mailman Posted September 15, 2005 Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 tone wise, would this wood combo be good? Goncalo Alves neck & body Ebony fretboard Spalt top, or Lacewood top Can Alves be used for bodies as well as necks? i also had Myrtle under consideration but i don't know where that'd fit into my plans... thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted September 15, 2005 Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 Goncalo Alves is such a pretty wood, in my opinion, that it wouldn't need a top. Of course, the contrast between woods is always nice. I'm seeing a spalt top looking better than a lacewood, but again, that's all just my asthetic opinon. I have no experience tonewise with the woods mentioned, but the little bit I'd worked with Goncalo Alves is seemed to be kind of like rosewood in how it worked - dense and kind of "waxy" almost; I imagine it might have a similar sound? I don't know, for certain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mailman Posted September 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 i wish i knew what wax sounded like... it can be used for a full body though im assuming, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted September 15, 2005 Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 i wish i knew what wax sounded like... I could be wrong but I think he meant has a similar sound to rosewood's in general, he said it felt waxy and dense when he worked with it and similar to rosewood's, he didn't say it sounded waxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mailman Posted September 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 i wish i knew what wax sounded like... I could be wrong but I think he meant has a similar sound to rosewood's in general, he said it felt waxy and dense when he worked with it and similar to rosewood's, he didn't say it sounded waxy. ← how would rosewood sound if used for a neck/body though? ...good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted September 16, 2005 Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 Warmoth necks It sounds good to me. I've never played on a rosewood neck personally besides just the fretboards, which most I have or have played on have rosewood fretboards of some sort. As for body I would imagine it similar to the neck tone, it could be a little heavy for a body, might make a great top though, or a heavily chambered guitar. Just a guess though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mailman Posted September 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 so its really heavy? hmm, so IF i have to use the Alves a a neck only that leaves an option for the body.... suggestions? Limba, zebrawood, zitcote, myrtle for the body instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted September 16, 2005 Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 so its really heavy? hmm, so IF i have to use the Alves a a neck only that leaves an option for the body.... suggestions? Limba, zebrawood, zitcote, myrtle for the body instead? ← Limba-$ Great to work with, med to light weight, warm clean tone. Zebra-$$ Hard material, cuts nicely but can be a bit brittle, Heavy, Tone (never used it for a full body only tops). Zircote$$$$- Heavy and really hard (much like Ebony), can be brittle and tricky to work with, Tone is very similar to ebony. Myrtle-$, Great to work with, fairly light, warm tone. Don't get too caught up with your choice of wood. Sounds like you are looking at a lot of vary different woods. Good luck with your search!!! Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mailman Posted September 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 well now that thats eliminated everything by myrtle i think ill just go with what i originally posted (now that you guys have confirmed its a balanced combo) and i think ill look for a spalt myrtle top get the best of all worlds :-p thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrentis Posted September 16, 2005 Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 (edited) Again I am not the person to talk to about woods, I only have minimal experience, but I really have a thing for black limba. I hear many good things about it, it works really well, it sounds nice similar to mahogany, it looks great finished. At first I disliked the look of black limba until I saw some good shots of bodies finished, then colorations really stand out well and are defined much more so when they are still rough or unfinished. I think limba would go well with the alves as a neck, just my opinion. Also I want to add that there are many different rosewoods, and among them there will be different weights and such, so it's possible to find just about anything, just look around a lot. Good luck. Jason Edit: Perfect, I was hoping that Rich would post on this as I look to him for my info on wood issues. I saw the reply once I posted so go with what Rich had to say, he knows a lot about wood, but he is right about worrying about what to use, I always fuss to much with my wood choices. Look around some more just for fun if anything. Edited September 16, 2005 by jmrentis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mailman Posted September 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 i just read on ed romans site (i know...its ed...but..), there was a little blurb pretty much stating that Koa > Alves any truth to this? now im starting to think i'll get a Koa neck if this is the case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted September 16, 2005 Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 Dude, it's Ed Roman. Stop reading that site for anything other than pretty pictures of guitars. The information on there, by and large, is complete nonsense. I know quite a few people who really like the look, but really don't like the sound of Koa, and I know a quite a few people who think it's the bestest thing ever. Methinks it's so popular because it's so pretty, and relatively rare. It's no 'magical' tonewood. Go with what you think looks nicer, both should make decent guitars. Oh, and Spalt tops? Tend to have the tonal character of wet cardboard. Much like burl. Just so ya know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnewman Posted September 16, 2005 Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 Zircote$$$$- Heavy and really hard (much like Ebony), can be brittle and tricky to work with, Tone is very similar to ebony. ← Do you really think it's similar to ebony? I've heard several professional acoustic luthiers say they really like using it for sides/backs and that it sounds a lot like brazilian rosewood - although like I said, that's just what I've heard and can't vouch for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 Zircote$$$$- Heavy and really hard (much like Ebony), can be brittle and tricky to work with, Tone is very similar to ebony. ← Do you really think it's similar to ebony? I've heard several professional acoustic luthiers say they really like using it for sides/backs and that it sounds a lot like brazilian rosewood - although like I said, that's just what I've heard and can't vouch for it. ← brazilian rosewood and ebony also sound similar.zirocote is grained more like the rosewood,so i am guessing it would lean that way a bit,but i have never built with it,only knocked on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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