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  #16  
Old 06-19-2014, 11:17 AM
Carbonius Carbonius is offline
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There is a prolific amount written on this topic;

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=154286

http://www.pantheonguitars.com/tonewoods.htm

http://www.acousticguitarcommunity.c...ource=activity

or take your pick at google;
https://www.google.ca/?gws_rd=ssl#q=...ck%2C+Engleman
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  #17  
Old 06-19-2014, 12:28 PM
cke cke is offline
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I remember Frank Fords story of talking to a wood merchant. All the spruce looked the same to him so he asked the merchant how knows what each is. The guy replied the labels were what the guy who sold them to him said they were.

Sure there are some general difference, but a lot of general similarities.still comes down to the characteristics of that particular board.
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  #18  
Old 06-19-2014, 12:30 PM
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I find that more often than not, I judge the tone first and then discover what top wood has been used later. I think there are some general differences. Engelmann, to me, responds to the lightest touch of the three. Not good on a guitar you intend to clobber. But on a small-bodied guitar that will be mostly fingerpicked, it can really sound great. Sitka is an exceptionally versatile wood. While perhaps not quite as responsive as Engelmann on average, it has a warmth and clarity that is very appealing. Adirondack takes some time to come to life. The old saw about an instrument sounding better in a few years than it does when new seems to be truest for Adirondack-topped instruments. Comparing new, otherwise similar instruments with Adirondack versus Sitka tops, rarely have I preferred Adirondack. Where I have preferred Adirondack from the get-go has been in special-run guitars that have been made exceptionally lightly. I'm not sure what exactly is the key factor but a couple of really light Adirondack guitars I've encountered sounded really open even when new. Adirondack can also be really great if you play hard. They get louder and louder without the sound getting distorted. But I have to say, a lot of Sitka guitars have done that to, at least at the volumes I try to coax out of a guitar.

There are examples of each of these woods that contradict what I've said but I think those general tendencies hold up on average. But I still strongly feel that it's better to buy by sound not by species of top wood.
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  #19  
Old 06-19-2014, 02:35 PM
fregly fregly is offline
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I've yet to play a guitar with and Adi top. THe description sounds like it would be right up my alley.
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  #20  
Old 06-19-2014, 02:42 PM
Doubleneck Doubleneck is offline
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Had my first experience with Englemann this year, I think it is exceptional. More woody, sweet, and dry sounding, not as brash as Sitka. It is very true that it really opens up in the first few months. So trying a new one may not give you the feel for its real potential.
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  #21  
Old 06-19-2014, 03:37 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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All forms of spruce have their peculiarities a d qualities, however, I would suggest that sitka whilst very widely used by many high quality makers tend to be disdained due to its ease of supply and so , relatively modest cost.

Good sitka is better tn bad adi.
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  #22  
Old 07-28-2014, 07:22 AM
Gasworker Gasworker is offline
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Question Acoustic guitar headroom??

Never mind. Having a bad forum day.
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  #23  
Old 07-28-2014, 07:31 AM
mjz mjz is offline
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Doesn't much matter what type of wood the top is as long as I love the tone. So differences between the three don't much matter to me.

max
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  #24  
Old 07-28-2014, 08:17 AM
roeg roeg is offline
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to the op's question:

In my limited experience,when comparing 2 similiar Martins(scalloped/forward shifted),the HD28V and The D28 Marquis,the adi topped Marquis is louder,brighter,cleaner and more brash.BIG.The sitka topped HD28V is still BIG,almost as loud,warmer,darker,....richer sounding?...or maybe more complex in the frequencies i hear.The differences are subtle,but noticeable.

To speculate,the loudness difference i perceive may be just due to the difference in tone between the two tops.the Adi top seems louder,with that punchy top end.

The variable in my limited perception is my HD28V is well broken in,the Marquis is not.

Last edited by roeg; 07-28-2014 at 08:37 AM.
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