Canadian
Wood
We're
proud to say that Art & Lutherie guitars are made in Canada using roughly
95% Canadian wood. Guitar builders consume relatively small amounts
of exotic wood and therefore are not generally considered as a major
threat to the environment. However, with an eye towards the future,
and in the spirit of 'every little bit helps' Art & Lutherie guitars
are made with woods that meet strict criteria both in terms of their
tone producing attributes and their impact on the environment. Wild
Cherry is an excellent tone wood when used in tops, backs, and sides.
It also makes for an ecologically friendly choice because it is indigenous
to Eastern Canada. Likewise, the silverleaf maple used to craft the
A&L necks is also from this same region. Silverleaf maple has a weight/density
very similar to that of mahogany—the most commonly used wood in acoustic
guitar neck construction—and its impact on sound is virtually indiscernible
from that of mahogany. Godin began experimenting with silverleaf maple
necks on acoustic guitars ten years ago and it continues to be our wood
of choice.
The weight and design of the structural braces inside the top and back of these guitars deliver a rich, balanced sound that previously was the exclusive domain of instruments in a much higher price range. All A&L guitar braces are made with quarter sawn Sitka Spruce.
Finish
Art & Lutherie guitars are finished with lacquer. This is a very important
component of any great guitar. You may have heard talk of the mystery
involved in re-creating the great violins of the world. Most experts
agree that the answer is in the finish. While it's true that the materials
and construction of the instrument play very important roles, it is
a very special finish - applied in sufficient amounts to protect the
wood but not so much as to stifle the wood's vibration-that elevates
a good instrument into a great one.
Solid
Tops
Several
models in the A&L line are made with solid cedar or spruce tops. A solid
top guitar will require a little more care in terms of exposure to heat
and humidity, but the upside is significant. A solid top guitar will
not only produce richer sound and better dynamic range but has the added
benefit of improving over time.
Solid Cedar
top
When
was the last time you purchased something that improved with use?
That's right, similar to the phenomena that makes bowed instruments
such as the violin better sounding with playing over time, a solid top
guitar becomes better sounding over time. This is called 'aging'. Not
surprisingly, the cedar and spruce used in instrument building is not
your garden-variety, lumberyard wood. The giant cedar and spruce logs
that we use in guitar building comes from trees that are hundreds of
years old and more than six feet in diameter. The tight, straight grain
in this wood makes it flexible in the direction running across the grain
while at the same time, stiff in the direction of the grain. This property
is what allows the guitar top to be strong enough to support the pull
from the strings while remaining flexible enough to produce the vibration
necessary for full, rich sound.
Tops start as single pieces of wood, which are sliced in half and then glued together. This technique is called 'bookmatched' and results in an even grain pattern across the top of the guitar.
Laminated
Tops
Many
of the guitars in the A&L line feature laminated wild cherry tops. If
you just finished reading the information about solid tops, you may
be wondering whether a laminated top also ages or improves with playing.
The short answer is: no it does not.
However, there are still several reasons to consider a wild cherry top model.
1/ We have spent years refining the bracing of these tops and the result is an excellent sound right out of the box.
2/ A laminated top guitar is less prone to the negative effects of heat and humidity, requiring less care.
3/ Price. The laminated top models are more affordable than the solid top versions of the same guitars.
A solid top is a good choice if you know what you're looking for in terms of sound, body size etc. On the other hand, if you're just taking up guitar playing, a laminated top model can be an excellent choice. If later on you choose to upgrade to a solid top model you will be much better qualified to choose a guitar according to your own newly developed tastes.
Wild Cherry laminated top
