Tone woods for electric guitars

Originally written 2009. Updated 2023.

NOTE: There are many other well-known tone woods used in the making of acoustic guitars. This article is not about acoustic guitars. Tone woods are listed in no particular order. 

When it comes to obtaining your dream guitar, careful consideration must be made to your choices of tone woods for it. Wood is not just "wood." You know this. For the money you are spending on a custom guitar you want to ensure every detail is exactly right for you. At Gaskell Guitars we spend a lot of time on the details for your build list. I hope this guide will help your research or help you choose appropriately for your build. If you have any questions on any of these tone woods, contact me directly at gaskellguitars@mail.com

Basswood

Botanical name: Tilia. Also known as Linden or Lime in Europe, basswood is a colourless wood which is very easy to work with. It is native to Europe, Asia and North America. As a tone wood it is used for guitar bodies only. Visually it has no grain so is not used for natural finishes. Despite being a hardwood botanically, it is very soft and can dent quite easily. It's tonal qualities are excellent with a powerful prominence in the mid range. Since the beginning of the 21st Century basswood has become the tone wood of choice for many international brands and has become the hallmark of the "Rock guitar."  

Tonal properties: Basswood has excellent mid-range tones and has a very warm and pronounced sound with very good sustain. Because of its "growl" it is very suited for Rock and Metal. It is the best wood choice for Floyd Rose equipped guitars as the tremolo tends to be very tinny sounding with other woods due to its minimal contact with the guitar body. The tonal properties of basswood eliminate that problem. 

Genuine Mahogany 

Genuine mahogany is of the genus Swietenia in the Mahogany family which is native to Central and Southern America and the Caribbean. It has three species, two of which have been used as tone woods in the past. All species of Swietenia may be collectively called "American Mahogany." Unfortunately mahogany can no longer be regrown natively and native sourcing has been banned since 2003. Today all newly harvested American mahogany comes from plantations in Asia and the Pacific. The largest producer of American mahogany today is Fiji. Most new American mahogany in the Australian market today is from Fiji. Alternatively there are salvage operations taking place in Belize in Central America to recover sunken mahogany logs that were lost when they were sent down the rivers to the ships 100 or more years ago. Some of these logs have been underwater for 200 years and can be up to 100 years old themselves. A company in Missouri, USA runs this operation and sells this prized mahogany all around the world. It has come to be called "sinker mahogany" and is especially popular with high-end guitar manufacturers.

Tonal properties: American mahogany gives a dark yet warm sound with a smooth bottom end and warm mid-range. It doesn't particularly have much top end but in combination with a maple cap and/or a maple neck the overall sound will brighten. The sound properties of "sinker mahogany" are even more pronounced and resonant.

I would describe it as "somewhat sterile" but it is and was the tone wood of choice for over 70 years for Les Paul, SG, and Firebird guitars by Gibson. Lighter pieces tend to have better tonal properties than heavier pieces. Highest-quality mahogany guitars are very light in weight.

African Mahogany

There are several types of mahogany family tone woods from Africa which are collectively traded as "African mahogany." These include Khaya (species Khaya), and Sapelli (species Entandrophragma.) African mahogany, while different in species, is visually and tonally similar to American mahogany. There are two terms to describe mahogany: “genuine mahogany” applies only to the Swietenia species, whether grown natively or elsewhere. “True mahogany” applies to any other mahogany family timber that is not specifically Swietenia. This would include African mahogany and other species in the Mahogany family such as Toona which is native to Asia, and Cedrela odorata, which is native throughout the Americans and the Caribbean. There are a handful of others that yield usable wood and have commercial trade.

For more information read this: What is Mahogany?

Alder

Botanical name: Alnus is grown all over the world and is especially widespread throughout the United States. As a tone wood it is most commonly associated with Fender® guitars. It is light in weight with soft tight pores like basswood but with large swirling grain patterns and rings. It has become quite expensive in the 21st Century and this has led to similar, yet cheaper woods becoming popular replacements.

Tonal properties: Alder gives more highs and less of the mids and is relatively deficient in bass in comparison with other tone woods. It has a very warm sound but does not quite have as much "bite" as ash. 

Ash

Botanical name Fraxinus is grown all over the world and there is a significant international trade in its timber. It has many species. Ash is light weight and has a pale, uniform colour with usually straight grain. Sometimes it can have wavy or curly swirls. It is a popular tone wood used all around the world. Like basswood, it is tonally well-balanced and is dominant in the mid-range making it a good choice for heavier music styles. It can be quite twangy in Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars with single coil pickups. Due to its density and consistency it is particularly ideal for bass guitars.

Tonal properties: Twangy and sweet with scooped mids

Swamp Ash

Botanical name: Fraxinus pennsylvanica is a particular type of ash tree whose root systems are under water, with its above water equivalents being Northern Ash, Green Ash or Red Ash. It is used as a body wood by many American guitar manufacturers. It is mostly obtained from the Southern parts of the United States. It is very light and attractive and is a popular choice for natural finish instruments.

Tonal properties: The swamp-ash sound is twangy, airy, and sweet. It gives firm lows, pleasant highs, and a snarly midrange, and good sustain.

Japanese Ash (Sen)

Botanical name: Acanthopanax ricinifolius also called Sen or Sen Ash is a high quality tonewood native to Japan and south western China, most recognized on Japanese-made Fenders and Tokai guitars. Although it's trade name includes the word "ash" it is not related to real ash other than by visual resemblance. Like real ash, it is a good choice for natural finishes and can be particularly outstanding in appearance. It is quite expensive and thus not a usual option for mass-produced guitars. It is graded on degree of figure, i.e. "light figure", "medium figure", etc.

Tonal properties: Its tonal qualities are similar to that of alder hence the commonly used quick description "looks like ash, sounds like alder." It has a bright, and even cutting midrange tone, good bass, and excellent sustain. 

Tamo Ash

Botanical name: Fraxinus mandshurica is a unique and specific species of Fraxinus native only to China, Korea, Japan, and Russia. The wood can be deeply figured in what is sometimes called a "peanut" figure. It is similar to quilted maple figure and Black Ash. In it's more plain appearance it is referred to as Japanese Ash, not to be confused with Sen which is also called Japanese Ash. Highly figured examples are specifically called Tamo or Tamo Ash. It is sold mainly as veneer and is thus used in guitar manufacturing for figured tops. Price-wise, it is very expensive.

Maple

Botanical name: Acer. Traditionally used for guitar necks. It is very hard. It has a uniform grain and its tonal qualities highlight and amplify the body wood well. It sustains very well. Maple is found in the northern hemisphere with most species found in Europe and Asia. Maple timber can have a highly decorative grain called “figure” and can produce “quilt”, “flamed”, “spalted” (ink-like patterns caused by fungi in the wood), “birds eye”, and “burly” appearances. Laminates of these grains are often glued to the top of a guitar body for a beautiful appearance. Veneers are usually 1mm or 2mm thick or they can be a full 5mm-18mm solid cap.

Guitar necks made of maple can be "roasted," "baked," "torrefied," and "caramelised" in a process that involves heating the wood to remove any moisture, oils and sugar, creating a more stable structure. As a result, the wood is much less vulnerable to temperature and humidity changes. The process takes place in an oxygen-free kiln so that the wood does not combust. During this process, the wood darkens due to a chemical reaction between the oils and sugar content, with the wood becoming darker the longer it is roasted. This colour change tends to make the figure pop and can become a very nice caramel-walnut colour. What has happened in effect is that this process speeds up the ageing process of the wood resulting in properly cured wood which otherwise may take decades to achieve. 

NOTE. Prices for high quality figured maple have tripled in the last few years. Expect to pay huge prices for a high quality figured cap. 

Korina (US) Limba (UK)

Botanical name: Terminalia superba. This wood is grown in the tropical regions of western Africa and has a very interesting and appealing grain. It is held in very high regard by guitar builders. It was first introduced to the world as a tone wood in 1958 By Gibson. Original Explorer guitars were made of Korina. It was only briefly used then but it has never been forgotten. For a hardwood it is quite lightweight. This wood is a light yellowish to golden brown, sometimes with grey or even black streaks and veins or lots of interesting swirls. Pieces with dark figure are referred to as Black Limba, while plain, unfigured wood is called White Limba. Korina tends to be mostly offered as an option in Custom Shop guitar builds.

Tonal properties: a very warm, balanced sound with excellent clarity and sustain. 

Poplar

Botanical name: Liriodendron tulipifera also known as American Tulipwood is native to America. There is one other species, Liriodendron chinense, which is native to China and Vietnam. Both these species should not to be mistaken for another timber also called "Poplar" from the genus Populas which is grown all around the world and is used mainly as a pulp wood. Poplar sometimes has nice figure. It's not like ash but some pieces can be quite appealing. But the best thing about Poplar is its sonic properties. Some try to pitch this as a negative. I strongly disagree.

Tonal properties. The sonic properties of Poplar are dead flat. Completely horizontal equalizer settings, across all frequencies. Nothing is boosted, nothing is lost. This is useful for the reason that you can define your sound through your amp and pedal settings very well. Poplar naturally sounds quite "nasal," like ash, and can be jarring to some due to the naturally bright highs that you don't get from basswood or mahogany. It is very good for the funky sound of Telecasters and Stratocasters, but you do need to wind the Tone back. 

Poplar is also a benefit when upgrading to hot or scooped pickups, or if basswood has too much mid-range for your liking. These hotter, boutique-type pickups have huge boosts in the lower and mid ranges depending on the models. You need a flat EQ base-point to work from to appreciate what those sorts of pickups have to offer. You get that from Poplar. More so than any other tone wood, with maybe ash as the clear exception. There is nothing wrong with Poplar. Use it. And use your amp and pedals to model the sound you want. 

Okoume

Botanical name: Aucoumea klaineana is a hardwood from Africa, primarily from Gabon. It's a fairly recent wood substitute for guitar and other musical instrument manufacturing of which China is the largest importer. It is mainly used as a mahogany substitute, riding on the general reputation of woods that come from Africa. It is pinkish to light brown with little to no figure and is mainly used as veneer in North America, and as timber in Asia and Europe. What sets Okoume apart is its unexpectedly low density compared to other hardwoods. It is very light. Luthiers have said it is suitable for guitar bodies as well as necks. However, it is a bit soft, like basswood. It will dent easily. Ibanez and Jackson use it. I tried it in my 2023 Hybrid Series headless guitars. I would describe the sound as "warm" and fairly "bright." This wood could suit guitars with a Floyd Rose tremolo.

Tonal properties: Somewhat mid rangy with a warmth similar to Mahogany but with a slightly brighter edge.

Wenge

Botanical name: Millettia laurentii is a very exotic and very expensive hardwood native to western Africa. It is used by some Custom guitar builders for bodies, necks and fingerboards, particularly for bass guitars. It is very dark with lots of brown streaks. Wenge is a lot more porous than other woods and is thus much harder to work with. The dust of this wood is also extremely hazardous to one's health and personal protective equipment and other dust removal systems are essential in any workshop that uses this wood. I confess I have never used this wood. To me it looks like figured ash with a dark stain.   

Tonal properties: rich and warm sounding.

Phoenix (Wutong)

Botanical name: Firmiana simplex comes from the "Chinese Parasol Tree" which is native to China. It is also called Wutong (梧桐.) It has been used by the Chinese for thousands of years in high quality traditional Asian musical instruments. At the end of the 20th century when China superseded Korea as the leading world manufacturer of musical instruments, many new and interesting tonewoods previously unheard of in the Western World were introduced by the Chinese. This was one of them. Phoenix is used as a body wood on many Chinese-made guitars, often as a replacement for expensive American alder. But remember this has been a preferential tonewood in Asia for thousands of years. That's a lot longer than the Johnny-come-lately electric guitar of the Western world! Entry-level guitar brand Encore (by John Hornby Skewes & Co.) has been known to use it for their guitar bodies. Tanglewood also use this wood for their budget range Strat copies. 

Paulownia

Botanical name: Paulownia tomentosa, also called Empress Wood or Kiri (桐) in Japan, is a nice-sounding, extremely light-weight Asian hardwood which started to filter its way from China and Japan into into the western world beginning in the early 2000s. Rising costs and restrictions on other traditional tone woods has intensified the need for good alternatives. Paulownia is native to China and is also cultivated extensively in Japan and Korea. It has been used in Asia for hundreds of years to make high-quality traditional musical instruments (including the Japanese koto.) Paulownia is the fastest growing hardwood species in the world, taking only 5-7 years from planting to harvesting (as opposed to 35+ years for mahogany.) Because of its fast cultivation it is at the top of the list as a solution for world reforestation projects.

Tonal properties: It is used in guitar manufacturing for electric guitar bodies and has a sound similar to poplar. 

Dean Guitars, Glendale Guitars, Mario Guitars and others use this wood for some of their instruments, and it is often used in generic DIY guitar kits from China.

Agathis

Botanical name: Agathis is called Kauri in New Zealand and Australia. There are 21 species and it only grows in Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Philippines, and on the island of Borneo. Its timber has many uses. When I was a boy back in New Zealand Kauri was used for everything. It was considered cheap and nasty and something you would practice on if you were a wood worker. I don't know why this wood would be used as a tone wood. It's soft, has no figure, is ugly and purportedly sounds dull and lacking in sustain. Realistically a "poor man's" tone wood. Apparently it is used in some Tokai guitars. An electric guitar made of Kauri will require serious corrective measures to try and make it sound passable. Why bother? The only thing going for this wood it is that some Kauri obtained from swamps in New Zealand is 50,000 years old and has become fossilized, which produces some unusual figure that some people might find attractive. Maybe good for carvings or ornaments but not as a tone wood. If you want figure, choose somethings else.

Tonal properties: dull, lacking sustain

Rosewood

All species of Rosewood are from the botanical family Dalbergia and consists of 275 species found in South America, Africa, Madagascar and Asia. It is commonly used for the fingerboards of guitars. It is an oily wood and is perfect for sustained human contact. Up until 1992 guitar manufacturers usually obtained rosewood from Brazil but trade in Brazilian rosewood was banned in that year due to it becoming listed in CITES Appendix I (the most restrictive.) From 2017-2019 all species of Dalbergia were commercially banned. This included all commercial timbers in the same species such as Cocobolo, Tulipwood, Kingwood, and African Blackwood. The reasons for the species-wide ban are because of the threat from China. To put it simply, China's consumption of rosewood and other timbers has become a cultural psychosis. They are culturally obsessed with rosewood artefacts to the point of insanity. It's intensified because China has become very wealthy in the 21st Century. There are more millionaires in China than all the millionaires in every other country in the world put together. As a people, Chinese do not care about any other culture or race but themselves. It is a criticism of their political system, their education system, and proof of what happens to a culture after generations under a left wing totalitarian regime.  The Chinese Communist regime won't allow their own resources to be used. They have legislated this. They prefer to rape and pillage the rest of the world's resources instead. Fact. CITES restrictions were lifted in 2019 for finished musical instruments consisting of less than 10kg of any rosewood species other than Brazilian rosewood which remains restricted. 

Common species used as tone woods include:

Dalbergia nigra is native to southern Brazil and is commonly called Brazilian Rosewood or Rio Rosewood. This was the most sought after rosewood in guitar manufacturing for many years. However, due to over harvesting and habitat loss commercial trade in this species has been banned since 1992.

Dalbergia latifolia is native to eastern India and Indonesia and is the main species used in guitar manufacturing today. It is called Indian Rosewood or Indonesian Rosewood. This species has been introduced into Nigeria, Kenya, Vietnam, the Philippines, and other parts of tropical Africa and Asia as an ornamental plant. International trade of Indian rosewood was banned from 2017-2019.

Dalbergia sissoo s native to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, and Pakistan and traded as Indian Rosewood, Sissoo, and Sheesham. It has been introduced into many Asian and African countries as a plantation crop. Although it is an accepted tone wood it is commonly used in the manufacturing of percussion instruments. International trade of new supplies of Sissoo is also banned from 2017-2019 thanks to Chinese greed.

Dalbergia baronii, and Dalbergia maritima are both native to Madagascar and are traded as Madagascar Rosewood. Both species are listed in the CITES Appendix II, and are on the IUCN Red List. Trade restrictions have been in place since 2011. At present, only left over stockpiles of small turning and carving blanks are available and at very high prices.

Dalbergia stevensonii is native to Belize and is commonly traded as Honduran Rosewood. This wood species is listed in CITES Appendix II, but is not on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Trade restrictions have been in place since 2008. It was a popular choice of tone wood for musical instruments. International trade of Honduran rosewood was banned from 2017-2019.

Dalbergia melanoxylon is native to central and southern Africa and commonly called African Blackwood. This African species is known to be one of the hardest woods in the world. It is popular as a fingerboard material in the manufacturing of guitars whereby the tonal properties of rosewood are preferred over the tonal properties of ebony but with the colour of ebony.

Dalbergia retusa is called Cocobolo, and is native to Central America. It is an exotic, reddish-brown wood which has become popular with custom builders in recent times for guitar fingerboards and veneers. Tonally it is apparently a brighter sounding wood than other species of rosewood with less lower end. Woods from Panama and Guatemala were listed on CITES Appendix II in 2013. International trade of Cocobolo was banned from 2017-2019.

Dalbergia tucurensis is native to central and southern America and is known as Panama Rosewood or Yucatan Rosewood. It is fairly new to the mainstream wood market and was initially not restricted. Overall it is very similar to Honduran rosewood. It is the least dense of the Dalbergia species. International trade of new Panama rosewood was banned from 2017-2019 by virtue of it being a species of rosewood.

Dalbergia decipularis (also Dalbergia frutescens) is native to northern Brazil and is available in very limited supplies. It is commonly called Tulipwood which can be confusing as Tulipwood is also a trade name for Tulip Poplar which is an unrelated North American species used for pulp and plywood. International trade in Tulipwood was banned from 2017-2019.

Dalbergia decipularis (also Dalbergia frutescens) is native to northern Brazil and is available in very limited supplies. It is commonly called Tulipwood which can be confusing as Tulipwood is also a trade name for Tulip Poplar which is an unrelated North American species used for pulp and plywood (see Poplar entry above.)

Ebony

Ebony is the wood from the Diospyros family of which there are 700 species found throughout Asia and Africa. Ebony is very hard and durable and is used for the fingerboards of guitars. It is usually brown-black in colour. Ebony fingerboards are popular with lead guitarists due to its perceived additional hardness over rosewood. Common traded species are: 

Diospyros ebenum  which is native to southern India and Sri Lanka and commonly called Ceylon Ebony or East Indian Ebony. It is difficult to source today. As a tone wood it is not only popular as fingerboards of guitars, but also for guitar inlays, nuts and acoustic guitar bridges. It is also used for piano keys.

Diospyros celebica or Makassar Ebony is endemic to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia and is highly sought after as a tone wood. It is identifiable by its attractive streaks and stripes. It is one of the most expensive woods in the world due to limited supplies. It is not listed on CITES appendices but is listed on the IUCN Red List Of Endangered Species as “vulnerable."

Diospyros perrieri, or Madagascar Ebony is another prized ebony timber used by high-end guitar builders. Trees from this area are typically 300 years old. Unfortunately all Madagascan ebony species were added to CITES Appendix III in 2011 and then to Appendix II in 2013. This specific species of African ebony is basically impossible to obtain today.​​

Diospyros crassiflora is the main African species and commonly called African Ebony. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Gabon and Nigeria. Ebony of this species used to be a major export timber from Africa however there are restrictions in place now and the species is listed as “endangered” on the IUCN Red List. It is noted for being the blackest of all ebony species. It is the most used species for electric guitars.

Pau Ferro

Botanical name: Caesalpinia ferrea is a tree found in Brazil and Bolivia. Also called Santos Rosewood, it is a popular rosewood replacement and is usually used for the fingerboards of electric guitars. It is physically harder than rosewood. Although it is a completely different genus to genuine rosewood it is the most closely related species. Another south american genus Machaerium, (primarily M. scleroxylon) is also called "Pau Ferro." This second genus is sometimes also called Bolivian Rosewood.

Tonal properties: Said to be a cross between ebony and rosewood