For the general public, the look and material of a guitar is more aesthetic than functional. Guitars are created equal – you strum or pluck and it pretty much sounds like a good old guitar. Enthusiasts and professionals will frown at this idea. Guitars are carefully crafted masterpieces that are never one and the same. The material and maker/brand are all important factors that keep them in competition with one another.

So how do redwood guitars work? According to Fender, Redwood guitars are strong and clear at the low end, rich and sparkly at the top end, with a good reverberant quality. They are not your typical guitar body material as they have a tendency to chip more easily than maple or mahogany. It takes a very good craftsman to build one. Once you find a trustworthy builder or brand, chances are, one redwood electric guitar, or acoustic, will not be enough.

Redwood-topped guitars are known to be responsive for finger style players. They have very good treble and bass. Some say they are not advisable for heavy strumming. Owning two high-quality ones myself, I tend to think otherwise. Both are on tip-top shape.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF REDWOOD

There are different types of redwood used for guitars.

• Sinker – One of my favorites is a Taylor 914ce. I saw a NAMM Limited Edition guitar, which means exclusivity is even higher because it was made available to a much smaller audience through events. It has a big ebony sidings. Sinker redwood gets its name because the material is said to have been sunk under Northern California rivers for about 100 years.
• Coastal – Coastal redwood trees are said to be one of the most ancient trees in the world. They are tall trees that can live up to 2000 years old.
• Giant Sequoia – these are the huge redwood trees so popular on TV and in the movies

PERFORMANCE

We touched briefly on carefully crafted redwood top guitars. The majority of users noted that redwood, be it Brazilian or Indian, has very good volume, clarity and overtones. Aside from possessing beautiful acoustics, they are great looking aesthetically. If the craftsman can find a good quality wood with long flowing grains or fibers, then you can be sure that they will sound solid non-stop.

REDWOOD EXCLUSIVITY

As previously mentioned, redwood guitars are known to be prone to cracks and chips. Even the best ones will have hairline chips that are hardly noticeable and do not affect its performance and functionality. It’s just the way the wood is. However, looking at the market, redwood-tops are more expensive than others. This is not an indication of superiority over maple, mahogany or cedar. The wood is just rare and less available.

Materials reclaimed as redwoods are protected now. They are taken from thick slices of old-growth, century-old redwood logs, normally coming from the Northern part of California. Prepare to give your arms some weightlifting practice. Redwood guitars are heavier, as they from more mature logs. You’ll carry the weight, but you’ll also come to love the rustic appeal of its chipped surface, and of course, the lullaby of its beautiful sound.