Willwork4food Posted November 10, 2006 Report Share Posted November 10, 2006 I'm looking for diffrent and so called "exotic" woods to use in both body and neck. I really want to try something uncommon, but will both look, and sound great. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted November 10, 2006 Report Share Posted November 10, 2006 OK...a few questions. 1) Why? 2) Define 'exotic' 3) What kind of instrument are you planning on building? 4) What do you want out of it/what do you like/dislike? 5) Define 'sound great' The right amp and the right pickups will get you about 30% of the way there, another 50% is going to be your ability as a guitarist. Somewhere in the remaineder is build quality, construction, workmanship, and wood selection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted November 10, 2006 Report Share Posted November 10, 2006 My answer depends on how many guitars you've already built. How many have you completed so far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willwork4food Posted November 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2006 My answer depends on how many guitars you've already built. How many have you completed so far? I'm new to building. I've built 2 so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted November 10, 2006 Report Share Posted November 10, 2006 Myrtle, Port Orford Cedar, Madrone, Redwood, Western Red Cedar, Douglas Fir, Claro Walnut, Pear, Katalox(sorry semi-exotic), Beech and so forth. Where in the world are you? Maybe focus on some local woods. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted November 10, 2006 Report Share Posted November 10, 2006 OK then. Bubinga, Coco-Bolo, various Burls, Quilted Makore, Quilted Mahogony, Spanish Cedar, Purpleheart, Jelutong, don't forget Cherry and Walnut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsguitar Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 (edited) I agree Drak don't forget about cherry. A realy nice wood to work with and it has some great sound properties as well......My carved top neckthru I am making for myself has cherry in it... take a look here Mike Edited November 11, 2006 by rsguitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 OK then. Bubinga, Coco-Bolo, various Burls, Quilted Makore, Quilted Mahogony, Spanish Cedar, Purpleheart, Jelutong, don't forget Cherry and Walnut. You are cheating Drak 7-8 out of 10 are "Exotics" . Nice call on Cherry Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 Take a look at the Gibson Les Paul Smartwood series, they used a bunch of different exotic woods from managed rain forest other then there usual run of the mill eastern maple top and south american mahogany back MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 You are cheating Drak 7-8 out of 10 are "Exotics" Well, 'exotic' depends on where you live ...sort of. If you lived in South America, Coco-Bolo would not be an exotic, but American Hickory or Redwood very well might. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willwork4food Posted November 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 As to where I live... Buffalo, NY. I'm in Iraq for a few more months, and want to get the research done for this next build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odin Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 In my opinion you should be a man and use wood that is not endangered. Theres still plenty of woods to choose from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 In my opinion you should be a man and use wood that is not endangered. Theres still plenty of woods to choose from. He never mentioned ANYTHING about endangered wood. Exotic or even uncommon does not =endangered . Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zane Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Does anybody know what type of wood James Hetfield(Metallica) uses in his Explorer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanthus Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 My instinct is a maple set-neck, mahogany body, and rosewood fretboard. However, the reliable sources of the interweb say that the guitar has a "chichino bark laminate" veneer. Ever heard of chichino? Me neither. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Its amazing what some may consider "exotic" as basically out of reach, ie. grows like weeds in some other country but not here. I live on southern tip of Vancouver Island, everywhere you look is Douglas fir and Western red cedar. Also lots of bigleaf maple as well as sitka and englemann spruce, all guitar woods. So who in this forum would consider those as exotics? I know we have 2 species that only grow here and no where else in the world. I guess one could be considered "exotic" in that sense. Garry Oak (not a good guitar wood) and arbutus. I'm interested in checking out some arbutus one day. The tree grows with lots of twists and curves but still gets pretty big. I'm also making use of some holly from a log I was given a few years ago. Its hard to cure this wood but once its stable should have good neck applications, straight grained and clean looking if you can find big enough pieces without knots. But its density and hardness are on a par with hardrock maple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Funny that you ask Soupa. I personally don't consider Douglas fir, Western red cedar, bigleaf maple, sitka, englemann spruce as Exotics as they grow here also(course I am just due south of you in Oregon). We have Oregon Myrtle, Port Orford Cedar, Claro Walnut, Madrone that some may consider Exotic(probably just depends on where you are from). Exotic to me is wood like Snakewood, Pink Ivory, Australian Tiger Myrtle, Amboya Burl and so forth. Not woods that are commercially viable for production offerings due to the small yeild of the trees, difficulty of drying, limited range, unique striking features. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Oh, I also forgot about Red Alder. You can look at aerial photographs of places that have been logged and then grown over years later and see these lighter colored star-shaped patterns among all the darker Doug. fir and red cedar. Those are old skid trails they used for hauling / dragging fresh cut logs to loading areas. The ground gets extremely compacted and the only tree that readily grows in those areas is Alnus rubra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddW Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Bloodwood, Purple Heart, Wenge . . . stiff, strong, stable, easy to glue, easy to find, and pretty cool names. Bubinga is also stable, stiff and strong, but it is much harder to glue. It makes up for that with amazingly pretty figure. I'm using some on a jewelery box project for my wife right now. All of those are pretty dark though. I'd add some maple for contrast. I think you should pick up some wood over there and bring it back. Olivewood is beautiful. Maybe you can get some and use it for inlays? ? ? Todd PS) This site is ok for getting some info on wood properties: http://www.exotichardwoods-southamerica.com/bloodwood.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Sapele is a favorite of mine. It has great general properties for building, supply is solid, Figuring from quilt to pomelle to flame and striped is not uncommon, its color ranges from a tan to bronze/copper(some pieces have variations that remind me of Koa), and it has a great flashy reflectance that adds depth. Because its availablility is high and size of trees is large you can get great cuts and it is definately a reasonably priced wood(as hardwoods go). Pau Ferro is another wood that really has some knock out charictoristics, and is reasonably priced and availble. There are certainly some great woods available to build with. Gotta Love that Sapele with a dash of Snakewood! Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Bubinga is also stable, stiff and strong, but it is much harder to glue. I had no problems with glueing.i just used plenty of titebond because the pores tend to soak it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddW Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 That's beautiful Rich. It actually looks a lot like the bubinga I'm working with now, but Sapele is easier to work with and glue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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