it.

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IMHO the construction and the actual build defines more of the sound than the wood alone does.

Commercially available guitars are heavily overbuilt - companies neither want the cost involved with warranty cases nor do they want to have a blow to their reputation due to a high number of warranty cases - so they withstand heavy use and abuse under almost any given climate until at least the warranty runs out. Also, they are built and voiced to pleaee the listener and player and to fullfill the exception of the buyer. You want to have a Martin sound like a Martin and a Taylor like a Taylor and an Ovation like an Ovation.

Also, I believe that most commercially build guitars are also constructed and built that they sound like the builder thinks we expect them to sound, e.g. Spruce clearer and harder than Cedar, for instance. You, once again, don't want to disappoint or alienate your customers.

 

There is even some proof for that as Bob Taylors built some guitars out of palletwood - exactly out of recycled wood crates and pallets - and it sounded like a Taylor.

 

So, as far as I believe, Murtlewood will sould like whatever the construction allows it to sound. If you construct your guitar like a Martin, it will probably sound like one until you really leave that beaten and secure path over overbuilding and get down to the essence of the wood.

 

How will it sound then?

I don't own a Myrtlewood guitar....

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I think a lot of nonsense is talked about "tonewood" - often, alas, by manufacturers who just want your money. If you like the look of the wood, use it.

 

This is just my two cents, take it for what it's worth.

 

I believe that the majority of an instrument's sound comes from the design and the construction of the guitar. For example, most dreadnoughts have a similar sound. However, that design will never reach its full potential if it's not constructed properly and with quality materials. It is said that the very best guitars made are on the verge of imploding under the tension of the strings. This is because the lightness of the construction (mainly of the top) makes it easier for it to vibrate, and therefore generate sound. It frightened me at first when I saw how thin my Adirondack Red Spruce top was (.89" in some places about 1" from the soundboard edge, as I recall) and the finish on it as well, but when I played it....love at first strum, and man that stuff is tough. When I tap on the top of that guitar near the bridge, it is like a cannon going off by my head. I've tried that on other guitars, annnd..not quite the same. I agree with katopp that the majority of production guitars, even from popular builders, are grossly overbuilt (especially top/brace thickness and finish) to save on warranty costs, at the expense of sound quality. It also takes less finesse and time to build a guitar this way, so companies can turn out guitars more quickly.

 

In my experience, the design of the guitar shapes the sound the most, but the tonewood used follows right behind that, and absolutely 'flavors' the sound. I have noticed that there are subtle nuances piece to piece within the same species, even. My point is, construction and finish being equal, the species, and even selection within a species of wood is a relevant factor in the sound of an instrument. What I'm wondering is, everything else being equal, how would Myrtlewood flavor the sound of a guitar, and how would one describe its tonal properties?

 

Thanks for all the input and interest guys. :thu:

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Just played a Breedlove with Sitka spruce top and Myrtlewood back and sides. Cosmetically, the wood is VERY pretty (like flamed Maple-ish). I also noticed the whole guitar was very light (weight-wise), and was extremely loud. Tonally, I was playing a smaller body model, but the sound was very balanced. I would say in between the deep/rich sound of a Martin, and the bright sound of a Taylor (granted, various models of these brands have different qualities, but the qualities above are most generically how I think of Martins and Taylors).

 

Koas and rosewood I usually think of as a deeper/richer and darker tone and heavy (weight wise); the Breedlove Spruce/Myrtlewood guitar I played was all the things I love about a guitar and do not care for in Koa/Rosewood models. Overall, it was a really enjoyable playing experience: light (weight), fairly balanced (tonally), and LOUD!! :-)

 

Kind of reminded me of a swamp ash acoustic I played once... Same qualities (though those are much rarer to find-- VERY few and far between but they are virtually identical).

 

Bottom line: loved it!

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old thread...

 

Myrtle is used a lot these days, but, not so much four of five years ago. I wrote a review of a tenor ukulele with Myrtle back and sides. It was a beautiful instrument. The tone was bright, but, the Port Orford Cedar (not a true cedar, but that's the name) top is softer and cut some of the brightness giving it a very sweet tone.

Here are a couple pictures:

ohana\_tk80\_3sm.jpg

ohana\_tk80\_4sm.jpg

 

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Just purchased a Breedlove Oregon Series Concert. I, like most people played everything I could get my hands on to compare. It is light but the sound produced by the Myrtlewood is absolutely amazing. It has the punch you need but a mellow sound that is very friendly to the ear.

 

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Just purchased a Breedlove Oregon Series Concert. I, like most people played everything I could get my hands on to compare. It is light but the sound produced by the Myrtlewood is absolutely amazing. It has the punch you need but a mellow sound that is very friendly to the ear.

 

Yep. I've played that guitar and have to agree. It's not the prettiest of species but it certainly makes up for it sonically.

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