OUR TONEWOODS

Physical Properties: Medium-density wood with uniform internal porosity and straight grain. Historically prized for its structural stability.

Dynamic response and bench experience: When cut and machined, it feels compact but not overly rigid. This more open cellular structure absorbs the sharpest high frequencies, resulting in an acoustic response focused on the mids and low-mids. It offers excellent natural sustain and a warm vibration, giving body and roundness to the note even before the electronics intervene.

Physical properties: Medium density wood, light and with very closed pores and dense, regular grain.

Dynamic response and bench experience: Alder is the benchmark for balance. With no extreme density peaks, it doesn’t overemphasize any one frequency. It offers an exceptionally balanced acoustic response, with clear mids, sweet highs, and controlled lows. On the bench, it’s a surefire winner: it acts like a neutral canvas, perfect for bringing out the character of your chosen pickups.

Physical properties: Wood characterized by wide, aesthetically spectacular grain and a very pronounced weight/stiffness ratio.

Dynamic response and bench experience: Its structure features alternating very hard and softer sections. This physical conformation offers an immediate snap (attack) under the pick. In terms of dynamic response, it tends to emphasize the extremes of the frequency range (deep lows and defined highs), leaving the mids slightly behind. It is the ideal wood for those seeking responsiveness and dynamics.

Physical Properties: Extremely hard, compact, and heavy. The marbling is a spectacular three-dimensional figured grain.

Response and intended use: As a thin layer applied to the body (often paired with mahogany), flame maple acts as an “acoustic corrector.” Its physical rigidity accelerates the transmission of vibration, adding a crisper attack and a hint of brightness in the mid-to-high frequencies to the underlying body.

Physical Properties: This is an extraordinarily rare variant of standard ash, selected for its natural grain (a wavy pattern in the grain that creates a deep, three-dimensional effect under the varnish). Structurally, it combines the natural hardness of ash with a compact, elastic texture.

Response and intended use: Applied as a top layer over the body chassis, Flamed Ash doesn’t distort the instrument’s tone but rather accelerates its response. The rigidity of its surface increases the acoustic projection of notes and the definition of upper harmonics. Practically speaking, it gives the guitar a very responsive initial snap and a crisp attack, proving to be an excellent choice for maintaining definition and intelligibility of phrasing even in the presence of saturation and distorted sounds.

Physical Properties: Poplar is structurally softer and lighter than maple or ash. In its marbled variant, it features unique waves and cross-grain patterns.

Response and intended use: Used as a thin top layer over the body chassis, Flamed Poplar has a nearly neutral acoustic impact. Its lower density means it doesn’t add artificial brightness or compression to the high frequencies, leaving the dynamic character of the body wood intact. It’s selected primarily for its extraordinary aesthetic appeal and acoustic transparency, ideal for those seeking a boutique look without altering the original sonic balance.

Physical Properties: Unlike linear grain, poplar burl is created from natural growths in the tree, creating a unique and unrepeatable tangle of fibers, knots, and eyelets. It is a structurally complex and porous wood, requiring advanced manufacturing processes to transform it into a solid, consistent, and unalterable soundboard.

Response and intended use: Installed as a top, poplar burl offers extreme acoustic transparency, acting as a surface that allows the free transmission of vibrations without coloring the instrument’s original timbre. It does not introduce emphasis on specific frequencies, preserving the dynamic character and frequency response dictated by the body and pickups. It is the choice of avant-garde violin making for those seeking an instrument that is both a hypnotic visual work of art and a pure vehicle for the sound of the underlying wood.

Physical Properties: Hardwood of African origin, characterized by regular dark streaks that closely resemble the aesthetics of Zebrano.

Response and intended use: It has a medium-high density. As a top, it offers excellent structural support, ensuring a good presence of midrange frequencies and an exotic, zebra-striped look strongly oriented towards modern and boutique luthiers.

Physical Properties: Unlike the regular, three-dimensional grain of flamed maple, spalted maple is not a deformation of the grain, but the result of a natural aging process that creates wild, black lines and geometries, similar to ink strokes. This makes the wood structurally less dense and more porous than standard maple.

Response and intended use: When used as a top, spalted maple loses much of the percussive punch and extreme brightness typical of flamed maple. Having lost cellular rigidity, it is acoustically very neutral: it doesn’t emphasize the mid-high frequencies or compress the attack. It offers almost complete tonal transparency, allowing the body chassis to define the instrument’s dynamics. It is chosen by those seeking an organic, asymmetrical look with a truly visual impact, without the need for a shiny “acoustic corrector” over the body.

Physical properties: Standard ash slab selected for the linearity and flame of the grain.

Response and intended use: Used as a top over a body of a different wood (e.g. Mahogany), it balances the instrument by adding attack and visual contrast, especially with see-through or sandblasted finishes.

Physical Properties: Matched mahogany slab for straightness and stability.

Response and intended use: Used as a top (for example, on ash or alder bodies), it serves to smooth out excessive highs. It evens out the mid-frequency response, slightly darkening the overall timbre and increasing the sensation of acoustic warmth.

Physical Properties: Straight-grain maple represents the absolute benchmark for neck construction. Characterized by short, dense, and visually attractive longitudinal grains, it offers excellent mechanical resistance to the constant traction exerted by the strings.

Response and intended use: Mechanically, the linearity of standard maple grain ensures excellent geometric stability over time. In terms of acoustic response, its crystalline rigidity eliminates the dispersion of kinetic energy: the vibration of the string is instantly reflected back to the body chassis. This translates into an immediate, crisp, and percussive note attack, with definition and a natural, always-focused sustain . It’s the choice of pure engineering substance for those seeking total reliability.

Physical Properties: It represents one of the most exclusive and fascinating choices in boutique luthiery. Unlike the standard straight-grain version, Flamed Maple features wavy grain growth. This natural deformation creates parallel flamed grain that reacts to light with a profound three-dimensional effect.

Response and intended use: In terms of acoustic response, Flamed Maple maintains the species’s typical high-speed vibration transmission, but the wave-like structure of the grain slightly dampens the harsher, cutting high frequencies. It delivers a lightning-fast, percussive attack, while also enriching the note with a slightly softer, more complex midrange nuance. It is chosen for elite instruments where structural stability and acoustic responsiveness must blend with a luxurious visual impact and superior collectible value.

Physical properties: Linear and constant fiber, excellent propensity for stability over time.

Response and intended use: A mahogany neck offers a smooth feel under the fingers. It absorbs the string’s elasticity differently than maple, producing a rich, enveloping vibration focused on midrange frequencies. Traditionally chosen for instruments oriented toward blues, jazz, and classic rock sounds due to its dark, mellow tone.

Physical Properties: The straight-grain maple used for the fingerboard offers a compact and uniform playing surface. Without the natural grain undulations typical of figured versions, this wood ensures excellent structural consistency. A protective finish (satin or gloss) is required to seal the pores and prevent the absorption of moisture and dirt during use.

Response and feel: The standard maple fingerboard offers a feeling of stability and smoothness from days gone by, with a uniform response across the entire range of the neck. In terms of dynamic response, the linearity of the grain translates into a percussive, immediate, and remarkably bright acoustic behavior. It reflects high frequencies with extreme clarity, offering a sharp snap under the pick and exceptional note separation, ideal for those seeking maximum intelligibility in fast passages, bends, and complex chords.

Physical Properties: This elite selection brings the spectacular three-dimensional figured grain directly to the player’s fingertips. Unlike standard maple, the molecular structure features natural waves that create unique, iridescent plays of light once the protective finish is applied.

Response and feel: Visually mesmerizing when played, the flamed maple fingerboard offers a luxurious, smooth feel. Dynamically responsive, the wavy grain acts as a tiny natural dampener for the glassy, ​​high frequencies. Snap and percussive attack remain lightning-fast, but the note is enriched with a warmer, rounder, and more present midrange nuance. It’s the ideal choice for those who want to combine the typical responsiveness of a maple neck with a striking boutique aesthetic and a slightly sweeter tone.

Physical Properties: A noble wood with a dense, elegant, wavy figured grain. It has a compact texture and regular grain. It has a natural color similar to roasted maple.

Response and feel under the fingers: Mechanically, it sits in a perfectly balanced zone. It offers a smooth dynamic response at high frequencies, not as sharp as maple, but with excellent definition in the midrange. Visually and tactilely, it offers an exclusive and refined character, typical of custom-made luthiers.

Physical Properties: Often marketed as Pau Ferro, Santos Rosewood is a wood of structural excellence , characterized by a higher density and hardness than common Indian rosewood. Aesthetically, it features excellent grain patterns that distinguish it for its beauty and uniqueness.

Response and feel under the fingers: In our laboratory, we consider it an elite and premium choice. Thanks to its extremely closed pores and compact fiber ,  it offers a silky, velvety surface to the touch, offering excellent resistance to wear. In terms of dynamic response, it guarantees a quick attack and crystal-clear definition in the mid-high frequencies, keeping the bass controlled and never muddy, providing a sensation of softness and warmth under the fingers. A choice of pure acoustic and aesthetic efficiency.

Physical Properties: Among the densest and hardest woods in the world, with virtually invisible pores and a naturally compact surface.

Response and feel under the fingers: The ebony fingerboard offers a smooth, precise feel under the fingertips. Mechanically, it’s completely absorbent, delivering lightning-fast attack, surgical note definition, and a wealth of crystal-clear high harmonics. Perfect for those seeking clarity in fast passages and a dark, elegant look.

Physical properties: Hard, closed-pore essence, selected for the linearity of its alternating light/dark fibres.

Fingerboard response and feel: When used on the fretboard, Beli behaves similarly to a dense, closed-pore wood: it offers excellent attack, a smooth feel, and a balanced, clean midrange response. The aesthetic impact is unique thanks to the parallel ridges that run along the fretboard.