Article: Best Tonewood For Acoustic Guitar Back & Sides

Aug 6, 2023Acoustic Guitar Advice

Best Tonewood For Acoustic Guitar Back & Sides

Written by Richard Cholerton

For me - there is no difference between "personal" and "business" life - It is all "my life". Interconnected and therefore highly personal. Every guitar I sell (EVERY) is one I can tell you the backstory - about the people who make them - the ethos of the brand and how they align with my own - they are a genuine personal recommendations based on 28 years in the industry.

With the industry dominated by marketing, hype, and "blinkered" brand loyalty - retailers focus on what they get asked for - with little effort in raising awareness of guitars that are better than the one you asked about. This leads to a lot of poor buying decisions!

Here is a quick introduction to the brands I often refer to as "my babies" but really you could simply refer to them as "benchmarks". Check the prices - check the specs - check the quality and back story - and find me a brand that does it better - or even close. The fact is you cant buy a bad guitar from Richards Guitars - you will only find the best - set up to your personal requirements.

My "Personal Collection"

Detail - Clarity-Power-Resonance-Beauty

Furch Changed Everything...

I introduced Furch to to the UK over 20 years ago - with my good friend Keith Twine who has since retired.

At the time I was a leading supplier of brands such as Gibson, Martin & Taylor. Experiencing Furch guitars made me realize there is what you "know" and what you "should know". Just because you DON'T - doesn't mean it doesn't exist!

What does all this mean? Forget what you think you know and open your mind to the possibility that you can find better - and we will guarantee you an experience you will never forget - with help from Furch and my other personal finds from over the decades.

Buy Furch Guitars Online

Inspirational quality, tone & feel at a price you never thought would be possible.

A Benchmark British Brand

With an incredible Back story - A Truly Brtiish yet global brand utilising the shared skills of the Gordon Smith Team in England and a small boutique workshop in China - The result? Unbelievable quality that far surpasses that of recognised mass produced brands at the same price.

Buy Auden Guitars Online

Hand Made - Standard Setting - Affordable

We Were The First UK Dealer for Eastman Guitars...

....and continue to be their largest and most experienced dealer in the UK supplying Eastman guitars throughout Europe.

Originally known for their extraordinary quality, hand made arch tops - produced by violin makers - as their reputation spread they developed into the World of electric and acoustic guitar production which continue to be made by hand.

Eastman have now become a hugely dominant force in the Guitar World producing the "best in class" in any guitar genre they opt to focus on.

Nobody knows them better or can provide you a better experience.

Whether you decide on the showroom experience or buying online you could not be in safer hands.

Buy Eastman Guitars Online

Quality - Versatility - Innovation

Canadas Finest

I have specialised in Godin guitars since 1995.

Godin have been solving problems for performing acoustic and electric guitar players for over 30 years, producing the most divine instruments which are stylish, of the highest quality whilst serving the practical needs of the modern performing professional

You could say Godin is the antithesis to Gibson! Godins reputation is built largely on the word of mouth of professionals and session musicians who need their instruments to be highly reliable and consistent night after night.

Get one in your hands, and you will soon understand their unique contribution to the evolution of the guitar.

Buy Godin Guitars Online

Perfection

Hand Made In Italy

I have to thank Stuart - Director of UK Distributor Selectron for thinking of me when he made a very special find in the guise of Luigi - A man building what can only be described as playable works of art. An extraordinary man - extraordinary guitars and I can only thank Luigi & Stuart for thinking of me as a perfect fit to help represent Luigis work in the UK.

Buy Valenti Guitars Online

Hand Made In Ukraine

Valiant Guitars

Breathtaking guitars made by men who continue their passion literally in a war zone.

The human story is inspiring but no less than the impeccable, meticulous qualitywith an enormous dash of the secret ingredient so many guitars can never find - MOJO!

View Our Valiant Guitars

The most comprehensive collection of affordable electric guitars money can buy.

We will help you find The best playing - Affordable electric guitar

I have been promoting Vintage brand guitars since the day they were "born" some 20+ years ago! In this time they have just got better... and better... and better! Not just that but the range has just become EPIC. Something for everyone!!

In the past couple of years ProShop has become one of the mmost exciting UK hand built guitars- using the Vintage range as the building blocks to create wonderful and exciting guitars that would normally cost thousands of pounds.

Buy Vintage Brand Guitars Online

Hand Made Ultimate Luxury Leather Guitar Straps

You will see so many marketing stories and false claims of hand made guitar straps in the UK - often with a massive premium price tag added.

TRUST ME - THESE ARE...

The finest hand made leather guitar straps money can buy

Hand made in Walsall using traditional tooling methods by own of the UKs greatest horse sadlers.

Memory foam insert ensures premium comfort - These straps will last you a lifetime.

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Fantastic archtop, great communication and service

A wonderful archtop acoustic from Eastman, 16 inch bout and basically a more affordable Gibson L5. Fantastic service from Richard and the team, great communication throughout, and the guitar arrived in absolutely perfect condition and plays wonderfully. Its getting a daily workout of Eddie Lang!

Eastman T386 (After 1 year, and having bought more from Richards Guitars)

I was anew customer when I purchased my Eastman T386 just over a year ago, and was very pleased with thre service and expertise of the staff, as well as the wonderful experience I had choosing the guitar oin their showroom. I went on to buy another guitar (this time a Fretless Bass, by Cort) which was a "Pre-Loved" instrument. Again the experience was very good, and the setup was excellent. Having recently had mny free 1 year setup up, I can again say that thee service offered at Richards Guitars is second to none. They are accommodating when it comes to organising things to suit you, and the setup itself ranks as the best I have ever had.

Incredible guitar

Handmade with precision and attention to detail by Eastman. Set up to perfection by the Richards Guitar team.

A modern boutique re-imagining of the classic single-cut mahogany bodied guitar of the '50s.

Beautiful clear, articulate, and dynamic tones. My Eastman SB59 is my main guitar, used for writing, recording, out on the road, and peaceful moments of home playing.

Bought on trust ... and they delivered.

I purchased my Furch, sight unseen and unplayed. I explained to Jake my style of music, how I played and the sound I was looking for. Originally I thought a Dowina was for me but after a few online chats, watching a few online videos etc., I was persuaded that I should go for Furch Blue Gc-CM Master's choice with the CNR active neck model instead. I am extremely pleased with the service I received, the advice given and the updates on ordering, arrival and delivery. All spot on. I was in no great hurry to get it but it was good to be kept informed.

T98 ACE

This guitar is something special to hold, to play and to look at. It really is beautiful in all aspects. I had wanted to buy another acoustic (ideally electro) for a while and with the advice of a friend who has the T98 Parlour Lag I went for the T98 ACE. I wanted a high quality guitar that would feel equally at home with finger picking and strumming, had a warm tone, well balanced highs and lows, has a lovely resonance and could somehow effortlessly amplify my soft figure picking in the absence of long finger nails...oh and at a modest price (below £500) - not too much to ask for right!? Ha ha

Well I must say this has exceeded all expectations and I got more than I'd hoped for with the T98 ACE and that's even before I plug it in!

What made it even more special was the much needed advice and guidance I received from the team at Richard's Guitars whilst weighing up my options as well as the care and attention that went into setting up the guitar to my specifications and making sure that it was nothing less than amazing before it was posted out.

The quality of the guitar makes me play better and sound better. Part of my goal was to get back into guitar playing after going through a period of years where life was getting in the way. I can safely say since purchasing this guitar I have played more in the past few weeks than I had in the past 5 years! It even spurred me on to put up a proper guitar hanging rack.

I highly recommend the guitar and what's more I highly recommend Richard's Guitars

FGN Guitar

Richards guitars provided an unbelievable experience via on line purchase. he guitar came well packed and arrived in fantastic condition. Communication via email was flawless. I've attached a picture of me in the Amazon jungle from this past July!

Auden 12 string

Just bought another wonderful guitar from Richard's Guitars. It's an Auden 12 string. It's what I was missing in my arsenal of guitars. It is an amazing guitar that was recommended to me by Jon and Jake and they never let me down. It sings so sweetly and I can't put it down. Another massive thanks to Richard, Jon, Jake and Chris the guitar tech for all the expert advice and knowledge they gave me. They are all so understanding and great guys. The fingertips are sore but I'm a very happy guy...all the best, Barrie

Richard Guitars - Furch Yellow Gc-CR SPA Master's Choice

I had a appointment to try some guitars in the showroom.
Jake had already selected some he thought I'd be interested in and was on hand when needed for information and advice. It was a lovely experience. I played a lot of guitars in those 3 hours and never felt rushed or pressured in any way.
The Dowina guitars are some of the most beautifully crafted instruments I've seen and play beautifully.
In the end I picked a Furch. The sound is exceptional - rich and resonant.
I left the showroom confident I'd picked the right guitar for me and paid a very reasonable price for it.
The guitar was delivered 3 days later. I'd asked for a couple of minor tweaks which had been done and overall the setup was spot on.
The whole team were a pleasure to deal with and I am a very happy customer. Would highly recommend.

Richards Guitars and LAG met my needs!

I'm 74 years old, have been an electric guitar player since my teenage years and haven't owned an acoustic since my teenage 'folk' days. I've been playing live in bands for many years but stopped a couple of years ago and have some issues with arthritis in my hands. I still have 3 of my electric guitars but wanted an acoustic in order to encourage more spontaneous bouts of playing instead of having to pull an amplifier out and get an electric set up. I also feel that an acoustic will help me to focus on my technique.
I have spent a lot of time researching brands, suppliers and watching reviews. Richards Guitars, I thought, had a really customer focused attitude so, after talking to Jake about my short list and taking his very honest advice, I ordered a LAG T118ACE. Getting the guitar set up by Richards Guitars with the best possible action was a big factor and, within a few days, my guitar arrived ready to play. It's a complete beauty and a real quality instrument! Throughout the process, Jake has been there for me, answering my questions and pointing me in the right direction.
A huge "thank you" to Richards Guitars. All I have to do now is get used to playing an acoustic again!

Great Service

Thanks very much to Richard's Guitars for providing such an outstanding service.My beautiful guitar arrived in perfect condition and was set up perfectly and ready to be played straight from the box.This service was invaluable to me as It would have been very hard for me to find someone in my area to do a proper set up for me.All in all top class.I'll definitely be back.
Thanks again.Luke.

Hi Luke

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such a kind review! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with us and that your guitar arrived in perfect condition. We always strive to provide top-notch service and we're glad we could make the set up process easier for you. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Happy playing!

Richard

Best Tonewood For Acoustic Guitar Back & Sides

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