Video: 'Acoustic Addicts' Analyze Sonic Differences Between Various Types of Wood

If you've ever wondered what exactly what separates the wood used in expensive acoustic guitars from the rest of the pack -- and we do mean exactly -- the guys at Acoustic Addicts seem to have the answer. In the pilot webisode of the show, which can be viewed below, Richard Caruso and guitarist Carl Franklin create controlled recordings of a Taylor K20 (all koa), a Taylor 714ce (rosewood back and sides with an Engelmann spruce top), a Santa Cruz Roy Southerner (mahogany back and sides with a sitka spruce top) and a McPherson 4.5 (beeswing mahogany back and sides with an Adirondack spruce top). Then they analyze the recordings to uncover the tonal characteristics of each guitar. In the video, Caruso compares the finer points of each tone wood to different wines and explains how these guitars are made. Later, Franklin breaks out the spectral visualization software and you can see the difference in the tones you're hearing. You can get more info and download WAV files here.