Understanding Why ASW Vertical Grain Tone Wood is Superior

When selecting the tonewood for woodwind instruments like acoustic guitars, you have a few options. Not much of a debate exists between vertical grain wood and straight sawn wood, because of the ubiquitous benefits and superiority of quarter-sawn wood. So VG wood is the loftier choice, but how can you be sure that you’re getting true vertical grain? Though there are ways to determine if wood is genuine vertical grain, it’s not easy to catch with an untrained eye.

 
Most wood that passes for VG wood, is from quarter-sawn wood, but the grains are more diagonal than vertical, and they come out about 45 degrees away from what true VG looks like. To provide you with the best possible tonewood, ASW hand cuts quarter-sawn wood within 10 degrees of genuine vertical grain.

What is Quarter-Sawn Wood & How does it Create VG Wood?

When loggers quarter saw wood, the log splits into four wedges. Then the logger will mount the quarters on the saw, and it cuts the lumber from the quarters. This cutting method creates planks of wood that run perpendicular to the tree’s rings, which causes the wood to dry flat, and ideal for most projects.

What is true vertical grain?

The diagrams below depict the two ways loggers cut trees.
The first photo, below, shows us how straight-sawn wood is curved, and it may not lay flat. The second photo, depicts quarter-sawn wood. These cuts allow the wood to lay more flat, as they are perpendicular with the tree’s growth rings.

The two centerboards are the only two that ASW uses and considers for vertical-grain tonewood. Some contractors will use all of this wood, even the pieces that are closer to straight-sawn wood. However, for tonewood, you want quality, vertical grain wood that falls within ten degrees of true VG. Our ideal VG boards are how we ensure that your project has the potential structure for amazing sound!