Myrtle as a Tone Wood

[BeZo]

*Disclaimer*
Wood is only one piece of a complex connection of components called a "rig". Every piece of the signal chain matters to effect the overall tone. Some matter more than others. Let's avoid discussing other components in the signal chain and focus on discussing the characteristics of the wood in this thread.

I got a guitar with a thick Myrtle top on it recently. Here's the proof.

I'm still in there process of setting it up as it acclimates to my environment, but I got it restrung and it's starting to settle, so I've been playing it. I've only been playing it unplugged so far, as I have plans to rewire it to my liking. I also restrung my other Jarrett Forza with fresh strings to compare. They sound wildly different.

The listing on Reverb mentioned the top is similar to maple, but I don't hear it. Acoustic circles claim it's between Mahogany and Rosewood, which is pretty accurate to me. Wood Database stats say it's denser (thus heavier) than both. It seems to me to have the snap of maple or rosewood, but in a frequency range relevant to guitar. It seems to be very warm in the midrange. I'm digging it?

You guys ever fuck with Myrtle on a guitar? Is Myrtle the new tone wood?

 

[Devin]

There's a guy I know who builds guitars using trees local to central Louisiana. Myrtle, Sassafras, Sycamore etc.


I think his guitars are pretty ugly (he kind of free handed his own wonky looking version of strat, tele, LP shapes) but they are very well made and sound like any other quality guitar in my opinion

I'm not a big believer in the whole tonewood thing for solidbody guitars in general though