fookgub Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 http://www.grizzly.com/products/t1066 Has anyone tried one of these? I'm planning my first neck build, and I was thinking rosewood would be a nice choice. I realize Grizzly's blanks are probably not top quality, but I was wondering if anyone had tried them and would care to comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 IMO, rosewood isn't a great choice for a first neck - I'd go with mahogany, simply because it works/carves so easily. I have no experience with grizzly products, but I know I'd be uncomfortable with the amount of runout in the front blank of the two shown. Necks want straight grain, running parallel to the neck shaft. On the bright side, there wouldn't be much runout in the headstock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooten2 Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 (edited) I recently tried one of these, and was very happy with the results. Slightly smaller than the Grizzly's, but about half the price. http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts....ood+Neck+Blanks The rosewood certainly takes more work to carve, but the look and feel is great. Edited November 29, 2006 by ooten2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desopolis Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I recently tried one of these, and was very happy with the results. Slightly smaller than the Grizzly's, but about half the price. http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts....ood+Neck+Blanks The rosewood certainly takes more work to carve, but the look and feel is great. did you apply a finish to it? maybe oil? I really like the Idea of a rosewood neck... got any finished pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooten2 Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I recently tried one of these, and was very happy with the results. Slightly smaller than the Grizzly's, but about half the price. http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts....ood+Neck+Blanks The rosewood certainly takes more work to carve, but the look and feel is great. did you apply a finish to it? maybe oil? I really like the Idea of a rosewood neck... got any finished pics? I just sanded the neck down to 1500. I did apply some lemon oil after that. Sorry, I don't have pics at this time, camera is on the blink. Maybe after Christmas, I'll have a camera!! I plan to use rosewood again, I like it that much. The only thing I'll do different, is try to machine the neck dimensions alot closer before carving to save some time and sore muscles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fookgub Posted January 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 bump... Guys, thanks for the comments. I've been thinking about this for a while, and I've decided against the Grizzly blank because I'm not too sure about the quality. The rosewood blank from LMI looks good, but it's too short for the neck I want to build (a strat-style neck to replace the one on my Yamaha Pacifica). Setch is probably right on about mahogany, but the urge to try something exotic is pretty powerful, and, as much as I like mahogany, I'm not sure it's the kind of neck I want to end up with. Anyway, I've been eyeing a Padouk neck blank that SoundAt11 has on eBay, and I was wondering if anyone would care to comment about it. I've read that Padouk is exceptionally stable and works well (besides the problematic dust), but I haven't come across much information about it's tone as a neck wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desopolis Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I used padauk for my Tele style neck(was part of a lam) its a nice wood, a bit waxy sometimes and the pores are a decent size(about the same as mahogany) only issue with it is that its UV sensitive, so if you dont keep it in a case during downtime(or at least out of direct light) the Vibrant red will fade to a more brown color. I read that bloodwood doesnt fade, but I cant confirm that. the dust wasnt worse then any other wood ive worked with, just much more visible, and can stain clothes a nice pink color.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 bump... Guys, thanks for the comments. I've been thinking about this for a while, and I've decided against the Grizzly blank because I'm not too sure about the quality. The rosewood blank from LMI looks good, but it's too short for the neck I want to build (a strat-style neck to replace the one on my Yamaha Pacifica). Setch is probably right on about mahogany, but the urge to try something exotic is pretty powerful, and, as much as I like mahogany, I'm not sure it's the kind of neck I want to end up with. Anyway, I've been eyeing a Padouk neck blank that SoundAt11 has on eBay, and I was wondering if anyone would care to comment about it. I've read that Padouk is exceptionally stable and works well (besides the problematic dust), but I haven't come across much information about it's tone as a neck wood. LMI blank is sized for an acoustic I believe. Gilmer is a good source for EIR. Padouk seems to be a real nice wood to work with from my experience. It is very resonant. Personally I would second what Setch is recommending. Not to discourage you from trying something different as you said you want to try something exotic. A wood that carves easier will be nicer for you as you get the feel of your shaping tools. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I used padauk for my Tele style neck(was part of a lam) its a nice wood, a bit waxy sometimes and the pores are a decent size(about the same as mahogany) only issue with it is that its UV sensitive, so if you dont keep it in a case during downtime(or at least out of direct light) the Vibrant red will fade to a more brown color. I read that bloodwood doesnt fade, but I cant confirm that. the dust wasnt worse then any other wood ive worked with, just much more visible, and can stain clothes a nice pink color.. That's about all the info you'll get on Padauk besides tone and the fact that it smells nice. I have yet to fully finish a guitar with Padauk, but the stuff I have is quite resonant. Slightly less bright than Hard Maple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooten2 Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Yes that's right, the LMI is sized for an acoustic. I managed to get a 24 fret bolt electric neck out of it by using a small sized head shape with 3 tuners on a side. No scrap left, and not much room for error, but it worked. I would like to try padouk for a neck also. I bought a cocobolo top from soundat11 and it was really nice. I've read that padouk is similar to maple in tone, but I have no personal experience with it. Keep us all posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 In my experience padauk isn't a great choice for a first neck either. It can have an interlocked grain which makes carving with edge tools hard, and it has large pores (much larger than mahogany), and the dust is a known nasal irritant, which has an unusual property of clinging to surfaces it settles on. It's very pretty, and quartersawn it has a beautiful ribbon grain which dances like crazy, but I still recommend mahogany for neck #1. If you have too many variables it's hard to pin down your technique, since you can't be sure whether problems are due to materials or something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fookgub Posted January 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Ok, I've got a plan now. I think I'm going to buy a mahogany blank to start with. If I end up buying the padouk blank, I'll try to do two necks at once, using the mahogany for the trials. I'm also going to build (have already started, actually) a neck from scrap wood as a total practice neck, so I think (hope) I'll be pretty well set technique-wise before I start cutting into some fancy wood. A couple more Padouk questions: Are that any finishes that will protect the wood from UV exposure? I don't plan on playing it in the sun, but it will get some UV because it's going to sit on a stand all the time (the rest of my guitars live in cases, and I like to have something I can grab quickly when "inspiration" strikes). Also on the subject of finishes, I was planning for a pretty natural feel for the back of the neck: no grainfiller, just a few coats of lacquer rubbed out with steel wool. I've played mahogany and wenge necks that were finished in a similar manner, which I really liked, but I don't quite know what to expect from padouk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desopolis Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 I used padauk for my Tele style neck(was part of a lam) its a nice wood, a bit waxy sometimes and the pores are a decent size(about the same as mahogany) only issue with it is that its UV sensitive, so if you dont keep it in a case during downtime(or at least out of direct light) the Vibrant red will fade to a more brown color. I read that bloodwood doesnt fade, but I cant confirm that. the dust wasnt worse then any other wood ive worked with, just much more visible, and can stain clothes a nice pink color.. That's about all the info you'll get on Padauk besides tone and the fact that it smells nice. I have yet to fully finish a guitar with Padauk, but the stuff I have is quite resonant. Slightly less bright than Hard Maple. yep, its part of a multi piece laminate with mahogany strip slightly larger then a half inch that runs through it as well as two 1/16 strips of maple: so I cant really pick apart the tonality of it. it WAS rougher to shape by hand, but the machine tooling felt normal. as far as finishing it goes. I've read that Marine lacquer can, but the threads here on PG are a bit spotty on first hand experience with it. for the feel, I recommend a oil finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 The padauk neck on my first guitar was finished with danish oil, and despite remaining stick for quite a long time, felt great once the stickiness had gone. The open pores were not a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 The padauk neck on my first guitar was finished with danish oil, and despite remaining stick for quite a long time, felt great once the stickiness had gone. The open pores were not a problem. The pores aren't really the main problem with Padauk though, Wenge looks like it has larger pores. It's the wood turning to that horrible brown color over time. I'll be spraying my 6-string neck with some satin poly to see how it holds up over time rather than an oil finish (which feels best on necks imo). I'd imagine that slowing down the oxidizing process the best. Pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Well, the red is nicer, but I wouldn't describe the brown as horrible. It's still defiantely a red-ish brown, and quite an attractive look in it's own right. I also suspect we may not be referring to the same padauk - there are 2 variaties, padauk and andaman padauk. The wood I've used has pores very nearly as massive as wenge, and is moderately tricky to plane. I've heard other foks describe a wood which palnes nicely and has pore structure more like mahogany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 It definitely sounds like we're talking about two different woods. Would you happen to have any info on the other kind of Padauk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 There are three species of trees that produce wood that we call padauk--Burma padauk, Andaman padauk (named for the Andaman Islands where it grows), and African padauk. All are legume family and have the Latin names of Pterocarpus macrocarpus, Pterocarpus dalbergioides, and Pterocarpus soyauxii. The sawdust is probably a nasal irritant. There may be a faint odor. All are red when cut, but darken with exposure to light. The wood is resistant to termites. It is widely used for decorative carvings, flooring, etc. Because of interlocked grain, it is hard to finish smoothly--use very sharp tools and fresh sandpaper. I could give you more if I knew the country. Professor Gene Wengert is Extension Specialist in Wood Processing at the Department of Forestry, University of Wisconsin-Madison. I don't know which of the varieties has the characteristics I described, or if it's simply down to individual varoiation between pieces of the same genus, but the pieces I've worked with all exhibitted the interlocked grain and large pores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 The Padauk I work with is African Padauk. The two different cuts of it show very different grain patterns. Quartersawn, for instance, is like most other woods out there. Very simple straight lines, some darker than others. While flatsawn has very jagged grain lines. Definitely an amazing and unique look. Some examples of quartered African Padauk: Guitar fingerboards Guitar or Bass top An example of the top wood with a digital template Some examples of flatsawn African Padauk: Side shot of neck lam Guitar of Bass top Or Desopolis's guitar neck that has Padauk laminates in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Andaman (or Solomon) Padauk, aka Narra, looks nothing like African Padauk. It's yellowish, not bright, dramatic red, and a pretty wood (and good tonewood, and available with FSC certification) wood in its own right, but it's a very different beast. As for colour, some pieces seem to stay redder than others; none of the stuff I have remained very red, but there's a board at the local wood shoppe (Sample board, unfinished) that's still very much red. Same thing with purpleheart; some of it stays purple, some of it just goes purply brown... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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