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Tone wood

When I bought my Fender Stratocaster Deluxe last year, I just knew I wanted a maple fingerboard. Guitarists know that maple has more snap than rosewood. Same thing for the neck: some guitars are wonderful with mahogany (think Gibson, Hamer) and some get it right with maple (Fender for one, Godin, but the list is long) and even solidbody guitars sound different depending, along with other factors I agree, with the tone wood used for the body (swamp ash being a favorite, mahogany sounding warm with lots of sustain generally). My question then:
What is the best veneer for a dynamic box speaker? Will genuine Rosewood sound warmer? Will maple have snap? How about some exotic wood, like Kalanthas? The best fingerboard material is ebony, How about a 100% ebony veneered speaker; it would cost about 500K, but geez that's life. Should I worry about the actual density, glues used etc in the MDF with which they are constructed? It seems to me that if the dielectric's of a metre length of interconnect can affect bloom, and the height and width of the image and even, I have this from a reliable source, the separation between the instruments in the orchestra, surely 12 square feet of veneer and God knows how many sheets of MDF in a well constructed dead sounding box must have an effect on the sound?
pbb
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cornfedboy
1,645 posts
 
pbb: i quite agree with jab. the dynamic box speakers with which i have familiarity are designed around ridged, non-resonate cabinets onto which a veneer is applied only for show. my avalon eidolons, for example, have boxes constructed of multiple layers of mdf with robust internal bracing; that sort of construction, together with very heavy voice coils, give the speakers the heft requiring two people to set them up. avalon takes great care applying and finishing the veneers that sheath their cabinets. between the veneer and mdf, a layer of proprietary material is applied that both adds to the deadening of the cabinet and, perhaps more importantly, allows for expansion and contraction of the veneers in all directions, thus reducing the likelihood of splitting. avalon does a fabulous job of “book-matching" veneers so that each pair of its speakers is a unique manifestation of cabinet making art. my ascents were done in curly maple that shown thru three dimensionally. my eidolons are in myrtle cluster burl that easily befits the $3k upgrade charged for "premium" finishes. -cfb
abstract7
541 posts
 
I'm assuming you mean the external part of the box--in which case I would say the veneer would have virtual no effect, except that if a looked at a box that was veneered in birdseye maple and one in pine (if there is such a veneer) I would automatically assume that the birdseye maple box would sound better--just because it looks more expensive. Many woods are used in musical instruments to get a desired result--but they are solid, not veneered. From guitars, to violins, to pianos (once made in Brazillian Rosewood and painted black--it was for the sound--not the look) the solid woods created a particular sound. With speakers it's different story--you want neutral--not a sound of a particular wood--that's why MDF is used in many cases and the veneers are just that--something to look at (so my advice is use a really good looking veneer--it will make everyone think the speaker sounds better).
hotcorocket
54 posts
 
I Don't think any veneer would have much influence when the base material is MDF. Two disimilar woods that produce great tone together are Pau Ferro(Ironwood)and Koa. Any guitar made from from that combination would be fantastic. Unfortunately, a speaker would be really heavy if made entirely from these or any instrument grade wood...even Basswood!
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