Tonewood Sizes
Metric (mm) | Imperial (in) | ||||
length | width | thickness | length | width | thickness |
Jumbo Guitar | |||||
560 | 210 | 5 | 22 | 8 1/2 | 3/16 |
Classical Guitar | |||||
535 | 190 | 5 | 21 | 7 1/2 | 3/16 |
Acoustic Bass | |||||
610+ | 245+ | 6 | 24+ | 9 1/2+ | 1/4 |
Archtop Guitar | |||||
610+ | 230+ | 32->10 | 24+ | 9+ | 1 1/4 -> 3/8 |
Small Archtop Guitar | |||||
585 | 210 | 29->9 | 23 | 8.5 | 1 1/8 -> 3/8 |
Bouzouki | |||||
455 | 185 | 5 | 18 | 7 1/4 | 3/16 |
Mandolin | |||||
405 | 150 | 25 -> 6 | 16 | 6 | 1 -> 1/4 |
Violin | |||||
395 | 110 | 22 -> 6 | 15 1/2 | 4 1/2 | 7/8 -> 1/4 |
Viola | |||||
455 | 150 | 25 -> 6 | 18 | 6 | 1 -> 1/4 |
Bracing 1 | |||||
560 | 70 | 20 | 22 | 2 3/4 | 3/4 |
Bracing 2 | |||||
405 | 70 | 20 | 16 | 2 3/4 | 3/4 |
Tonewood Grades
These grades are mostly visual grades, although I will downgrade a piece if it is noticeably lacking in stiffness compared with other pieces in that grade. I will also grade to a customers specification where feasible, with a 15% handling fee for this service.
- Master
- No discernible runout allowed; straight,even grain with 24+ lines per inch; quarter-sawn ± 2°; even colour across the piece, although slight colour variation is allowed in cedar.
- AAA
- Slight localized runout allowed; straight,even grain with slight variations in evenness and/or straightness allowed; 16+ grain lines/inch; quarter-sawn ± 8°; slight variations in colour allowed.
- AAH
- This is a new grade designed to capture those tops that are otherwise of AAA grade except for slightly more colour variations across the pieces. Also allowed is moderate localized runout at the edges of the instrument outline and small defects that fall outside the instrument outline.
This grade is often the best buy if evenness of colour is not of concern, as many pieces are downgraded to AA solely because of large colour variations.
I no longer stock any "B" grade wood, as there is little demand for it.