A question for Jack Spira

Hello Glee, I'll do my best to answer you without getting too waffly!
Getting wood for instrument making can be an involved process and varies depeding on where in the world it grows. Spruce, for instance, doesn't grow here at all and is also seldom imported, except for specialist things like aircraft and boat makers. I love using spruce for soundboards, and its rare to be able to find any available for sale in Melbourne. So I pretty much have to import it directly from the countries where it grows, North America and northern Europe. A similar siruation with Indian rosewood and ebony.
Something that is available here in local timber yards is whats called Fiji Mahogany. This is Honduran Mahogany planted in Fiji 40 or 50 years ago I think. This plantation mahogany is generally in sizes too small for backs and sides of guitars, but ideal for necks. Its a great material to have available.
I also use Australian native woods often. Partly because its interesting and rewarding to use local timbers, and also because I can get the wood at the milling stage and cut it up exactly as I'd like it. Something I enjoy and don't get to do so much with imported timbers. Its not so important for the spruce as its such an even grain and colour that, as long as it good wood and well cut, theres not a lot of variation. With the decorative woods used for the backs and sides however its great to be able to cut the billets to get whatever figure or visual effect suits the instrument. Using localy sourced wood is great for this. two of my favourites are Blackwood and Victorian Ash. I also love W.A.Sheoak and Rose mahogany from NSW.

All these different woods have thier own sound, but when it comes to the unique sound accosiated with an individual maker ( and every maker certianly has a particular sound), this is something that becomes common to all the instruments made by that maker regardless of the woods being used to a certain extent I think.
There are design aspects that greatly influence the sound. In my case I have devoloped a symetrycal bracing pattern that I've come to like over the years, and also like to use solid mahogany lining in the sides instead of kerfed linings. These thing all contribute to a sound that I'm chasing.
There is something intangible on top of these things though. Every maker whos work I know has a certain sound unique to them. Its often remarked in conversation with other makers that this characteristic sound is always there, regardless of what that maker does, whether they want it or not!

I do deliberatly try to reduce the wieght of the instruments I make. Its largely a feature of the woods being used so there is always variability in the wieght of an instrument. Different between wood choices- Rosewood is heavier than Mahogany or Ash. And different between individual pieces, the neck wood in particular can make a difference and I will often pick a lighter piece of mahogany over a heavier one. Both would do as well for the job, but a lighter instrument can feel nicer to play. Too light can be detrimental to the sound I think, especially with regard to the neck and fretboard, it needs to have a bit of density under the frets I feel. There's no science behind a lot of these opinions I hasten to add! Just opinions I've devloped over the years.

Jack