Washburn Bt Mini (itty Bitty) Rebody

[FlashJim]

I'm considering making a new body for my 9 year old son's Washburn BT Mini. It's a 22 3/4" scale from the late 90's and I believe was made in Korea. It came with a maple/rosewood neck, Grover tuners and two K-10 humbuckers. The one we have was before they switched over to a Chinese version and dropped the Grovers. The old BTM as well as it's replacement, the X5, have plywood bodies.

As it sits today, it has a new set of Grover locking 18:1 Rotomatics and a new top loading bridge. My son wants it painted flat black so the wheels started turning in my head. I'm thinking about doing everything new except for the neck and tuners.

My question is, if it was your project, what pickups, wood, and hardware would you use? I'm thinking Alder since it'll be painted. I'll be keeping the Rotomatics.

Any comments would be welcome.

[alloyguitar]

emgs...specifically the zakk wylde set...

...your kid will love you for it

:-)

-Devon goodspeed

[Maurits]

Buy him a long blonde wig and fake beard as well.

A 9 year old in rockerstance playing sweep solo's and pinch harmonics

[sumphead]

Since it is a rebody and for a 9 year old to boot, he'll outgrow it before you know it. Still a worthy project none-the-less. At least right up my alley as I am still haven't finished my first scratch build. As for the body wood alder is a nice choice as you mentioned earlier, but look around for anything really. My suggestion for the pup(s) would be to go fairly cheap, again 'cause it'll be outgrown. Maybe a single GFS crusader ala' Tom Delonge. I just finished my 13 year olds first full size and now the requests for the cash build up fast. Just something to think about.

HTH,

R-

[WezV]

If we are going to be really serious I would avoid any body woods that could sound a bit muddy with the short scale, woods like mahogany or swamp ash. So yeah, alder aint a bad choice.

Really you can use any hardwood you can get your hands on and it will probably sound fine.

[FlashJim]

Thanks for the tips!

[spazzyone]

considering anything is an upgrade to plywood and he will out grow it some day

why not use poplar

1. its cheap

2.you can even get it at home depot

3.with a "HOT" pickup it wont matter as much

4.it takes a finish pretty easily (not as porus as some woods)

Notice i said not as much as the wood does equate to tone but once agian

anything is an upgrade to ply

[Logical Frank]

You know--I rather like the tone of poplar, maybe even better than alder. It's got a nice, midrangy rock sound to it. It's not the prettiest looking wood and that, I think, is why it's cheaper rather than it being strictly inferior as a tonewood.

[FlashJim]

You know--I rather like the tone of poplar, maybe even better than alder. It's got a nice, midrangy rock sound to it. It's not the prettiest looking wood and that, I think, is why it's cheaper rather than it being strictly inferior as a tonewood.

Poplar can be pretty too. Not all of it has the green tint that is associated with it. I've seen some Craftsman style furniture built with it and it looked great. Still, most consider it paint grade.