First Electric Guitar Build

[Guest PoonTangRat]

Right I know you probably get these kind of posts all the time but you all seemed like very nice people and I am hoping you could help as you have helped me with many things I have read in your posts.

For my A2 Design project I am designing a guitar that is going to be a fusion between my two favourites a good old telecaster and PRS customs. The bottom half of the body will be the shape of a PRS and the top half the shape of the telecaster. My main problem is that I have been pondering for a long time about the Tonewood i should use. The guitar must be made from an interesting looking wood or at least be topped by it. I very much like the look of zebrawood for the top but need advice on what to use for the main back of the body. I want the guitar to be quite light and have a bright tone to it.

Also what would be helpful is if anybody has any diagrams of the shapes of the telecaster and prs then that would be extremly useful.

Thanks Very MUCH! All information will be very useful

P.S the wood preferably should not be too expensive as being a student budget is an important factor!

[spazzyone]

try swamp ash. its very light compared to most woods

[aturner]

It might be worth taking a look at alder for the main wood for the body. It's not as light as ash, but it's a little cheaper and (I may be wrong here) easier to finish. The downside is it doesn't look as good under a transparent/transluscent finish and it is a little bit heavier.

Either way you can't go wrong. Fender has been using both for years, and I think it's safe to say they have a fairly decent idea of what they're doing.

[low end fuzz]

It might be worth taking a look at alder for the main wood for the body. It's not as light as ash, but it's a little cheaper and (I may be wrong here) easier to finish. The downside is it doesn't look as good under a transparent/transluscent finish and it is a little bit heavier.quote]

i think alder IS easier to finish; and i think it looks great in clear coat!

the downside is finding peices that are free of dog farts and knots, and hidden stress cracks that seem to find theyre way out in the final phases; which would be a +1 for painting, but its got a soft brown when its finished and i love it!

[westhemann]

For my A2 Design project I am designing a guitar that is going to be a fusion between my two favourites a good old telecaster and PRS customs.

just so you know...that is a les paul.and you should reconsider making the body light...because the only thing that keeps a single cut guitar from neckdiving is the heavy body.and alder is way easier than ash to grainfill.

[SG3390]

I would highly recommend korina, it is very easy to work with, comparable to mohogany, but sounds a WHOLE lot better. It rings like you wouldn't believe, and is also very light. GL with your project! Be sure to post pics!

[Doeringer]

All good solutions, I like the korina (Limba) best. How thick is the Zebrawood? Keep in mind that this is heavy wood. I have a bass and a tele with Zebrawood 3/4in and a mahogany back 1in. Both sound great and are not too heavy, but certainly not light.

[WezV]

Have you checked with your school what type of wood they have?

I ask because i recently found a well hidden and plentifull stock of wood at the school i work in, i have been there 5 years and never knew it existed. Its strange because its never used for any of the DT lessons and is just sitting there closely guarded by Arther, one of the technicians thats been at the school forever. He was quite happy to let me take whatever i wanted as long as i showed him what it was used for!

They have a fairly large supply of old mahogany (from bookcases, 1" thick) that is perfect for necks , Iroko (science worktops, 1 1/2" thick), beech and ash of all different sizes. They also had a few large billets of mahogany and ash that could be used for bodies.

The best wood to use is whatever you can get free especially if you are on a budget.