Frequently Asked Questions About Handmade Guitars

• How do I describe the sound of an acoustic guitar?
• Do different varieties of wood produce different tones?
• What kinds of wood produce which tones?
• How do you get your wood?
• What style of acoustic guitar do you create?
• Where can I go for guitar accessories, music and supplies?
• Do you repair acoustic guitars?
• How do I choose an acoustic guitar?

How do I describe the sound of an acoustic guitar?
An acoustic guitar produces sound that can be broken down in to several components which can be very difficult to discern and even more difficult to use to qualify a guitar. Most people will refer to the sound of an acoustic guitar by referencing Tone, Volume, Balance, Presence, Separation and Sustain.

• Tone is the quality that guitar aficionados refer to most frequently.  It is produced when you set a string into motion causing a vibration and can be broken down into smaller vibrations referred to as overtones.  Guitars in general produce similar tones and overtones that render the sound produced recognizable as coming from a guitar.  Most folks, including laymen, can easily recognize the tone of a guitar versus that of a piano or violin and can even differentiate between the tones of an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar.  In other words, mostly all acoustic guitars produce a tone that is fundamentally that of an acoustic guitar.  It’s the combinations of these “fundamental” tones and the vastly unique and diverse overtones that cause each guitar to produce a unique sound.
• Volume is a characteristic that we are all familiar with, it’s how loud your guitar is.  Different factors such as the quality of your top wood, top bracing and construction, size of your box, and strings can all influence how loud your guitar seems in relation to other guitars.
• Balance is a factor that can be specifically altered to suit the musical preference of the musician.  A completely balanced guitar means that each note from high to low has equal fullness and volume.  Some types of artist may choose to over balance their guitar toward the bass notes while another may prefer to move more toward the high notes.  Balance is affected by the size of the guitar, the size of the soundhole and also by the species of wood used in construction of the box.
• Presence is likely the most difficult characteristic to discern.  It is profoundly affected by the perceptions of the artist.  Presence relates to how “full” the sound produced by your guitar is perceived to be.  If your guitar sustains good tonal quality even when played at lower volumes, it could be said to have good presence. Presence like all the other aspects of sound, is influenced by the quality and species of the wood used in the top.
• Separation is affected by the quality of the guitar and is heavily influenced by the guitarist’s style.  Separation describes the result of playing several notes at the same time and whether they are heard as one mixed unit of sound or as individual notes that can be discerned as distinct from one another yet present in a harmony of sound.
• Sustain is capacity to maintain sound once it has been initiated.  Essentially, how long does the note resonate before falling off?  Good sustain means that your guitar produces a note that when prolonged, maintains integrity of tone for the duration of the sound.  Poor sustain occurs when a note is said to decay or fade away.  Good sustain is present in a guitar of high quality in wood and construction.

Do different varieties of wood produce different tones?
In a word, ABSOLUTELY!  The quality and species of the wood, as well as the cut, thickness and density are widely described as the most important and influential factors that affect tone.  Each type of wood takes on different characteristics depending on what part of the guitar it is used for.  Most guitar makers agree that the most important component for determining tonal quality is the type of wood used for the top although of equal importance is the design, the skill of the guitar maker and quality of the wood itself.

What kinds of wood produce which tones?

How do you get your wood?
Approximately 1 out of 100 trees can produce a wood of sufficient quality for instrument making and Steve is exceptionally choosy about the quality of wood that is used to create an S.L. Smith Custom Acoustic Guitar.  We have well established relationships with 2 reliable sources that are familiar with Steve’s needs and requirements.  These relationships provide Steve with a source for a wide variety of species from reputable tradesmen who buy and sell internationally.

What style of acoustic guitar do you create?
Dreadnought is a type of acoustic guitar body developed by guitar manufacturers C.F. Martin & Company. The Dreadnought style has since been copied by other guitar manufacturers and is now a common style of guitar body.  The dreadnought guitar body is deeper and larger than most other guitars that those in existence before its creation.  The word 'dreadnought' referred to a large, modern superbattleship out of Britain.
Martin most popular Dreadnought guitars are also known as "D-size" guitars. Martin’s Dreadnought guitars have model numbers consisting of "D-" followed by a number, such as "D-18" and "D-45".

Where can I go for guitar accessories, music and supplies?
Here are links to some of Steve’s favorites:
Parkway Music
Ray Supply

Do you repair acoustic guitars?
Yes, we offer full repair services on virtually any string instrument.  You should never attempt to make repairs at home, your instrument is far too valuable and to easily damaged to take chances with.  Steve can give you a complete assessment of what’s needed to make the repair and estimate on time and investment.

How do I choose an acoustic guitar?
Play!  Get you hands on as many guitars as possible and play them.  Choosing your own guitar is a completely subjective process and you want to find out what “feels” good as well as sounds good.  The reason Steve puts so much thought and care into each guitar is that he loves the feeling he gets when he holds one.  Steve understands that it’s as much about the experience as it is about the music.  Beyond this, you’ll want to ask lots of questions about construction as it relates to both sound and quality – make sure that you’re getting a guitar outfitted for producing the kind music you want to make, the way you want to make it.  Consider that you’re entering into a long term relationship, get to know what you’re looking for before you start buying and then when you do buy, you’re sure to make sweet, sweet music together.