Crazy El-cheapo Thought

[angry_jeremy]

Anyone know what MDF would sound like as a body? What about HDF (high density)? It's pretty solid stuff. Just a thought.

[Doc]

I build speaker cabinets out of it because of it's dampening characteristics.

I'm just guessing but it will probably make the world's deadest sounding guitar.

And no, that doesn't mean you'll sound just like Jerry Garcia or Bob Weir.

[mledbetter]

no to mention heavy as hell. Now one could do a Dano thing and make an MDF frame and put a top and bottom on it. Like their melamine capped waffle bodies.

[Matt]

i read a thing on the internet where someone made a guitar out of MDF and he said it sounded quite good and sustained very well, i make used to make speaker cabinets as well but i though that it wasn't the fact it damped the vibrations, more the fact that it was more solid and didn't resonate as a body not that it absorbed them. if this was the case then maybe it would work?

but im no expert.

[javacody]

Just say no to crack, please.

Just kidding. It can't be any worse than lucite.

[dave293]

mdf dosent hold screws very well so that might be a problem

[Scott Rosenberger]

try the Forum search tool, it's been discussed at length a few times before

Edited April 7, 2005 by Scott Rosenberger

[Mr Alex]

I began doing a semi solid with it, wasn't to hard to work with(ton of dust, put me out of school for a week with asthma though), but I stopped when I remembered that glue doesn't transfer tone well, so I put it in the bottom draw. It had an interesting tap tone though, quite bright and bell like(school bell not church bell). I finish my current one in a week or so, depending on what Im doing I may get it in playing condition if i have time and get some soud files, but it would be a month or so till then at the earliest.

[Doc]

You can get around the screw problem by using threaded inserts and bolts instead of screws.

McFeeley's sell all kinds of stuff like that.

Might be neat to give it a try. I'd definitely think semi-hollow because of the weight.

They do make an ultra-light grade for the cabinet industry.

[fryovanni]

Are you wanting to use MDF for cost reasons, or to experiment to see what it sounds like? If it just cost, why not use basswood or alder? I can't imagine there is enough of a cost difference, especially if you conscider hardware, pickups, neck wood etc... The body wood is really a small part of the overall cost of building. If you are experimenting- well just do it, no telling what your going to get but thats what experimenting is all about. Have fun! Peace Rich

[dash]

yo,

if you're gonna experiment with mdf, PLEASE wear a dust mask.

the glue in the stuff is carcinogenic (sp?) ie: causes cancer.

[crafty]

For the price of MDF or HDF, you're better off using poplar or cherry. They'll sound worlds better than any of those compositions and it'll cost you about the same, if not less. Most home centers carry planed and jointed cherry and poplar pretty cheap, too. Plus the hardwoods will hold screws a LOT better.