Beech

A pale, hard northern hardwood of the genus Fagus, far more common in drums and pianos than in guitars.

Beech grows in quantity across Europe and North America, which makes it cheap, and it steam-bends so readily that it has always been used for drum shells, piano actions and bending furniture. It machines and finishes cleanly. Its reputation as a tonewood is modest: it is commonly described as bright and even, in the same general area as maple but with less refinement at the top and little depth underneath. The practical objection is movement, since it shrinks markedly as it seasons and reacts to humidity, so it appears on necks and budget bodies under solid finishes rather than on expensive instruments.

Example: A budget instrument with a beech neck feels stiff and bright but is more likely to need truss rod adjustment as the seasons change than a maple one.

typical use: Necks, and bodies on inexpensive instruments.

Beech

See also