Wood overview

Wood

Some woods that are used:

Wood			Remark / Examples
Alder			Including guitar body.
Ash			Including guitar body.
Birch
Cedar			Top of acoustic guitars.
Cypress			Flamenco guitar back and sides.
Ebony			Especially for the "fingerboard" (fretboard) on the neck (dark color, sometimes almost black).
Koa			Side and back acoustic guitar.
Mahogany			Both for the body and neck. Side and back acoustic guitar.
Maple			Especially for the neck, widely used by Fender. Gibson and PRS often use it for the "top" on the body.
Oak
Ovankel			Back and sides acoustic guitar.
Rosewood			Especially with "fingerboard" on the neck (dark brown with sometimes a purple glow). Side and back acoustic guitar.
Sapele			Like mahogany.
Spruce			Especially for top of acoustic guitars.
Walnut			Body and neck. For example with the Gibson The Paul and a special version of the Fender Telecaster.
Wenge

The wood type of this Gibson "The Paul" from 1979 is not commonplace. Walnut wood is used for both the body and neck. Ebben was used for the fretboard, recognizable by its very dark color.

Both Gibson and Paul Reed Smith often use mahogany for the body with a low maple top.
Both layers are clearly visible in this Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 from 1989.

The neck is also made of mahogany, on which high-quality rosewood has been used as a fretboard.
The so-called "Brazilian rosewood" is still considered to be superior.
In 1992, this wood species was added to the CITES treaty and was therefore banned from export.
Today, it can only be obtained and used for guitars if it has been felled and exported before the CITES ban, or comes from trees that have been "cut down" naturally.
In both cases, the wood or instrument is accompanied by a certificate of origin.
You will find the much sought after "Brazilian rosewood" especially on older guitars (for example also with brands such as Fender, Gibson or Martin).