ROCKETROB Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 I came across this web site a couple of days ago. Pretty good price on body blanks. I bought a swamp ash blank. We'll see how it goes. Here's a link: Guitar Mill Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 I have never heard of them. Their prices are pretty good. I was charging about the same for Mahogany blanks that were slightly larger and were also one piece. Let us know if they're reliable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROCKETROB Posted October 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 I called them today to confirm my order. They said they have it and I should get the blank around 10-13-06. Not bad ; if works out that way. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohhmygod Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 I saw they sell some Pine blank. For what i know, pinewood is softwood, so can we actually build guitar using those pine blanks ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGman Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 I saw they sell some Pine blank. For what i know, pinewood is softwood, so can we actually build guitar using those pine blanks ? It is possible, and a friend has a pine tele body and it sounds fine, i guess you would just need to be careful with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzocchi705 Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 I saw they sell some Pine blank. For what i know, pinewood is softwood, so can we actually build guitar using those pine blanks ? worked for leo fender... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 worked for leo fender... Yes, but that's not telling the whole story, now is it? I'm no expert on it, but I have the basics. Leo used Pine for the first year or two for the Esquires/Telecasters, then switched to Alder. These big companies use products that are cheap, reliable, and easily sourced, they don't do it for tone alone, and never have. It was found that Pine dented very easily and so didn't meet the requirements anymore so he found another cheap and dependable wood to use. Alder, then Ash. Now, a lot of the vintage Fender Telecaster crowd, in their zeal for everything vintage, have rediscovered Pine bodies lately. I think it's a fad for people with disposable income really, but you know, everyone has a hobby. Bottom line, yes you can use Pine, but it'll dent as easy as Basswood (or easier maybe) and doesn't really get any recommendations except from the vintage Telecaster crowd, more or less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Irizarry Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 You could always throw carbon fiber with epoxy over the top like Parker Guitars does to prevent dents. That would toughen it up substantially while retaining the pine's light weight... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyd Posted October 7, 2006 Report Share Posted October 7, 2006 $52.00 Dollars for some pine?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 $52.00 Dollars for some pine?? I'll second this. Unless there is some special grade of pine, $52 is outrageous. I'm not positive on the tonal characteristics on Pine, but I do know Carey Nordstrand has used it on his basses. I'll talk with his workers and let you know why he uses pine. Stewart McKinsey (awesome bassist, also works with Carey) is having very first bass body rebuilt with Pine / Quilt maple. http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/subc..._body_blank.jpg http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/subc...6_rough_cut.jpg http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/subc...gh_top_body.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 Stew responded quickly. Here's his response. pine is really interesting, tonally and to work. it tends to produce a lot of low end and a great deal of roundness as well, but I've heard it produce the most wonderfully punchy finger funk sound! it's not as focused as some of the ash species or, say, walnut but it'll give you some big booty without breaking your back. really nice stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 $52.00 Dollars for some pine?? $52 for some pine that has been: 1. Dried 2. Jointed 3. Glued 4. Planed 5. Sanded 6. Squared into a nice, packaged blank of requisite dimensions to cut a body out of for your project with little effort. I guess if you figured in the cost of tools and your own time doing it yourself you MIGHT be able to do ONE body blank cheaper than that, but probably not. Besides, the purpose of having a business is to make money, so if these guys can make some green out of some vintage cheeseheads who think pine is the shizzle, more power to 'em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROCKETROB Posted October 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 I got an email Fri. 10-06-06 letting me know that my order has shipped via FedEX and included tracking information. Good service so far. Last time I bought some Alder I paid about $60.00 from a local lumber supplier and got enough wood for 3 bodies; but I had to make it into body blanks. This time I couldn't find any good swamp ash, so I ordered a blank pre made. I think $62.00 for a swamp ash blank is pretty reasonable. Like Crafty said, if you pay someone else to do the work it's going to cost you. If I wanted Pine I'ld just do it myself. Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 If you use a really hard finish like Polyurethane or Polyester, no reason not to use it really, it's just coming back 'in vogue' in some circles you might say, but I'll take a pass myself. It makes sense if one crowd is starting the bandwagon (the Telecaster crowd I'm pretty sure started the whole Pine thing), then at least a few others will jump on it too if there is a profit to be made from it. I still think it's a fad that will come and go, but maybe not if there is a plentiful supply of it and the 'word' gets around that it's the hottest new thing to have...as I said, everyone's got a hobby... It's getting to the point with guitarbuilding that pretty much anything goes now, there are very few woods that could NOT be made into a guitar, and someone out there is using them, but the Pine thing caught big fire in the Telecaster circles, and those guys are usually in the age bracket and income level to start a new trend like this, 'catch a fire' as it were... I guess it was the next logical step in the transition backwards, for anyone who likes vintage gear, (typically boomers I speak of) ...to rediscover Pine. It's like the Limba thing. 7-9 years ago, NO ONE even knew what Limba was, it was still referred to as Korina almost exclusively, and spoke of in hushed and grave tones, no wood supplier carried the stuff, sometimes you could find White Limba, most times not tho (White Limba is what they used anyway at Gibson, but that fact seems to be forgotten about these days )...you said Limba to anyone and they would look at you sideways...then the retro vintage crowd finally figured out what the old V's were made of (vintage trends moving backwards in time), and that started the Limba trend as we now know it, suppliers rarely carried it anywhere until people started requesting it...supply and demand...same thing with the Pine and Fender folks that happened with Limba and the Gibson folks, a natural progression backwards, like rediscovering your ethnic roots or something.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spazzyone Posted October 8, 2006 Report Share Posted October 8, 2006 (edited) I know from where i live that pine is a very sappy softwood never heard of it being kiln dried and i never seen it dry completly from air drying i live just a mile or so from the Pineland's of New Jersey and we dont even bother trying to burn it in bon fires as its worthless and i know from framing houses (SYP)the same thing. its sappy as hell everyone has their own opinion but i would use bamboo before pine Edited October 8, 2006 by spazzyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 Here in Kansas City, we use alder in our BBQ pits... Makes the TASTETIEST ribs you've ever had Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROCKETROB Posted October 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Well, the body blank showed up this morning. Arrived in good condition, packed in styrofoam "peanuts". Nice tight center join; sanded both sides to 120 grit. The grain pattern is about average; not a stunner, but interesting. The two pieces are very different, but I found a spot where the body layout looks good. Sorry no pics at this time I would use this supplier again. 1 week from order to received goods is OK by me. Also I noticed on their site that you can ship two blanks for just 50 cents more than what I paid for one Well, I've got work to get on to now. Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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