Cracked Posted November 22, 2004 Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 Hi, my local wood guy has Eastern maple and Big Leaf maple. I assume that the Big Leaf isn't acceptable for a neck (using just a 2-way rod, no carbon fiber). I asked if the Eastern maple he had was 'Hard Rock', he didn't know. Just wondering if all Eastern is Hard Rock? Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted November 22, 2004 Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 generally speaking yes, there is a difference in the feel of the wood and in the weight between hard and soft maple, also you can use curly/ tiger stripe maple and birdseye for necks both of which come from eastern hard rock maple MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted November 22, 2004 Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 generally speaking yes, there is a difference in the feel of the wood and in the weight between hard and soft maple, also you can use curly/ tiger stripe maple and birdseye for necks both of which come from eastern hard rock maple MzI I'm sorry but you're wrong, Appalachian Maple is eastern maple however is isn't hard maple. The only hard maple in Sugar maple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted November 22, 2004 Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 Wow, learn something new every day, I didn't know that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cracked Posted November 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 Thanks everyone, I would be using a mahogany or purpleheart 1/4"-1/3" center piece for the neck. With a two way truss, would the 'other' maple (he just calls it 'eastern'), not the big leaf, be alright for the outside (1" or so) 2 strips of the neck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted November 22, 2004 Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 Soft maple can very well be used for a neck contrary to common belief. You have to get a quatersawn blank though and to be on the safe side it is good to laminate it with a stripe or too of a real hardwood like Bubinga or Wenge. That said I will never use soft maple for a neck again though because it sounds to mellow for my taste and has not enough attack and bite for my taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdguitars Posted November 22, 2004 Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 yes maple maples maples tried to figure this out a while ago... just a point: Flamed maple can be from hard, soft or big leaf maple. Birdseye can be had in a lot of different types of wood, but is mostly in hardrock sugar maples, at least thats what you see it in guitars... Quilted maple generally comes from western bigleaf maple, although I have seen some eastern maple that looks like quilted maple. You can make necks out of most of those woods, just depends on the variables... thickness, laminating it, carbon... etc. PRS quilted tops are from bigleaf Gibson tops are usually from sugar maples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted November 22, 2004 Report Share Posted November 22, 2004 You can make necks out of most of those woods, just depends on the variables... thickness, laminating it, carbon... etc. Not really if you are aiming for a certain sound. I can only stress again that soft maple sounds very mellow and dampens the high frequencies if used for a neck even if you laminate it with real hardwoods. If you aim for a dull/mellow sound ok, but if you don't beware. I learned it the hard way.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwm Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Just to clarify, there are hard and soft maples growing in the eastern U.S. "Eastern" is a pretty non-descript term. gwm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdog Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 (edited) Just to clarify, there are hard and soft maples growing in the eastern U.S. "Eastern" is a pretty non-descript term. Now you've got the idea! It is a fairly generic term. The hard maple tends to grow in the colder climates like the upper areas of Michigan and New England. Much of the softer curly maple (red and several other varieties) grows east of the Appalatian Mts in easter PA and New York. Edited November 23, 2004 by tdog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdguitars Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 Not really if you are aiming for a certain sound. I can only stress again that soft maple sounds very mellow and dampens the high frequencies if used for a neck even if you laminate it with real hardwoods. If you aim for a dull/mellow sound ok, but if you don't beware. I learned it the hard way.... very very true! I stand corrected I have noticed neck wood makes a large differences in the tone... its a combo of all of them I guess I just meant strength... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted November 23, 2004 Report Share Posted November 23, 2004 very very true! I stand corrected Hehe....not really corrected. I just added to your post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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