24/01/2022
［ 關於沉水紅木 Sinker Redwood ］
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或許是作為珍稀木材，沉水紅木之價值、稀有性、以及聲學特性在吉他界多年來一直有不低的討論度。由於沉水紅木每一塊材料差異頗大，外觀上有的具有明顯的礦物線，而有的卻看來只是較為深色的雪松，亦無法客觀的歸納出其聲學特性的結論。以材料特性來說，沉水紅木之密度略高於雪松，強度韌性明顯高於雪松，介於雲杉及雪松之間。據說是首位使用此木材的製琴師 Jeff Poss 指出，其音色相較於普通紅木面板更為明亮，兼具雪松與雲杉優點，可比擬為黑巧克力。而酷愛特殊木材的 Lowden 先生則指出，作為他最愛的面板材料，沉水紅木擁有無懈可擊的溫暖與悠長延音。即使撇開科學與經驗不談，一百多年以前砍伐的木材，在當時森林資源十分豐富的年代，其材料品質之高可想而知。
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Perhaps owing to its scarcity, the value, rareness, and acoustic features of sinker redwood has never left the room of conversations in guitar industries. For the high variance in between samples of this material, for example, some have an apparent mineral streak while some simply looks like a darker western red cedar, we can conclude neither its outward nor its acoustic characteristics. In the material property’s point of view, sinker redwood is slightly denser than western red cedar and has obviously higher strength of material than western red cedar. Its properties lay between spruce and western red cedar. Accordingly, the luthier Jeff Poss, who is said to be the first to use this material says: “The partial petrifaction of the sinker redwood adds hardness to the wood especially within the annular lines and gives this guitar a bright sound than a normal redwood topped guitar while still maintaining the bell like high tone characteristic of western red cedar top guitars yet with more of the complex characteristics of spruce. The bass has an unusually deep character that can only be described as dark chocolate”. And the “rare-wood-holic” Mr. Lowden indicates that this material is probably his favorite. He mentions: “there is this warmth to the tone along with sustain, which is almost unbeatable as a tonewood in my experience”. However, aside from scientific evidence and luthier experiences, this wood material fell before hundred years ago when the forestry resources were a lot healthier than it is nowadays. Back in the time, the abundance of forestry could somehow guarantee the high quality of this sinker redwood.
