All time favorite woods for trumpets.......

[Meleagris gallopavo]

I was wondering more about the sound quality of ebonies and burls.  I'm a nut about aesthetics, but it all comes back to performance.  I keep going round and round in my mind about the importance of the type of wood for trumpet sound quality.  I've heard on here that two trumpets made from different woods by the same maker will sound very similar.  My "opinion", which ain't much, is that is the case.  Anyway, got off topic.  My choices in woods are often driven by how rare and unique the wood is, which doesn't always align with tonality for a trumpet. 


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I think it is a curse, but I can hear differences between various woods. Some Ebonies have great tonal properties, some seem more "dead" to me. Burls within the "good sounding" woods sound just as good to me, they are just a pain to turn/keep in one piece.

Depends on the individual piece of wood too.


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[mmclain]

I was wondering more about the sound quality of ebonies and burls.  I'm a nut about aesthetics, but it all comes back to performance.  I keep going round and round in my mind about the importance of the type of wood for trumpet sound quality.  I've heard on here that two trumpets made from different woods by the same maker will sound very similar.  My "opinion", which ain't much, is that is the case.  Anyway, got off topic.  My choices in woods are often driven by how rare and unique the wood is, which doesn't always align with tonality for a trumpet. 

Depends on the method and extent of what is considered finished  and how that is maintained.  throughout the call making process.  Rely on method primarily and secondarily in the wood or other material when building a call. 

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I think it is a curse, but I can hear differences between various woods. Some Ebonies have great tonal properties, some seem more "dead" to me. Burls within the "good sounding" woods sound just as good to me, they are just a pain to turn/keep in one piece.

Depends on the individual piece of wood too.


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[merocustomcalls]

Kingwood is probably my favorite, both good sounding and easy to turn, I also like Cocobolo, ABW, and Desert Ironwood

[Shoebuck]

Mopani, Lignum Vitae, African Blackwood, Bolivian Rosewood

[RLAG]

I don't see any folks talking about bloodwood. Any reason why? It is almost identical in hardness to ABW with a cheap cost like Osage and looks good. Anyone have any reason why it hasn't gotten any love?

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[Terry]

I have a bloodwood that I really enjoy. Plays as well as the rest of them.




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[GregGwaltney]

I don't see any folks talking about bloodwood. Any reason why? It is almost identical in hardness to ABW with a cheap cost like Osage and looks good. Anyone have any reason why it hasn't gotten any love?

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I have turned a few Bloodwood and they sounded great.....

[Meleagris gallopavo]

I don't see any folks talking about bloodwood. Any reason why? It is almost identical in hardness to ABW with a cheap cost like Osage and looks good. Anyone have any reason why it hasn't gotten any love?

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Bloodwood really doesn't compare to ABW in hardness and density.  ABW is a lot harder and much more dense.  That being said, bloodwood shouldn't be a bad choice for a trumpet as others have stated success with it.


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[RLAG]

That's my bad I had the Janka hardness for cocobolo and abw backwards in my head

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[Tarheel]

In years past, I've made several trumpet yelpers from bloodwood, and they sounded as good as any I made.  I don't know bloodwood's janka hardness rating, but it's hard enough and will dull tools as fast as any other woods with that reputation. 

[GregGwaltney]

Bloodwood Specs
Average Dried Weight: 66 lbs/ft3 (1,050 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .90, 1.05
Janka Hardness: 2,900 lbf (12,900 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 25,290 lbf/in2 (174.4 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 3,013,000 lbf/in2 (20.78 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 14,310 lbf/in2 (98.7 MPa)

ABW Specs
Average Dried Weight: 79 lbs/ft3 (1,270 kg/m3)
Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): 1.08, 1.27
Janka Hardness: 3,670 lbf (16,320 N)
Modulus of Rupture: 30,970 lbf/in2(213.6 MPa)
Elastic Modulus: 2,603,000 lbf/in2(17.95 GPa)
Crushing Strength: 10,570 lbf/in2(72.9 MPa)

[Tarheel]

Greg, thank you for that information.  Obviously, there is a difference in the Janka Hardness; but for all practical purposes, I don't see a difference that would cause me to prefer one wood over the other for making a trumpet yelper.  Both woods will do the job and serve the purpose.....

[Scpossum]

Cocobola is my favorite, just can't turn them anymore.  Argentine Lignum is hard to beat for the sound.   Gen.Lignum, ABW, Cocus, Ironwood, Olive, and  snakewood are all good, in no order.  Brazillion Ebony is not fancy but sounds great and is dense.  Tight grained Osage is on the list as well. 

[Greg Massey]

Other than looks, does the type of woods really make a difference in the sound quality of a trumpet?

[GregGwaltney]

Other than looks, does the type of woods really make a difference in the sound quality of a trumpet?

Sure does to my ear.