Cole Clark Guitars Buying Guide

The following is useful information to consider when buying a Cole Clark acoustic to make sure you buy the right guitar for you!

Cole Clark Angel Acoustic Guitar Engadine Music
Cole Clark
 is the only major manufacturer of steel string acoustics to employ a ‘Spanish heel’ or integral neck construction with their instruments. This technique glues the neck to the face along with the sides and back so the neck is one piece all the way back to the sound hole; and this increases the sustain and is also lighter than other construction methods.

The benefits of the Spanish heel construction complements the accurately tuned face and back for exceptional clarity. These manufacturing methods, combined with the all solid (mostly) Australian tone woods produce guitars capable loud and lively, or subtle and soft.

Different models include the Fat Lady series of dreadnaught acoustics, the Angel series with the smaller body Grand Auditorium style, and the Custom series which includes the Talisman and Triumph limited edition models. A 12 String option is available with the Fat Lady 1 and 2 dreadnoughts.

A number of different timbers are used in the construction of these acoustic guitars. Some are best suited to finger style playing whilst others for more aggressive strumming or modern percussive styles.

These tone woods include:

TOPS

Western Red Cedar: a soft but very resonant timber that responds well to lighter strumming and finger style playing. It is very balanced tonally so ideal for recording and precise ensemble playing. This timber can mark easily, so not suited to percussive playing on the body.

Californian Redwood Sequoia: Slightly stiffer than Western Red Cedar, this wood will handle more aggressive strumming but still not suitable for modern percussive styles.

Sitka Spruce: is the traditional tone wood for acoustic guitar tops. Stronger wood but still not suitable for percussive playing. 

Bunya: the characteristic tone wood for the Cole Clark sound. Ideal for a medium to hard playing style and percussive techniques, over 50% of Cole Clarks sold feature this timber. 

African Mahogany: which is actually sourced from Queensland and is only available in limited supply. This timber offers midrange punch.

Australian Blackwood: is the stiffest timber used by Cole Clark in making guitar tops, and very closely related to Koa. This is the best top for modern percussive techniques.

Other timbers are used on occasion but only intermittent supplies are available therefore only limited numbers of guitars featuring these exotic timbers are made.

BACK & SIDES

Queensland Maple: This is an Australian native sustainable timber sourced from Queensland and is our second biggest seller. It is no relation and has no similar sound characteristics to US Maple. It’s a neutral sounding timber like South American Mahogany with a touch more snap.

Neutral Sounding, similar to Brazilian Mahogany

Fast attack

Good for amplifying. This is a sustainable timber.

Australian Blackwood: This is the number one selling back and side timber. This is an Australian native timber sourced from Tasmania or Victoria and is sustainable. It is a beautiful timber to look at with a very similar tonal characteristic to Koa as it is a very close cousin.

Good low mid’s

Good mid-range punch

Good high frequency definition

Good for amplifying

Signature Cole Clark acoustic sound, sustainable.

African Mahogany: This is sourced from Queensland in Australia so it is sustainable.

Good mid-range punch

For a more traditional acoustic American sound but with the Cole Clark neck through character.

Indian Rosewood: if you want lots of bass then this is the timber for you. It comes from India and is the staple of most guitar makers in the world today for backs and sides. This species is listed as vulnerable in the IUCN red list of threatened species and is not sustainable.

Good low frequency

Can be boomy amplified depending on size of guitar and type of fretboard

For a more traditional acoustic American sound but with the Cole Clark neck through character

Queensland Maple Silkwood: This is an Australian native sustainable timber sourced from Queensland and is used for necks of all 3 Series and backs and sides of 3 Series where they come with Maple. It is a very close cousin to Queensland Maple with a more golden colour. It is no relation and has no similar sound characteristics to US Maple. While the specifications are the same as Queensland Maple it has more bass response with a bit more bottom end than Blackwood.

Neutral Sounding, similar to Brazilian Mahogany

Fast attack

Good for amplifying

Big balanced acoustic sound, sustainable.

The Cole Clark Pickup System

The pickup system is comprised of three parts: a piezo for the bottom end, a patented face sensor system for the mids and an internal microphone for the top end. The condenser microphone is voiced above the feedback zone and complements the piezo. All components can be blended to taste. This system accurately reproduces the acoustic tone of the acoustic guitar and has been said to be the world’s most natural sounding pickup.

Cole Clark produces guitars of world class quality that have a unique sound and feel all their own. Why not come in try them out for yourself? 

Have any further questions about Cole Clark guitars? Email your cole clark guitar inquiry here.

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