Oregon Douglas Fir and Sustainable Wood Choice in Solid Body Electric Guitars
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Date
2016-06
Authors
Snook, Morgan
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
This thesis explores alternative wood choice in solid body electric guitar
manufacturing, with the focus being in long term resource sustainability, and how the
choice of the wood affects the sound and manufacturing. Gibson Guitars is primary
company of comparison because of its reliance on the tropical hardwood mahogany.
Douglas fir is the sustainable wood choice because of prominence in Oregon and
because of Oregon direct place in Gibson's timber supply chain. Douglas Fir is faster
growing, and protected more heavily than mahogany, and can be acquired from the
country in which the guitars are built. Douglas Fir is comparable to mahogany in
specific gravity, and the role of the guitar body in electric guitars has significantly less
effect on the sound than in an acoustic instrument, and the final guitars sounds
comparable to similar instruments made from other woods. The evidence is a fully
functioning electric guitar with a body built from Douglas fir.
Description
40 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of Product Design and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, Spring 2016.
Keywords
Sustainable guitars, Electric guitars, Sustainable, Douglas Fir, Wood choice, Oregon, Guitar building