The Beginnings of Cole Clark
Cole Clark was founded in 2001 with the idea of making innovative acoustic guitars for modern players. This has involved using complex Spanish heel and integral neck constructions, as well as over-engineered pickup arrays for capturing the complex Venn diagram of natural tone and resonances an acoustic guitar produces. Over the years, the company has also pioneered the use of a kaleidoscope of sustainable tonewoods that either stand-in for traditional timbers or impart their own unique sonic characteristics.
Australian Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon)
Source: Gadubanud Country (Ottway Ranges Victoria), Pyemmairrener Country (Northeast Tasmania)
Australian Blackwood is the signature Cole Clark tone wood for tops, backs, & sides. A close cousin of Hawaiian Koa, it is stiff, durable, and beautiful to look at. Its hardness provides controlled low-mids, mid-range punch, and defined top-end, making it a great option for rhythmic playing and amplification.
See the full range of Cole Clark Blackwood guitars.
Bunya (Araucaria bidwillii)
Source: Gubi Gubi, Waka Waka and Badtsala Countries (Southeast Queensland)
Bunya is Cole Clark's most popular tone wood for tops and is used by most the brand's long-term artists. Like Australian Blackwood, it suits rhythmic playing and retains articulation when strummed hard through an amplifier. Both Bunya and Australian Blackwood handle climate extremes well, making them perfect for touring our wide brown land.
See the full range of Cole Clark Bunya guitars.
Californian Redwood Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum)
Source: Taungurung Country (Jamieson Victoria), Dja Dja Wurrung Country (Daylesford Victoria), Wurundjeri Country (Sassafras Victoria)
Californian Redwood was planted as an ornamental tree in Victoria around 150 years ago. Cole Clark have been able to salvage this beautiful timber when Redwoods have been felled by council arborists. It is the perfect top for a studio guitar, favouring soft to medium strumming and fingerpicking with a sound that resembles traditional American acoustics.
See the full range of Cole Clark Redwood Sequoia guitars.
Southern Silky Oak (Grevillea Robusta)
Source: Wurundjeri Country (Melbourne Victoria), Gubi Gubi, Waka Waka and Badtsala Countries (Southeast Queensland)
Southern Silky Oak is a balanced timber with a well-rounded sound suitable for a range of styles. Introduced by Cole Clark in 2019, this fast-growing evergreen has proven equally viable for tops, backs, & sides, and is especially favoured for its highly figured grain that comes alive under dappled sunlight.
See the full range of Cole Clark Southern Silky Oak guitars.
Camphor Laurel (Cinnamomum Camphora)
Source: Gubi Gubi, Waka Waka and Badtsala Countries (Southeast Queensland)
Camphor Laurel has a warm sound with solid high- and low-mids. The clear tone has good string separation and makes it great for strumming, fingerpicking, and amplification. Introduced in 1822 as a garden ornamental, Camphor Laurel is now a feral species that luthiers and cabinetmakers are turning to for its striking grain patterns.
See the full range of Cole Clark Camphor Laurel guitars.
Queensland Maple (Flindersia brayleyana)
Source: Djirbalngan, Mbabaram and Yidinjdji Countries (Far North Queensland)
Queensland Maple, despite its name, is no relation to US Maple and doesn't share any of its sonic characteristics. Instead, it has a neutral sound with a little bit of extra snap that makes it perfect for amplification on even the most unforgiving of stages. It grows naturally in rainforests and Cole Clark source it sustainably for their necks, backs & sides.
See the full range of Cole Clark Queensland Maple guitars.
River She Oak (Casuarina Cunninghamiana)
Source: Gubi Gubi, Waka Waka and Badtsala Countries (Southeast Queensland)
River She Oak is Cole Clark's main fingerboard tone wood. Introduced in 2018, it is a softer timber which sits between the bright, responsive tone of Ebony, and the warm, full-bodied resonance of Rosewood. Its density and straight grain make it a fantastic alternative to the unsustainable stocks of Ebony and Rosewood.
See the full range of Cole Clark River She Oak guitars.
Satin Box (Nematolepsis Squamea)
Source: Gadubanud Country (Ottway Ranges Victoria)
Satin Box is Cole Clark's most unique tone wood. This Australian native shrub is used in fingerboards and backs & sides. It has a detailed top end more balanced than Rosewood and a more robust bottom end than Ebony. These characteristics, along with its striking white colour, have quickly made it a favourite among builders and players alike.
See the full range of Cole Clark Satin Box guitars.
Find Your Unique Tone
It's natural as a guitarist to covet the instruments that our heroes have used. It's no accident that the tones they've chosen have become legend. Yet, as the materials that comprise these guitars become rarer, we have an opportunity to blaze our own trail, breaking new sonic ground by choosing sustainable alternatives for our recordings and performances. Companies like Cole Clark are making our musical future not only more environmentally friendly, but more tonally diverse as well, and that's something we as guitarists should champion.