WOOD & TONE

David Gilmour An alder body gives Gilmour a warm, balanced sound he can electronically manipulate into Pink Floyd psychedelia.

Brent Hinds Mastodon’s bonecrunching sound comes from the dark, full-bodied growl of Hinds’s mahogany axe.

BB King King’s guitar, “Lucille”, mixed maple, which can be overly bright, with poplar, which tempers the tone.

Wes Montgomery The arched spruce top of Montgomery’s guitar lent it the responsive, emotive sound of his influential jazz recordings.