How do different tonewoods affect the sound of an acoustic bass or guitar?
As with the six string guitar, the sound of the ABG is most influenced by the soundboard, its bracing, thickness and the type of wood used. Cedar and Redwood tend to produce a relatively loud instrument with a warm sound, favoring the lower range of notes while having good harmonics. The spruces, generally speaking can produce a very full bass tone but may take longer to develop its tone after the instrument is finished compared to Cedar or Redwood. Spruce tends to be somewhat less fragile than Cedar or Redwood as well. To a lesser extent, the choice of woods for the back and sides can also affect the overall tone of the ABG. For the most part the denser woods add some brightness to the sound as well as a bit more projection. The less dense woods such as Walnut, Bigleaf Maple, or Bay Laurel are warmer sounding as compared to Granadillo or Katalox.
