THE BELFORTI® WOOD LIBRARY

Following the example of Bryan Galloup’s Wood Rating System, a complete game changing software that enables acoustic builders to understand their raw material, classify it, and help acheive production consistency, we decided to develop something that could help us acheive the same goals, this time for electric guitars.

By nature, their behavior is different, and we all know that a lot happen later in the electronic chain. Still there are a lot of common parameters that influence both type of instruments sound and behavior, and our rating system is meant to fill the gap between acoustic and electric building, treating electric builds and materials with the same scientific approach and data analysis.

To ensure the highest quality and consistency in our instruments, we decided to employ the innovative Bing Technology for tonewood analysis, developed the CIRAD Research Center. Our rating system is largely based on that proven and recognized system, and adds a layer of depth and complexity to better suit our guitar building problematics.

Here are all the parameters tested and mesured that are input in our rating system.

BING: BING, or Beam Identification by Non-destructive Grading, uses vibration analysis to determine the mechanical properties of the wood. This provides critical information about the wood's elasticity, internal friction, and other key factors.

Density: This measures the mass of wood per unit of volume. The density of wood can greatly impact its tone, sustain, and overall sound when used in an instrument.

Janka Hardness : Janka hardness is a measure of a wood's resistance to wear, denting, and indentation. It's commonly used to assess the hardness of wood used in flooring and furniture. The Janka test involves measuring the force required to embed a steel ball into the wood to a certain depth. The higher the Janka hardness rating, the harder the wood.

Modulus of Elasticity : Modulus of elasticity, often referred to as Young's Modulus, is a measure of a material's stiffness or rigidity. It quantifies how a material deforms under an applied force. In the context of wood, it indicates how much the wood will bend or flex when subjected to stress. A higher modulus of elasticity indicates greater stiffness.

Modulus of Rupture : Modulus of rupture measures a material's ability to withstand bending or breaking when subjected to an external force. It is also referred to as the bending strength. It is the maximum stress experienced within a material at the moment of failure when subjected to a bending load.

Stiffness-to-Weight Ratio: This ratio measures how much the wood can flex under load in relation to its weight. A high stiffness-to-weight ratio generally indicates a wood that is lightweight yet strong, which can contribute to excellent resonance and sustain in a musical instrument.

FFT Analysis: Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is a mathematical method used to transform signals between time (or spatial) domain and frequency domain. In the context of wood grading, FFT analysis helps to understand the spectral characteristics of the wood, which can provide insights about its resonance and tonal qualities.

First Mode Frequency : In the context of musical instruments, especially guitars, the first mode frequency refers to the primary resonant frequency of the instrument's body. It's the frequency at which the guitar body vibrates most noticeably when the strings are plucked. This frequency plays a crucial role in shaping the instrument's tone and timbre.

Quality Factor: The quality factor (Q-factor) is a measure of a resonator's bandwidth relative to its center frequency. It's used to assess the damping or energy loss in the wood, affecting the sustain and tone of the instrument.

Quantified Sustain Potential Measurement: This is a proprietary measurement method that quantifies the sustain potential of the wood. Sustain refers to the length of time a note will resonate, and it's a key factor in the overall sound and playability of an instrument.

We mix all this data into an equation with a relative weight for each parameter, and end up with a comprensive rating on a scale of 100. Anything below 70 is not used for critical parts in the builds, and relegated into sub part material such as pickup shells, backplate, laminations etc. Note that the only pieces we analyze are bodies, necks and fretboards, as other pieces such as tops have a non-significant impact on the final coupled systems.

During a build, we test uncoupled and coupled systems to ensure that once bonded, they still display superior behavior. Finally, we are working on another layer of that system, that will attribute a weight to each piece in the entire coupled assembly, body neck and fretboard, so that we can issue a final rating of the entire luthiered ensemble, prior to electrifying it.

The Belforti Rating is a reflection of this rigorous assessment. It provides valuable insights into the tonal characteristics of the wood used in our instruments, helping you choose an instrument that perfectly matches your sonic preferences. It also enables us to recreate an exact wood blend’s characteristics, even with different species and achieve virtual perfect consistency, going against the outdated myth that you can’t make twice the same instrument. Transparency and precision are fundamental to our approach, and the Belforti Rating underscores our commitment to delivering instruments of exceptional tonal quality.