Scrappy_Squirrel Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 (edited) I'm ready to pull the trigger on some tone woods and I wanted to run the combo by some experienced builders to make sure I'm buying the combo I really want. I'm going for resonance, sustain and good bass articulation with dampened highs. I'm wondering if the following combo will give me what I want (I already purchased the woods with the stars**): Body: White Limba Cap: 1/2"-3/4" Bubinga** Neck: White Limba Fretboard: Pau Fero** (I'd prefer Braz. Rosewood for the fretboard but I'm afraid it will dampen the highs too much compared to Pau Fero) I'll be playing mostly cult metal and blues based rock but I'd like to have a versatile guitar. I'll most likely put custom humbuckers in it that incorporate a high gain single coil in conjunction with a P90 split. Thanks for any input you can give me Edited July 12, 2005 by Scrappy_Squirrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TenderSurrender Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Tonewoods search (click me please!!) Not sure if that will be much help but its a search for tonewoods accross the whole board. Take a look through there, hope it helps ~~ Slain Angel ~~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Limba is Korina, and Gibson made many guitars (Explorer, V, Moderne, and Futura, out of it. It should fit in with the tone you're after. Bubinga has qualities similar to rosewood, and also should fit in nicely with the sonic characteristics you're looking for. Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappy_Squirrel Posted July 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Thanks guys. I know that Gibson has made a few from Limba but I've never played one myself. Like I said, my biggest concern is that I'll end up with a mushy sounding guitar. From my own research I've found that Limba tends to be a bit brighter and more resonant than mahogany, thus my reason for wanting to use Limba. Bubinga being a dense and oily wood it seems that it might smooth the highs and give me the beef I want for better bass response. I've already done quite a bit of research so I guess what I'm really wanting are personal experiences with how these woods interact. Are there any specific reasons for not using this wood combination (differences in expansion/contraction, tendency to warp, etc.)? The main body will be Limba and I think I'm going to make it a two piece because I've already seen what Arizona dry can do to a one piece Limba blank (it aint pretty folks). Anyway, I guess I'll just have to put it together and find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sashimimi Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 My Paul is mahogony with a bubinga cap, it does have less highs than i would want, but they are stil distinct and sound really nice. Also, i can get some pretty good walking bass stuff going on it too, sounds like what your looking for kinda. Also i have heard that limba is simaler to mahogony but i might be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pr3Va1L Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 I believe limba is in the same familly than mahogany... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 I would consider a piece of quartersawn Walnut for the body, and a 25 1/2" scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappy_Squirrel Posted July 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 I would consider a piece of quartersawn Walnut for the body, and a 25 1/2" scale. ← Do you mean in conjunction with the Bubinga cap? I already have the Bubinga and it would be nice to use it. Why do you recommend Walnut over Limba? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemleggat Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 I would add an ebony fingerboard if you need a little more bite, even a maple neck wouln't be way out. Like the zakk wylde les paul which is more trebley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappy_Squirrel Posted July 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 My Paul is mahogony with a bubinga cap, it does have less highs than i would want, but they are stil distinct and sound really nice. Also, i can get some pretty good walking bass stuff going on it too, sounds like what your looking for kinda. Also i have heard that limba is simaler to mahogony but i might be wrong. ← So, are you saying that your bubinga/mahogany Paul has better bass response than a traditional mahogany/maple paul? What kind of neck-fretboard wood combo are you using? Do you think your Paul would benefit from a brighter fretboard wood like maple or ebony? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 I think the poor bass response in a Les Paul is the PAF type pickups along with the 24.75" scale, not just the wood. Also, I think that a Limba body with Walnut top would be killer, personally. I agree with Drak on the scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 I think the advise is jumping around. Limba typically is a little brighter than Mahogany, but still has a nice warm sound. Walnut is not as bright as Maple, but not quite that similar to Mahogany or Limba. As for scale length if the target is LP sound I would stay with Gibsons 24-3/4" scale(24-5/8 to 24-3/4" actual, using true 24-3/4"). There is nothing wrong with any combination, but I don't think your choices were very far off what you mentioned you wanted to try to achive. It's just my opinion, but I see no reason to not go with what you have picked out. I would change only if I wanted a very different sound (then 25-1/2" scale, Walnut body, Maple neck, maybe even single coil PU's- and you have a different sound). Again just my 2 cents for whatever its worth. Peace, Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappy_Squirrel Posted July 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 (edited) I think the advise is jumping around. Limba typically is a little brighter than Mahogany, but still has a nice warm sound. Walnut is not as bright as Maple, but not quite that similar to Mahogany or Limba. As for scale length if the target is LP sound I would stay with Gibsons 24-3/4" scale(24-5/8 to 24-3/4" actual, using true 24-3/4"). There is nothing wrong with any combination, but I don't think your choices were very far off what you mentioned you wanted to try to achive. It's just my opinion, but I see no reason to not go with what you have picked out. I would change only if I wanted a very different sound (then 25-1/2" scale, Walnut body, Maple neck, maybe even single coil PU's- and you have a different sound). Again just my 2 cents for whatever its worth. Peace, Rich ← All over the place is right but that's ok. Walnut has been the alternative suggested to me in the past but I chose not to use it because I've read too many reports that it combs out certain midrange frequencies (I like all the mids I can get, dialed in or otherwise). If this is all out wrong then tell me so. Although, I'm not apposed to using Walnut as a neck wood! Perhaps my next guitar will be Walnut anyway so all is not lost. I will probably go with a longer scale neck because I have long arms and it feels most comfortable. I'm choosing Limba because I've heard a lot about it being the "super mahogany" and such and I like the typical mahogany sound. If a walnut or maple neck in long scale will better accommodate the Limba body then I'm all for it (In regards to the sound I'm trying to acheive). I'm looking for anecdotal history and sound theory. I'm ready to pull the trigger man but I want to have good aim, catch my drift? I currently have an all mahogany bodied Ibanez with a maple neck, rosewood fretboard and ... hard to explain but... I carved a custom fit walnut support block, placed it under my TOM and released the thumb screws; the tonal and sustain difference was astounding! Anyway, my curent #1 axe is nice but far from great. I want a compound radius, better sustain and more resonance. You get the idea. Anyway, thanks for the input. Edited July 13, 2005 by Scrappy_Squirrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnewman Posted July 13, 2005 Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 I'm about done with a mostly walnut stratocaster (bit of maple laminate in there) with Bartolini PAF-ish pups and a 24.75" scale - and it has rolling, growling lows and clean, defined highs. It's not so much that it's lacking in the mids as that the lows and highs are way out there and the mids aren't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappy_Squirrel Posted July 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 I'm about done with a mostly walnut stratocaster (bit of maple laminate in there) with Bartolini PAF-ish pups and a 24.75" scale - and it has rolling, growling lows and clean, defined highs. It's not so much that it's lacking in the mids as that the lows and highs are way out there and the mids aren't. ← I wonder how it would sound to have a Walnut back with a 1/2-3/4" Bubinga cap? I would think that the Bubinga would tame the highs some and might help accentuate the mids. Hmmmm, how's the resonance of Walnut compared to Limba? I've heard Limba is one of the most resonant woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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