The seductive acoustical characteristics of this instrument can be primarily attributed to its beautiful rosewood back and sides. The Cacao can be constructed with Brazilian, Siam, Cocobolo, East Indian, or Madagascar rosewood ... usually matched with a "master-grade" European or Engelmann spruce soundboard.
As an alternative, the top can be made of Western red cedar for a more mellow, lyrical, percussive sound. The bridge, bindings, and head veneer often match the rosewood of the back and sides.
As with all of the luthier's models, the Cacao is finished completely by a traditional technique called "French polishing" and in the case of the Cacao, the finishing is often done with a dark shellac to bring out the contrast in the naturally attractive grain of the rosewood.
