Big Leaf Maple

Big Leaf Maple

Origin: Western North America

Used On: The 600 Series, Acoustic 6 Series, DDSM

A dense hardwood, maple's tone is like a laser beam — very focused — and dominant on the fundamental. Often described as having a "bright" sound, maple has fewer overtones than other medium-density woods, resulting in quicker note decay. This makes it a preferred guitar wood for live performance settings with a band — especially with bass, drums and electric guitar — because it cuts through a mix well, allows the acoustic sound to be heard, and is less prone to feedback issues. It has some midrange, and a lot more treble sparkle than rosewood.

Goes Well With: Live band performances, recording, lead players who like clean articulation and note definition, 12-strings, players with dark bone tone.