themikestro Posted February 9, 2005 Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 pffft. I haven't posted in months, but the warmer months are coming up and it's time to turn my mind back to six stringed outdoor fun. I have a dream, and that dream is of a *fairly* PRS style axe with a bubinga neck, ebony fretboard and a lacewood top. The only bit i'm not sure about is the main body wood. i'm after something that isn't going to weigh a ton as both my previous guitars have been REALLY heavy, For some reason in the uk, nice normal woods like alder that would usually be a no brainer are pretty pricey, so i've narrowed it down to some other woods that might be suitable. just fishing around for people who've worked with them, i'd like to know a bit about the weight, workability and ease of finishing please. Anyhow..... Here's the woods, Sycamore (english), Lime (bit like Basswood aparantly) Cherry (US) i'm open to suggestions though, all of these can be had for around £30 GBP for a one piece so i'm keeping the costs down. Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOJO Posted February 9, 2005 Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 pffft. I haven't posted in months, but the warmer months are coming up and it's time to turn my mind back to six stringed outdoor fun. I have a dream, and that dream is of a *fairly* PRS style axe with a bubinga neck, ebony fretboard and a lacewood top. The only bit i'm not sure about is the main body wood. i'm after something that isn't going to weigh a ton as both my previous guitars have been REALLY heavy, For some reason in the uk, nice normal woods like alder that would usually be a no brainer are pretty pricey, so i've narrowed it down to some other woods that might be suitable. just fishing around for people who've worked with them, i'd like to know a bit about the weight, workability and ease of finishing please. Anyhow..... Here's the woods, Sycamore (english), Lime (bit like Basswood aparantly) Cherry (US) i'm open to suggestions though, all of these can be had for around £30 GBP for a one piece so i'm keeping the costs down. Thanks guys! ← there is a wood called "paulowina" that is suppose to be quite light.. Kevin Brubaker at Brubaker guitars and basses uses it quite a bit here in the US i'm not really familar with it myself but have seen positive things said about it for body woods... Maybe you can contact Kevin for more info on it..i'm sure he'd be happy to help..he's a goodfella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themikestro Posted February 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 hmmmm, I'm not sure I want to deal with the mob! I could call him on the day of his daughters wedding.... Seriously though, thanks for the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeR Posted February 9, 2005 Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 There is also Queensland maple- its a mahogany substitute, and the Australian maker Maton swears by it. In Australia, it is dirt cheap- it may be worthwhile to consider that. Luke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted February 9, 2005 Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 Buy the wood you want from a source in the USA. Shipping costs are dirt cheap in comparison to what it costs to send a package TO the usa from Europe. Usually about 15-30$ for a body blank via airmal and even cheaper by ship. If you tell the seller to mark it as a "wood sample" on the customs form you won't even have to pay import taxes. At least here in Germany I get better quality wood for better prices if importing from the USA. Additionally the body wood is not the place to save money in my opinion. There is no way you can ever change it and building the body takes a serious amount of work. Better pay 30$ more here and have a great guitar then not. In picture of the complete price for building a guitar 30$ are neglegible.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted February 9, 2005 Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 swamp ash is about as light as it gets. a strat body will way less than 3 pounds most of the time under 2. And it's cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themikestro Posted February 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 Good point, and i have been looking into shipping from the US. I've been getting my wood from craft supplies in the UK and the one piece blanks I got for my last guitar was great value, high quality and half the price of other places here. I'm not trying to be cheap per-se just that I'm not interested in buying the most expensive woods just for the sake of it, i'm not a good enough craftsman to do the really special stuff justice. I'm trying to stay away from very heavy, probably quite rare exotic woods (except the neck ) It just seems there is less written about the acoustic properties of woods like sycamore and cherry, pergaps because people see them as a bit boring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted February 9, 2005 Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 Cherry's about like maple. I've never used it on a guitar, but the properties of the two woods are very similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted February 9, 2005 Report Share Posted February 9, 2005 Cherry is quite like soft maple in many ways. Lime IS basswood as far as i know, just another name. The "limey" name, apparently. English sycamore, if it is like the american, is very nice, too. I wouldn't make a one piece back with it, though, as it likes to warp. 2 or 3 quartersawn pieces would be better. Also, the quartersawn will show a flake figure that will compliment the lacewood very nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted February 10, 2005 Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 My vote, based on the other woods you are using, would be the Swamp Ash. Your neck woods are a little on the heavy side. So the guitar isn't going to be ultra light. Lacewood can be light depending on the ratio of soft to hard sections. But I think tonally you wouldn't want to combine Basswood or Cherry with those. Swamp Ash responds really well to a top. It's so open sounding, and responsive, that it doesn't fight the top. Whatever you choose, it sounds like a great guitar. The other alternative is to get whatever wood you want, and hollow it out. You could do large chambers or drill smaller holes. I always thought it would be fun to try drilling literally thousands of mini 1/16" holes, that would almost act like pores. You could do it in something like Alder or Cherry, something with tight grains and no large pores. It would take forever, but it would sure be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted February 10, 2005 Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 I'd vote for the swamp ash, too. Cherry is heavy as lead, or maple. But it is really pretty if finished right. Bass is cheap and light but may be too soft for this. Poplar is also cheap and light. Remember that the lighter the wood the less the sustain (usually) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted February 10, 2005 Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 I would be careful not to make that guitar too top heavy. Bubinga w/ Ebony is going to be fairly heavy and if you go too light on the body you will have a poorly balanced guitar. As for the wood Basswood is light and inexpensive, IMO a bit too easy to ding up. Alder or Ash w/ a couple of extra chambers routed seems to work really well. Swamp ash is nice also just a bit more $$$. Sounds to me like the Bubinga/ Ebony (Gaboon????)/ and a thick enough piece of Lacewood to carve will be much more expensive than the body. Making it the least of your cost issues. Good luck with the project, and I hope you find some good stuff to work with. Fryguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted February 10, 2005 Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 (edited) i'm after something that isn't going to weigh a ton as both my previous guitars have been REALLY heavy, Thanks guys! ← Hey maestro, I've had good luck with this guy: Ebay germany guitar wood guy Erle is alder, the piece I got is pretty nice for the price (20 euros with shipping!)...it's five pieces, but it's meant to be capped-- I bought TWO sets of maple (ahorn) caps and sides from him for a grand total of 16 euros (the shipping cost more than the wood) He's a bit slow on delivery, so it helps to plan ahead. He also has pre-glued mahagony/maple blocks available sometimes, doesn't seem to have any right now. Hmm... I shouldn't tell you about him... on both of my auctions, no one bid against me! As for the heavy part, that's part of what got me into building...even my semi-hollow is heavier than I like it. You can chamber the body and cap it... Edited February 10, 2005 by idch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STAHLER Posted February 10, 2005 Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 English sycamore is also known as European maple, Acer Campestre. Which is like a soft maple I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themikestro Posted February 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 Aha, thanks for all the advice, points taken, swamp ash is king. I made a semi hollow for my last project so i'm thinking i'll stay away from the that route, I guess the best thing would be to keep the body a little thinner, the trouble is i'm using an old fashioned hand plane so it'll keep me thin as well. i didn't realise cherry would be so heavy, shows what I know! The cost thing isn't too much of an issue but you'd be surprised how some of the more flashy woods, particularly from craft supplies are cheaper than the more utilitarian stuff, swamp ash is twice the price of wenge or bubinga for instance. I'm recycling the pickups (kent armstrong humbuckersand a through body) and bridge from my first project, an insanely heavy all ash (not swamp) guitar, i'm just looking to keep the weight down, i'm not a weakling but I find very heavy guitars a bit unapealing to pick up and play especially as I have an ibanez Talman that weighs nothing sat next to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted February 10, 2005 Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 English sycamore is also known as European maple, Acer Campestre. Other way around, apparently. This puzzled me, so I looked it up. Acer Campestre, European, or field maple is sold under the name "English sycamore. " New one on me. Mikestro, if this is the wood you were referring to, please disregard my coments on sycamore. There is sycamore ( Platanus sp. ) in England, isn't there. Is it perhaps called "planetree?" Sorry for barking up the wrong tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted February 10, 2005 Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 (edited) if your having trouble finding swamp ash cheap check this guy out. gilmer wood. I just orderd a peice of flamed bubinga from them and it's amazing! there nice prople to work with. You can get some swampash for like $30 form them. Also It's cool cuse you can see exatly what peice your gonna get. May I also sugest black limba. They have some curly stuff at the top of my link. It's silimer in tone to mahognay but is lighter. Also it's easy to work with but a little bit hard to finish as you have to fill the grain. (you have to fill the grain with swamp ash also) Edited February 10, 2005 by Godin SD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themikestro Posted February 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 hmmm, the Sycamore i've seen is sometimes not all that different to lacewood (in looks), and has been used in acoustic instrument construction forever, so i'm guessing it sounds alright, I don't know much about it though. Regarding the neck weight perhaps you guys are all right about the bubinga/ebony combo. I'd quite like to get all my wood from craftsupplies when I pay them a visit. The fingerboard choices (pre-slotted) I'm new to necks) are- ebony, santos, indian and violet rosewood. And neck materials are the obvious maple and mahogany, amazaque, bubinga, purpleheart, wenge, paduak and zebrano, or laminations of pretty much anything. I was after something quite dark just because I like the look of dark, natural necks. Like the rosewood PRS... I'm after something not too demanding as this will be my first neck/fingerboard. Keep 'em coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themikestro Posted February 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 W00T! it's my birthday! It even says so at the bottom of the site, hooray! Birthday greetings to everyone! Sorry, nothing to do with guitars or wood though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted February 10, 2005 Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 Whether or not a guitar is "neck heavy" is more dependent on the position of the upper horn. Think of it like this: If the strap buttin is parallel to the 12th fret, like on superstrats, then the wood from that point on to the last fret is behind the axis, and therefore it's essentially "body weight" as far as the balance goes. So you're dealing with the differential. PRS guitars put the strap button at the 14th fret, so the guitar has more neck weight in front of the axis. Even still, I would think of the neck heaviness as simply adding weight overall. But not as something that needs to be compensated for with extra body weight. I have an Ibanez S, perhaps the thinnest, lightest production body with a maple/ebony laminate neck and ebony board. It's the 2nd heaviest neck in my arsenal, behind a huge rosewood/ebony strat neck. It's the Warmoth boatneck. Anyway the S with the heavy neck doesn't balance any differently than ones with Maple/Rosewood, but it's a much heavier guitar than a stock S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themikestro Posted February 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 True enough, my bass should be massively neck heavy, but because of it's giant upper horn it balances a treat. I've heard that ebony can be a pain to fret but I really want the look of the ebony without postion markers... After two guitars i'm really keen to get everything about this one just right. The previous two have had good points and bad points, this one has got to be a bit special, not $10,000 special, i'm not a good enough player to warrant it, but special all the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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