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

Citation