Tonewood Choices for Back and Sides
Lindsay Marcus Guitars come in 4 different series. All series share some common elements such as the Premium Alaskan Sitka Spruce Tops, the bracing, binding, neck, bridge and enhancements. The only difference in the series is the Solid Tonewoods used in the Back and Sides. A Custom Series is also available.
600 Series
East Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia)
Origin: Northern and Eastern India
The vast majority of the higher quality steel string guitars made over the last thirty years have been made from Indian Rosewood. Many of the world's top Luthiers actually prefer it to other roswood species like Brazilian Rosewood for several reasons.
It is a beautiful wood, it is plentiful and sustainable, the cost is relatively low compared to other species, it is easily to work with and the sound produced by Indian Rosewood guitars is superlative.
The color of Indian Rosewood ranges from red to light brown with golden streaks, but more often runs to various shades of purple-brown or a rich brown color.
700 Series
Madagascar Rosewood (Dalbergia baronli)
Origin: Island of Madagascar South East Coast of Africa
Visually, Madagascar Rosewood is stunning with it's pronounced and often random red or rust colored grains. It is very close in appearance to the coveted, more rare and extremely expensive Brazilian Rosewood, with only slight color variations.
Madagascar Rosewood is not a protected species yet, however it is becoming scarce as demand for it is strong. It is also a little lighter in weight than some other rosewood species which can account for the benitit of an additional sonic liveliness that surpasses most other tonewoods, including the coveted Brazilian Rosewood.
The tonewwod has a mellow warm and strong tone with a noticeably strong sustain.
800 Series
Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa )
Origin: Central America, Pacific Coast
Cocobolo is a tropical hardwood that carries sunrise hues of red, yellow, pink, and black, occasionally streaked with green, purple, and blue. In some boards, a creamy white sapwood borders the colorful heartwood.
Cocobolo is dense and stiff. with a fairly bright tone. Sonically, it resonates deep on the low end, and yet provides clear precise trebles. It has a great responsive attack, with good sustain. It exhibits strong resonance and rich overtones
Cocobolo suits most playing styles and suits guitarists who desire a Rosewood sound with a little more brilliant high end treble.
900 Series
Ziricote (Cordia dodecandra )
Origin: Belize, Mexico, Central America
Zircote is one of the most visually appealing tonewoods used on guitars today. It bears intense and wonderful colors and has a striking overapping type grain.
A hard, dense tonewood, it is not a member of the Rosewood family but eminates tonal properties associated with Macasar Ebony and Rosewood, offering more clarity than Rosewood but more overtones than Macassar.
It has excellent low dampening qualities with a clean resonant echo-like character. Zircote pairs well with almost any top, however Spruce brings out a wide variety of tones and sound to the stage.