Wide Grain vs Tight Grain Sound Board? Engelmann Spruce

sam13

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Hello All,

I am looking at buying another Pono Pro Classic Tenor. Just love the product at its price point.

I have a choice with respect to a few options and one has extremely wide grain and the other tight grain.

I understand the dark lines are the winter growth and the wider section is the summer growth ...

I am curious as to what a wider grain effect will be on tone. I am looking to buy it from a retailer at a distance so I won't have a chance to sit with them and play them thoroughly before buying.

The Tenor with the wider grain has a cutaway, and I might fancy a cutaway since my other Tenor isn't. The tighter grain Tenor has a beautiful back and side and is a little cheaper due as it is a second.

Does anyone have any theory, experience or hard facts to help me with my decision?

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
I've asked about other spruce (Adi & German) and the maker said it's the stiffness that matters.
 
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"It's the stiffness that matters."

So they tell me.

JC.
 
I've asked about other spruce (Adi & German) and the maker said it's the stiffness that matters.

Hey nongdam,

So you are suggesting a tighter grain produces a stiffer wood and thereby a different tone? More sustain?
 
I've asked about other spruce (Adi & German) and the maker said it's the stiffness that matters.

That is what I was told. Tight grain pattern does not necassarily mean stiffer and wide grain does not mean less quality sound.

Is that what you meant nongdam
 
that's what they said

Hey Daniel..who is they? haha:)

I know tight straight grained Englemann is what builders want...(because in general stiffer,nicer etc..) but I think the builder the most important....since the Pono's are production model even though built by one person...best to play before you buy....

I would ask Andrew or Corey to pick one out for you...the new Pono's all have binding on the fretboards just for you Daniel....:)
 
Hey Daniel..who is they? haha:)

I know tight straight grained Englemann is what builders want...(because in general stiffer,nicer etc..) but I think the builder the most important....since the Pono's are production model even though built by one person...best to play before you buy....

I would ask Andrew or Corey to pick one out for you...the new Pono's all have binding on the fretboards just for you Daniel....:)

haha. Did you hear that new Toda Uke that Andrew just got? That's some nice tight grain.
 
I just heard a clip of both ... now, I am even more confused. The wide grained one is wide at the side and comes in nice and tight at the sound hole.
 
Everyone should stop listening with their eyeballs and erase all the wide grain/tight grain myths from their memory banks. I've seen perfectly straight and incredibly tight grained spruce that had the tap tone of wet shirt cardboard. And then if you brace floppier wood properly with more cross grain bracing, you can make it work pretty well. That's an old Spanish guitar making trick...controlling cross grain stiffness with wider splayed fan braces.
 
Everyone should stop listening with their eyeballs and erase all the wide grain/tight grain myths from their memory banks. I've seen perfectly straight and incredibly tight grained spruce that had the tap tone of wet shirt cardboard. And then if you brace floppier wood properly with more cross grain bracing, you can make it work pretty well. That's an old Spanish guitar making trick...controlling cross grain stiffness with wider splayed fan braces.

Spray it black.

Worked for me :)
 
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