--- title: Sustainable Wood for Guitar Making | Sonowood description: Sonowood is the leading alternative for endangered tropical wood species - best wood for guitar making from local, sustainable forestry. image: https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hubfs/Website%202024/2_Sonowood_Website_Hero-Bild_Products-Overview_fur-Web_4fach_10-Q-1-1.jpeg --- [Go to Website](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#main-content) ** Discover our webshop for violin making accessories **[ >](https://shop.sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/) [![Sonowood Logo - Representing Sustainable Wood for Musical Instruments - Standard für nachhaltiges Holz für Musikinstrumente ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hubfs/Website%202024/Sonowood%20Logo%20-%20Wood%20for%20Instruments%20-%20Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20Musikinstrumente%20-%20Swiss%20Wood%20Solutions.svg "Sonowood Logo - Representing Sustainable Wood for Musical Instruments - Standard für nachhaltiges Holz für Musikinstrumente ")](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch?hsLang=en) [![Sonowood Logo - Representing Sustainable Wood for Musical Instruments - Standard für nachhaltiges Holz für Musikinstrumente ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hubfs/Website%202024/Sonowood%20Logo%20-%20Wood%20for%20Instruments%20-%20Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20Musikinstrumente%20-%20Swiss%20Wood%20Solutions.svg "Sonowood Logo - Representing Sustainable Wood for Musical Instruments - Standard für nachhaltiges Holz für Musikinstrumente ")](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch?hsLang=en) - [ Products ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#) - [ Violin Making ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/violin-making) - [ Guitar Making ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making) - [ References ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/references) - [ About ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#) - [ Portrait & Team ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/about-us/portrait-team) - [ News & Media ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/about-us/media-news) - [ Career ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/about-us/career) - [ Contact ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/contact) - [ Contact ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/contact) - [ Shop ](https://shop.sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/) - [English](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making) - [Deutsch](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/de/produkte/gitarrenbau) Search Toggle Menu - [English](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making) - [Deutsch](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/de/produkte/gitarrenbau) Search Toggle Menu - [ Products ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#) - [ Violin Making ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/violin-making) - [ Guitar Making ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making) - [ References ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/references) - [ About ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#) - [ Portrait & Team ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/about-us/portrait-team) - [ News & Media ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/about-us/media-news) - [ Career ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/about-us/career) - [ Contact ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/contact) - [ Contact ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/contact) - [ Shop ](https://shop.sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/) #### Maximum Playing Pleasure.  Zero Tropical Wood. #### Maximum Playing Pleasure.  Zero Tropical Wood. [ Contact Us ](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/contact?hsLang=en) # Domestic Wood for Guitar Making – with Top-Class Acoustic Properties The unique and innovative densification process is the key ingredient of Sonowood. This gives domestic wood characteristics that are measurably equivalent to those of tropical timber. The result? Sustainable square timber with outstanding hardness and density – the perfect materials for making high-quality guitars. Sonowood products enable luthiers to build guitars that raise the bar in terms of sustainability and provide top-class tonal characteristics. ![olz für den Gitarrenbau - Best Wood for Guitar Making](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20den%20Gitarrenbau%20-%20Best%20Wood%20for%20Guitar%20Making%20-%20Sonowood.jpeg?width=1200&height=950&name=Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20den%20Gitarrenbau%20-%20Best%20Wood%20for%20Guitar%20Making%20-%20Sonowood.jpeg) ![Griffbretter aus Holz für Gitarren - Fretboards with best wood for Guitars](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/SwissWoodSolutions_February2021/Image/Griffbretter%20aus%20Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20Gitarren%20-%20Fretboards%20with%20best%20wood%20for%20Guitars%20-%20Sonowood.jpg?width=1400&height=933&name=Griffbretter%20aus%20Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20Gitarren%20-%20Fretboards%20with%20best%20wood%20for%20Guitars%20-%20Sonowood.jpg) ## Wood for Guitar Making with All the Characteristics of Tropical Timber – without Actually Containing Any. We obtain woods like maple or beech from sustainably managed local forests and modify them to create sustainable wood for guitar making. The result is a groundbreaking innovation for luthiers: Sonowood. Thanks to its unique densification process, Sonowood measurably meets or exceeds the physical, mechanical and tonal properties of the tropical timber required for guitars. The extreme hardness and density of Sonowood help create guitars and electric guitars with outstanding acoustic characteristics when used as fretboards, bridges and head stocks. ## Sonowood Black Edition. Sonowood Black Edition is available in shades ranging from dark brown to deep black. It functions as a genuine alternative to ebony – in terms of both its physical characteristics and appearance. ![Sonowood Black Edition - Kantholz für den Geigenbau - Black Wood for Violin Makers](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/Sonowood%20Black%20Beech%20Schwarzes%20Kantholz%20f%C3%BCr%20Streichinstrumente.jpeg?width=935&height=800&name=Sonowood%20Black%20Beech%20Schwarzes%20Kantholz%20f%C3%BCr%20Streichinstrumente.jpeg) - #### [Spezifikationen Sonowood Black Edition](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#) **Type of wood:** beech (Fagus sylvatica) **Color: **very dark brown to black **Density:** 1,200 – 1,400 kg/m³ **Brinell hardness:** > 80 N/mm² **Dimensional stability:** height ~ 0.7%, width ~ 0.37% per % change in moisture content **Sound conduction speed:** 4,200 – 5,400 m/s **Dynamic elasticity module:** > 21,000 N/mm² ## Sonowood Maple. ![Holz für den Gitarrenbau: Griffbrett aus Ahorn - Best Wood for Guitar Making - Fretboard made of Maple](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/Griffbrett%20aus%20Ahorn%20diagonal.jpg?width=600&height=400&name=Griffbrett%20aus%20Ahorn%20diagonal.jpg) ![Ahorn Holz für Gitarren - Maple Best Wood for Guitars](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/SwissWoodSolutions_February2021/Image/Ahorn%20Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20Gitarren%20-%20Maple%20Best%20Wood%20for%20Guitars%20-%20Sonowood.jpg?width=1200&height=800&name=Ahorn%20Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20Gitarren%20-%20Maple%20Best%20Wood%20for%20Guitars%20-%20Sonowood.jpg) ![Nachhaltiges Holz für Gitarren - Guitars made of sustainable Wood - Swiss Wood Solutions-1](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/Website%202024/Nachhaltiges%20Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20Gitarren%20-%20Guitars%20made%20of%20sustainable%20Wood%20-%20Swiss%20Wood%20Solutions-1.jpg?width=1400&height=933&name=Nachhaltiges%20Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20Gitarren%20-%20Guitars%20made%20of%20sustainable%20Wood%20-%20Swiss%20Wood%20Solutions-1.jpg) ## Sonowood Black Edition. ![2021-05-26 Picture Black Beech ohne Rand](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/2021-05-26%20Picture%20Black%20Beech%20ohne%20Rand.jpg?height=2000&name=2021-05-26%20Picture%20Black%20Beech%20ohne%20Rand.jpg) ![SonowoodBlack für Websiite-1](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/SonowoodBlack%20f%C3%BCr%20Websiite-1.jpg?height=2000&name=SonowoodBlack%20f%C3%BCr%20Websiite-1.jpg) ## Sonowood Beech. ![Kantholz für Geigenbau - Wood for Violin Making - Sonowood](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/Kantholz%20f%C3%BCr%20Geigenbau%20-%20Wood%20for%20Violin%20Making%20-%20Sonowood.jpeg?width=623&height=558&name=Kantholz%20f%C3%BCr%20Geigenbau%20-%20Wood%20for%20Violin%20Making%20-%20Sonowood.jpeg) - #### [Specifications for Sonowood Maple/Flamed Maple](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#) **Type of wood: **sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) **Color: **mocha **Density: **1,200 – 1,400 kg/m³ **Brinell hardness:  **> 80 N/mm² **Dimensional stability: **differential swelling tolerance in % per % of moisture content change: height 0.7%, width 0.3% **Sound conduction speed:** > 4,200 – 5,400 m/s **Damping (logarithmic decrement):** ~ 0.053 **Dynamic elasticity module:** > 21,000 N/mm² - #### [Sonowood Black Edition](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#) **Type of wood:** beech (Fagus sylvatica) **Color: **very dark brown to black **Density:** 1,200 – 1,400 kg/m³ **Brinell hardness:** > 80 N/mm² **Dimensional stability:** differential swelling tolerance in % per % of moisture content change: height ~ 0.7%, width ~ 0.37%  **Sound conduction speed:** 4,200 – 5,400 m/s **Dynamic elasticity module:** > 21,000 N/mm² - #### [Specifications for Sonowood Beech](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#) **Type of wood: **beech (Fagus sylvatica) **Color:** dark brown **Density:** 1,200 – 1,400 kg/m³ **Brinell hardness:** > 80 N/mm² **Dimensional stability:** differential swelling tolerance in % per % of moisture content change: height 0.7%, width 0.37% **Sound conduction speed:** 4,200 – 5,400 m/s **Dynamic elasticity module:** > 21,000 N/mm² - #### [Specifications for Ebony (Diospyros ebenum) as a Comparison](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#) **Density:** 1,200 – 1,400 kg/m³ **Brinell hardness:** ~ 84 N/mm² **Sound conduction speed: **~ 4,500 m/s - #### [Standard Sizes for Sonowood Blanks](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#) **Fretboard:** 540 x 65 x 10 mm **Bridge for acoustic and electric guitars:** 200 x 50 x 20 mm Other sizes available on request. ## Interested in Sonowood? ### If You Are an Instrument Maker: ##### Contact us. We will be happy to discuss your individual requirements and answer any questions you have about Sonowood square timbers made from wood from sustainably managed local forests.  [**Contact us >**](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/contact?hsLang=en) ### If You Are a Musician: ##### Contact one of our partners. Or ask your preferred luthier about Sonowood. We have carefully selected our partners: these respected experts have extensive experience in crafting high-quality musical instruments – and they rely on Sonowood. They will be more than happy to help you with making or modifying your instrument. **[To the Sonowood Partners >](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making#Sonowood-Partner)** ## Sonowood Partners for Guitar Making. [![Logo Tonewood - Holz für den Gitarrenbau - Wood for Guitar Making](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/Website%202024/Logo%20Tonewood%20-%20Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20den%20Gitarrenbau%20-%20Wood%20for%20Guitar%20Making%20-%20Sonowood.png?width=471&height=89&name=Logo%20Tonewood%20-%20Holz%20f%C3%BCr%20den%20Gitarrenbau%20-%20Wood%20for%20Guitar%20Making%20-%20Sonowood.png) ](https://shop.tonewood.ch/en/collections/sonowood) We have established strong partnerships with recognized experts in instrument making, who use Sonowood square timbers to craft the parts of the instrument in close consultation with the artist, taking their requirements into account.  **[Discover Sonowood for Guitar Building on Our Partner's Website >](https://shop.tonewood.ch/en/collections/sonowood)** ![Haug_Close Up](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/Haug_Close%20Up.jpg?width=250&height=309&name=Haug_Close%20Up.jpg) ##### Contact Person for Guitar Makers **Boris Haug  **Business Development & Sales Manager T +41 44 244 38 11 [ Email ](mailto:haug@swisswoodsolutions.ch) ## Sustainable Wood for Violin Making. Sonowood is synonymous with exceptional hardness and density – the perfect prerequisites not only for guitars, but also for stringed instruments that meet the highest tonal requirements. **[Read More About Sustainable Wood for Violin Making >](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/violin-making?hsLang=en)** ![Nachhaltige Musikinstrumente - Sustainable Musical Instruments - Swiss Wood Solutions](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hs-fs/hubfs/Website%202024/Nachhaltige%20Musikinstrumente%20-%20Sustainable%20Musical%20Instruments%20-%20Swiss%20Wood%20Solutions-1-1.jpeg?width=781&height=662&name=Nachhaltige%20Musikinstrumente%20-%20Sustainable%20Musical%20Instruments%20-%20Swiss%20Wood%20Solutions-1-1.jpeg) ##### Swiss Wood Solutions Swiss Wood Solutions Sonowood is an innovation developed by Swiss Wood Solutions AG. As a technology and business incubator, Swiss Wood Solutions supports sustainable businesses with the decarbonization of products and manufacturing processes, and the development of business models. With our unique wood densification process we develop genuine alternatives to tropical timber, plastic and composite materials. Our greentech innovations, which center on wood-based frontier technologies, promote sustainable development – in both ecological and economic terms.   Swiss Wood Solutions AG Giessenstrasse 10 CH-6460 Altdorf T +41 44 244 38 00 [mailto:info@swisswoodsolutions.ch](mailto:info@swisswoodsolutions.ch)   ##### Quick Links Quick Links - [Violin Making](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/violin-making) - [Guitar Making](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/products/guitar-making) - [Success Stories](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/references) - [Portrait & Team](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/about-us/portrait-team) - [Career](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/about-us/career) - [Contact](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/contact) - [Website Swiss Wood Solutions](https://www.swisswoodsolutions.ch/en/) ##### Subscribe to our Newsletter Subscribe to our Newsletter - [GTC](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hubfs/AGB%20EN%2020250620.pdf) - [Privacy Policy](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hubfs/Datenschutzerkl%C3%A4rung%20EN%2020230828.pdf) - [Imprint](https://sonowood.swisswoodsolutions.ch/hubfs/Impressum%20EN%2020230816.pdf) © 2026 Swiss Wood Solutions AG  Sonowood – a Swiss Wood Solutions brand