Dogwood Guitars

  • Home
  • About
  • Guitars
    • Dogwood Models
    • Guitar Galleries
    • Ordering your Dogwood Guitar
    • FAQ’s
  • Services
  • Lutherie Classes
  • Pictorials
    • Repairs
    • How to Correctly String a Guitar
    • Building A Monarch
    • Making a Spalted Maple Rosette
    • Pearl and Abalone Inlay
  • Articles
    • Technical
    • Viewpoint
  • Testimonials
  • YouTube
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Articles / Technical / Baking Tops

Baking Tops

A number of guitar builders (including a couple of well-known factory-made brands) follow the practice of baking the Spruce tops in an oven at low heat prior to using them in the construction of an instrument.

This practice has caused a lot of discussion among luthiers and more than a little skepticism. According to some, baking Spruce increases its tonal qualities by affecting the resin in the cellular structure of the wood. Baking also supposedly accomplishes other structural changes that add to the musicality of the top. Some builders swear by this technique; many others dismiss it as sales hype and myth.

I bake all my tops, but for a different reason and one that I suspect is the true motivation for many who do so: Baking reduces the moisture content of the wood to near zero. The wood then stabilizes at equilibrium with the relative humidity of the shop, which is maintained at 45-50% year round. This in effect is like pre-shrinking a pair of jeans. The wood, having been taken to as a low a moisture content as it will ever be again along with the resulting shrinkage, is much less likely to cause the guitar owner problems in the future due to seasonal wood movement caused by fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Wood treated in this way also has the best possible preparation for glue adhesion.

All wood is subject to this seasonal movement, and the majority of acoustic guitar players I know are unaware of just how much the thin wood used in stringed instruments can shrink and swell. They are also unaware of the importance of keeping their guitars humidified to the correct level, and the deleterious affects that failing to do so will have on the guitars. Excessive drying can cause cracks, sharp fret ends, and soundboard shrinkage that affects the action and playability. Baking guitar woods prior to construction helps to minimize the potential for damage should the guitar be subject to incorrect conditions.

Any tonal benefits that come from “setting the resins” or other structural changes are merely a side benefit. Of course, I’ll gladly accept them if in fact they occur! But the bottom line is that there is no substitute for the wonderful things that the aging process does to stringed instruments and their tone. But baking guitar wood can help your instrument live to a ripe old age.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • YouTube

1968 Fender Jazz Bass Neck Work

A customer brought me a very cool 1968 Fender Jazz Bass neck. The neck is fretless and- as the Beatles would say, "very strange"- it had no nut slot. There was also a piece of binding missing at the heel. The customer was interested in having the … [Read More...]

Blog: Jumbo inlay

Work continues on the Rosewood Kingston Jumbo this week, with the gold Mother of Pearl and Abalone fretboard inlay work. These crown type position markers are beautiful and I love the old-school appearance that calls to mind the Gibson SJ-200 and … [Read More...]

1975 Gibson Hummingbird Restoration

While meeting with a customer and his daughter about designing a guitar for her, he showed me his Gibson Hummingbird that his daughter had been playing. Using the serial number and other identifying characteristics, I was able to date the guitar … [Read More...]

Lutherie Classes: Voicing and Tuning

Acoustic Guitar Voicing and Tuning Class (Discontinued due to my heavy repair schedule) This is an advanced class that explores the principles behind great acoustic guitar tone. This class is intended for the experienced builder, and … [Read More...]

Customer Testimonial: Dogwood Monarch

"I loved my handcrafted Yamaha LX5 until I played my brother's Larrivee. So I bought a Larrivee. The Dogwood acoustic makes my Larrivee sound like my old Yamaha. The Dogwood is superior to my Larrivee D-03R in every way - tone, action - even looks. I … [Read More...]

Making a Spalted Maple Rosette

The rosette on an acoustic guitar, along with the peghead and bridge designs, is a big part of the custom builder's signature. Often a particular design will immediately identify the guitar as being made by a specific individual. Perhaps the amazing … [Read More...]

Visit us on YouTube…

Follow Dogwood Guitars

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Technical Articles

Why do old guitars sound better?

Why do some old guitars sound so good? Even inexpensive guitars can age into really good sounding instruments, and some old guitars attain legendary tone. Why is this? The answer can be found in one of three factors and the best … [Read More...]

More Technical Articles

Viewpoint Articles

The Three Elements of a Great Guitar

Guitar players and collectors have so many choices available to them. New, used, factory brands, custom hand built...how do you narrow down the choices to the best option for you? In my opinion, any guitar should be measured by three … [Read More...]

More Viewpoint Articles

Copyright © 2025 Dogwood Guitars