All Sapele guitar

[Kevin in California]

What do you think of an all Sapele guitar, back, sides and top? Would it work similar to an all Mahogany guitar?
What is the best size guitar to build using a mahogany top? How about a 000/OM, or does it matter?

[ken cierp]

Janka hardness for Sitka is 510 Genuine Mahogany 900 Sapele 1410


Only a guess, but I think that the all Sapele would end up annoyingly bright -- Genuine Mahogany back and sides tend to mellow the sound board output. I think the Sapele B&S would have the opposite effect, coupled with the harshness of a Sepele top. Perhaps Cedar would be a better choice for the sound board?

[Kevin in California]

Well I didn't realize the Sapele was so much harder than Mahogany. I shall can that idea. Spruce has worked well with the Sapele, cedar is probably a good choice. I have a braced western red cedar top, OM shape, braced for a 12 fret classical that I will be using most likely on the next Sapele crossover. I will be neat to compare it with the spruce topped one I already built.

[Bobby M]

I have a friend who is starting a sapele b/s build soon also. We were considering sinker redwood for the top. He currently owns a Taylor dread 700 series with EIR b/s and a cedar top and likes the warmth of that combination. Would the sapele with the sinker redwood be too similar to that combination in your opinion?

[ken cierp]

Cedar and Redwood have similar stats when comparing elasticity and hardness -- so does Sapele and EIR so the answer is a definite --- maybe.

Not being a smart a** but there are so many variables and nuances in any build it hard to say. But I have to ask --- if someone wants a guitar that sounds like "X" guitar why not just copy it? That's what I did, and even today Martin makes a big deal out of modern vintage spec copy clones. Reverse engineering takes out a lot of the mystery and gives a good idea of what can be expected.

[Tim Benware]

My 2 cents: I have made several EIR and Mahogany guitars with both Sinker Redwood and Western Red Cedar and I would say the main difference is a warmness added to the guitar sound. Everything else was pretty much the same.

[Bobby M]

Cedar and Redwood have similar stats when comparing elasticity and hardness -- so does Sapele and EIR so the answer is a definite --- maybe.

Not being a smart a** but there are so many variables and nuances in any build it hard to say. But I have to ask --- if someone wants a guitar that sounds like "X" guitar why not just copy it? That's what I did, and even today Martin makes a big deal out of modern vintage spec copy clones. Reverse engineering takes out a lot of the mystery and gives a good idea of what can be expected.

Didn't take your comment as a smart a** at all, good thoughts there. He's not wanting a copy of that guitar as he already owns one. Just looking to get more of the "warmth" factor vs a Sitka topped EIR guitar. He plays plugged in almost exclusively so volume projection isn't really an issue. Me personally, I'd like to reverse engineer one of Ryan's guitars with the bracing, bevel, bevel ports etc! But I don't currently run in a circle of friends who have that much disposable cash and owns one to be able to study it lol. I had it in my head that I wanted to "engineer" some bracing similar to his without knowing anyone had done that b4. Was perusing his website yesterday and noticed it's already been done. I especially like the look aesthetically of his "bridge strut" looking braces and from the list of professional players who like and own his guitars it obviously works. Now to just find one to study and figure out how he does them :)