Butternut Body With Basswood Neck?

[Curtis P]

My buddy has alot of butternut wood thats been drying for 3 years in his barn, its 3 inchs thick and there is enough to make about 4 guitars.

From what my research has shown (in previous topics) that butternut is also known as White Walnut.

Now, I can get a Basswood neck blank for 3 bucks, and a maple fingerboard for like 75 cents, and the butternut, i can get for 5 bucks for one body blank

My friend told me that butternut was really hard to work with, and I havent experianced it first hand, but i will take his word for it, since he does spindle and bowl turning

Would basswood and butternut be a good combination with a maple fretboard?

My electronics are Seymour Duncan 59's

Curtis

Edit, heres a link to some butternut wood Here

Edited October 21, 2004 by Curtis P

[Nalo1022]

basswodd is really soft and i doubt anygoodfor a neck,. you might be able to instal carbon rods but i would personally stay away from it as a neck material.

[Saber]

I think the Parker Fly has a basswood neck but it's covered with carbon fiber to reinforce it.

[Curtis P]

so how about butternut body with maple neck and maple FB?

Curtis

P.S. if its the same tonal properties as walnut, will it be too bright??

Curtis

[LukeR]

Well, as it is an electric that you are building, you can always alter a guitar's electronics to make it less bright. You cant add brightness, but you can take it away. One method I have used is a 10k trim pot set up as a 'pre' tone control. I set the trimpot to allow amount of highs that I want to be the 'tone on full' sound. I then wire this to a 'normal' pot & cap 'tone knob' configuration. (the trimpot doesnt get further adjusted- tone is adjusted using the regular pot as per any other guitar)

I did this to the Neck humbucker on my SG- it was too bright for my liking, and this way there is a REAL contrast beween the Neck and Bridge pickups.

THis method doesnt make a harsh guitar warm, but if you really want to try using that wood, it may be a cool option.

Luke

Edited October 22, 2004 by LukeR

[unclej]

the project i just finished had a walnut body which can be pretty bright so i put a couple of dimarzio pafs in the neck and bridge position and a virtual vintage blues in the middle. sounds absolutely great and looks even better.

[skibum5545]

My bass has a walnut body, maple neck, and ebony fretboard, and EMG pickups, and it isn't too bright. I got new strings, and it still isn't too bright. I say go for it.

Butternut is also softer than walnut AFAIK so that should tone down any brightness issues.

[Curtis P]

well, i am getting it monday, 2 boards, 3 inchs thick, 35 inchs long and i think it was like 4 or 5 inchs wide, so that should be enough to make a whole body blank and have some left over for another one, or just for personal use

The neck, still undecided, its most likely going to be maple, but if not, then it will be mahogany

Curtis

[javacody]

Why not make the neck out of butternut as well? It should be hard enough.

[Curtis P]

i have thought of that, and i am definelty going to consider it, but I am going to see how hard it its to work with on the body first

Curtis