Sound and Wood

Saturday 5/9, 1-5pm

Wood doesn’t just hold shape, it carries vibration.

Instruments are among the most sensitive objects a maker can build. Every choice—species, grain, cut, thickness—changes how sound moves. In Sound & Wood, luthier Jackson Cunningham explores the relationship between timber and tone, and why regional woods have long shaped regional music.

This is a demonstration and conversation that moves between craft history and the living material itself: how instruments are built to resonate, how makers listen with their hands, and how Appalachian timbers (maple, spruce, walnut, cherry, and more) have been used (and chosen) over generations.

You’ll learn about:

How grain, density, and stiffness influence tone and response

Why certain cuts of wood are preferred for tops, backs, and necks

The basics of instrument anatomy and how parts work together

Regional luthier traditions and the history of local timbers in music

What to look for—and listen for—when evaluating instrument wood

Who it’s for:
All skill levels. Musicians, woodworkers, and anyone curious about how place, material, and sound intertwine.

Jackson Cunningham is a luthier and craft historian whose work centers on the marriage of structure and resonance. He builds and repairs stringed instruments with a deep respect for tradition and a sharp eye for regional material culture—connecting the woods of Appalachia to the music they’ve helped carry forward.