Figured redwood soundboard of a Turkowiak guitar

Rare woods

Curly Redwood

Figured redwood, in instruments made to be heard.

Curly Redwood

Figure with a musical purpose.

Flamed and curly redwood create a distinctive movement across the soundboard. The selected instruments show this material in steel-string and nylon-string guitars, with the exact double-top combination recorded in each specification.

Among them are Ember, Al Di Meola's steel-string OM, and Driftfire, Andy McKee's steel-string grand auditorium. Earlier recorded instruments offer another point of reference for listening; they are not recordings of Ember or Driftfire.

Selected instruments

From the Museum.

Photographs and specifications of individual completed guitars. For current availability, visit Available.

Al Di Meola’s Turkowiak Opus Virtuoso “Ember” steel-string OM – front and back

Steel / No. 734

Al Di Meola Guitar — Opus Virtuoso “Ember” (Steel-String OM)

Opus Virtuoso

Double top: Highly-figured Old-growth Flamed Redwood (top) / Alpine Spruce from Tirol (bottom)
Back and sides: Highly-Figured Black California Walnut Burl

View the Museum record

Andy McKee Guitar - Opus Virtuoso Driftfire front and raised back product image

Steel / No. 776

Andy McKee Guitar – Opus Virtuoso “Driftfire” (Steel-String GA)

Opus Virtuoso

Double top: Highly-figured Old-growth Flamed Redwood (top) / Alpine Spruce from Tirol (bottom)
Back and sides: Highly-Figured Black California Walnut Burl

View the Museum record

Nylon / No. 713

Opus Virtuoso

Double top: Highly-figured Old-growth Flamed Redwood (top) / Ancient Kauri (ca. 50000 years old with a certificate of authenticity)(bottom)
Back and sides: Amboyna Burl with sapwood

View the Museum record

Steel / No. 701

Luthier’s acoustic steel-string OM guitar no. 701

Opus Virtuoso

Double top: Highly-figured Old-growth Flamed Redwood (top) / Alpine Spruce from Tirol (bottom)
Back and sides: Highly-Figured Black California Walnut Burl

View the Museum record

Nylon / No. 615

no. 615

Double top: Highly-figured Old-growth Flamed Redwood (Master Grade)(top) / Western Red Cedar (Master Grade)(bottom)
Back and sides: Amboyna Burl with sapwood (Master Grade)

View the Museum record

Nylon / No. 611

no. 611

Double top: Highly-figured Old-growth Flamed Redwood (Master Grade)(top) / Western Red Cedar (Master Grade)(bottom)
Back and sides: Cocobolo with sapwood (Master Grade)