Redwood - Old growth or new growth for soundboards?

Thanks for passing that on Clarkey. Very interesting. I would not have expected that result. Kinda turns everything on its ear and it appears to be very well researched.

To cut to the chase:

We found that, for this particular design, the sound quality produced by guitars made with tops of low density and low stiffness Sitka spruce were consistently and significantly preferred over spruce of higher density and higher stiffness.

Abstract here: https://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5129395
 
Thanks for passing that on Clarkey. Very interesting. I would not have expected that result. Kinda turns everything on its ear and it appears to be very well researched.

To cut to the chase:

We found that, for this particular design, the sound quality produced by guitars made with tops of low density and low stiffness Sitka spruce were consistently and significantly preferred over spruce of higher density and higher stiffness.

Abstract here: https://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5129395

Exactly my reaction, too.
If I understand correctly, it would seem that 2nd growth (new growth) redwood is probably 'better' than 1st growth (old growth). huh!
 
Fascinating. I downloaded the sound files and sometime soon will give them a proper listening.
 
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Yes, but of course the problem with these sorts of studies is that the data are subjective and qualitative and thus potentially biased. But I really feel that something significant is happening here. Bob Taylor was always good at coaxing good sound out of his guitars and I would not dismiss the results. But as a builder it is hard to take a less dense piece of spruce and have the faith. My feeling is that these tops have more sustain and less hard edged volume that we seem to want to always attain. Sure that piece of dense spruce rings like a bell when it is a plate and tapped, but does that necessarily mean it is going to sound great when it becomes an instrument. Not necessarily. Much food for thought here.
 
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