Agathis

A genus of southern-hemisphere conifers of the Araucariaceae family, also sold as kauri or dammar, whose timber is used as an inexpensive body wood.

It is soft and light with a plain, even grain, so it takes an opaque finish readily and keeps the cost of a large body low. Tonally it is generally described as middle-of-the-road: adequate balance without much character, and its softness means it dents and wears more easily than alder or ash, particularly around the tremolo posts and strap buttons. It is common on entry-level instruments where the wood's job is simply to be a body.

Example: an entry-level stratocaster copy with an agathis body sounds unremarkable but entirely usable, at a fraction of the price of the same shape in alder.

typical use: Solid bodies on entry-level instruments.

Agathis

See also