Music has been around forever and has been found in every known culture throughout the world, both now and in the past. Everyone has some type of passion for music, and it is an essential part of life. A majority of the music we hear more often than not has the presence of a guitar. The acoustic guitar has more than 5,000 years of history attached to it and descended from stringed instruments used thousands of years ago throughout all types of civilizations.
But what are these guitars made of? And when musicians pick up a guitar, does the thought of the environmental consequences of guitar making ever cross their mind?
Guitar makers are getting increasingly progressive and sensitive to the environmental impact of each product made. Taylor Guitars has several environmental initiatives, and the most notable is the Music Woods Coalition with Greenpeace. This initiative protects threatened forest habitats and safeguards the future of the trees vital to making musical instruments.
“Taylor Guitars partnered with the organization in 2007 when it was founded,” said Charlie Redden of Taylor Guitars. “The group’s overarching goal is to promote environmentally sustainable methods of harvesting tone woods that are certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council. The coalition’s first initiative has focused on preserving the future of Sitka Spruce (a popular guitar top wood choice) in Alaska.”
There are many different types of wood used to make guitars. Most have been made with what is known as a “tone wood.” This type of wood comes from all over the world and includes Sitka spruce, Brazilian rosewood, ebony, mahogany and maple.
Manufacturing musical instruments is certainly not the main reason behind vanishing forest habitats as they use a small amount of wood.
“To give you an estimate, it takes about five to six board feet to make one guitar (one board foot is equivalent to 144 cubic inches),” said Redden. “Paired with the advanced engineering and technologies we use, we’re able to gain greater yield from each piece of wood.”
Efforts to protect the environment have always been a priority for Taylor Guitars, and the company is committed to obtaining wood that has been responsibly harvested.
Martin Guitars also has an environmental philosophy and formed its ecological policy in 1990. The program uses traditional natural materials and also utilizes wood with natural cosmetic characteristics that some would consider unacceptable. They also require dealers to participate in a special sustainability program and stock FSC models.
Using natural resources has always been necessary, and it is crucial for musicians, as they base their livelihoods on the instruments used to create music. Jon Gutwillig, guitarist for the Disco Biscuits, plays Becker Guitars made of ash, purple heart, coco bola, mahogany, walnut and pine.
“We always choose the wood for definite reasons,” said Gutwillig. “When you play guitar at the level we do every night, having a precision instrument that is crystal clear on every note everywhere on the neck is crucial. Forests that are cared for and nurtured have stronger, more stable wood. That is the only wood we use. It simply makes a better guitar. For us there is no room for exceptions.”
Local musician George Wesley also feels it’s important to support guitar manufacturers that are concerned with preserving the environment.
“I play the X-Midi guitar by Martin; the guitar is made from all man made products,” said Wesley. “The guitar has an aluminum top and the bridge is made from micarta, which is manmade ebony.” Wesley has always cared for the environment and makes sure that when he travels and plays he does everything he can to stay green and raise awareness on preserving the environment.
Without music the world would be rather dull, so it’s important to keep the creation of music ongoing all while preserving the precious materials used to create the instruments responsible for making the music.
w
| Tweet | Follow @wkdr |
|
|
