dawnofzion Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 I am going to start a new build and was wanting some suggestions on the wood for the body and neck. I was considering using either alder, basswood or poplar for the body. I plan on doing a black and purple burst finish on it. I am kind of on a tighter budget than I would like so that is the reason for the types of wood. What would you suggest for the body? ALSO, where is the best place to get a wood blank for the neck? It will be a 24" scale fender supersonic clone. Is there a place where I can get a fretboard for a 24" scale? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logical Frank Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 I'd go alder. Probably the nicest looking, has good tone and, if I had to guess, I'd imagine that's what Fender used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 I don't know of any places that offer a 24" scale fingerboard, although lmii and stewmac both carry fingerboard blanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logical Frank Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 It seems like you could cut off one fret's worth of a 25.5 inch scale length fingerboard and end up w/ something very close to a 24" scale length--like w/in an eigth of an inch, I think. You would, of course, have to place the bridge appropriately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 Since it sounds like you are not doing a translucent finish, i'd go with poplar. I've got a MIM poplar Tele that sounds quite nice. Poplar is cheap, sounds good, and since you're painting colors on you don't have to worry about the greenish streaks or lack of interesting grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnofzion Posted June 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 Since it sounds like you are not doing a translucent finish, i'd go with poplar. I've got a MIM poplar Tele that sounds quite nice. Poplar is cheap, sounds good, and since you're painting colors on you don't have to worry about the greenish streaks or lack of interesting grain. well i was considering doing a purple and black burst but the purple was going to be possibly translucent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted June 13, 2007 Report Share Posted June 13, 2007 I would think you'd be alright even with a translucent color, depending on how dark it is. Natural is really the only time you'd ever particularly notice it I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnofzion Posted June 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 anyone have any suggestions for a place to get wood? I dont' want to get a body blank because I think they are overpriced and I can make a two piece body blank for cheaper than buying one. I can't seem to find anywhere local that has hardwood. I live in lewisville, Texas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 Since you live near Dallas there are bound to be a number of places where you can get hardwood. Heck, if you go for poplar you can get that at your local Home Depot. There's a pretty sizable Texas crew on this site, so one of them should be able to give you a hand. You might do better to post that in a thread with a more location specific name, so if local guys see it they will be more inclined to look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 How about this? Get some nice swamp ash (the light stuff) and do a Voodoo finish in black and purple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 (edited) anyone have any suggestions for a place to get wood? I dont' want to get a body blank because I think they are overpriced and I can make a two piece body blank for cheaper than buying one. I can't seem to find anywhere local that has hardwood. I live in lewisville, Texas What size do you want and what wood? Call BlueLynx, formerly Austin Hardwoods on Matthis just off Royal lane between Luna and 35E. The Woodcraft in Addison just got some nice Ash in and priced under market, but will need to to gluedup for thickness as it is only 4/4 but if your going more solid color should not matter. Otherwise contact myself via PM or Jon in Ft Worth, I'm sure one of us can hook you up with some wood to your liking. MIke BTW I'm in Farmers Branch Edited June 14, 2007 by MiKro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnofzion Posted June 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 How about this? Get some nice swamp ash (the light stuff) and do a Voodoo finish in black and purple. What is a voodoo finish? This is what I'm looking to possibly do. anyone have any suggestions for a place to get wood? I dont' want to get a body blank because I think they are overpriced and I can make a two piece body blank for cheaper than buying one. I can't seem to find anywhere local that has hardwood. I live in lewisville, Texas What size do you want and what wood? Call BlueLynx, formerly Austin Hardwoods on Matthis just off Royal lane between Luna and 35E. The Woodcraft in Addison just got some nice Ash in and priced under market, but will need to to gluedup for thickness as it is only 4/4 but if your going more solid color should not matter. Otherwise contact myself via PM or Jon in Ft Worth, I'm sure one of us can hook you up with some wood to your liking. MIke BTW I'm in Farmers Branch pm sent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 (edited) It seems like you could cut off one fret's worth of a 25.5 inch scale length fingerboard and end up w/ something very close to a 24" scale length--like w/in an eigth of an inch, I think. You would, of course, have to place the bridge appropriately. And what fret would you cut off Frank? I based this off of a 25" scale to 24"If you were to cut at say the first fret and this becomes the nut face, the difference from the New nut face to the new first fret will be approx 1.324 or 1.325 inches.? A 24in scale from nut to first fret is 1.347 inches. This means you are off by .020 + inches just at the first fret. Now compound this across the board and you will see that it will be highly improbable to intonate. With a 25.5 inch scale there is 1.351 inches so there is still a diffenece that may cause a real problem as this extrapolates but maybe worth a try. Since it is only between .010 to .005 difference at the 12th fret. Who knows?? Just an FYI MIke Edited June 14, 2007 by MiKro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnofzion Posted June 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 Would it be bad to layer 3 layers of poplar to get the correct thickness of the body? I would make 2 pieces of 3 layered poplar...then join the 2 pieces together with the joint in the center of the guitar. Would this be ok? Or would all the glueing and layering reduce the sound quality out of the body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 If you use the search and look around on this site you will see numerous examples of people making laminates of all shapes, sizes, and configurations to use as body blanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawnofzion Posted June 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 My next question, Is the poplar at Home Depot ok to build a guitar body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logical Frank Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 It seems like you could cut off one fret's worth of a 25.5 inch scale length fingerboard and end up w/ something very close to a 24" scale length--like w/in an eigth of an inch, I think. You would, of course, have to place the bridge appropriately. And what fret would you cut off Frank? I based this off of a 25" scale to 24"If you were to cut at say the first fret and this becomes the nut face, the difference from the New nut face to the new first fret will be approx 1.324 or 1.325 inches.? A 24in scale from nut to first fret is 1.347 inches. This means you are off by .020 + inches just at the first fret. Now compound this across the board and you will see that it will be highly improbable to intonate. With a 25.5 inch scale there is 1.351 inches so there is still a diffenece that may cause a real problem as this extrapolates but maybe worth a try. Since it is only between .010 to .005 difference at the 12th fret. Who knows?? Just an FYI MIke I see what you're saying. I wasn't saying that you should cut off that much and just arbitrarily make the scale length 24" but that the scale length of such a fingerboard would be about 24", which is a bit different. I might be thinking about it wrong but it would be functionally equivalent to putting a capo across the first fret. I will measure it when I get home to see if it still makes sense after that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 (edited) It seems like you could cut off one fret's worth of a 25.5 inch scale length fingerboard and end up w/ something very close to a 24" scale length--like w/in an eigth of an inch, I think. You would, of course, have to place the bridge appropriately. And what fret would you cut off Frank? I based this off of a 25" scale to 24"If you were to cut at say the first fret and this becomes the nut face, the difference from the New nut face to the new first fret will be approx 1.324 or 1.325 inches.? A 24in scale from nut to first fret is 1.347 inches. This means you are off by .020 + inches just at the first fret. Now compound this across the board and you will see that it will be highly improbable to intonate. With a 25.5 inch scale there is 1.351 inches so there is still a diffenece that may cause a real problem as this extrapolates but maybe worth a try. Since it is only between .010 to .005 difference at the 12th fret. Who knows?? Just an FYI MIke I see what you're saying. I wasn't saying that you should cut off that much and just arbitrarily make the scale length 24" but that the scale length of such a fingerboard would be about 24", which is a bit different. I might be thinking about it wrong but it would be functionally equivalent to putting a capo across the first fret. I will measure it when I get home to see if it still makes sense after that... No problem, I was just trying to understand your thought process. In fact I didn't account for the difference in the blade thickness/kerf in this at all. If we take a .023 thickness blade and use it's center as the fret placement marker/measurement. The Nut slot uses the face as the start point, therefore we start at zero with no account for the kerf as we measure from the face. the first fret distance is measured from that to the center line of the blade. Each additional fret is measured this way as well from the nut face.. This would add an additional .0115 of an inch in the equation as well. Ah H#ll I'm being to picky again LOL:))) Mike Edited June 14, 2007 by MiKro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted June 14, 2007 Report Share Posted June 14, 2007 My next question, Is the poplar at Home Depot ok to build a guitar body?Hey D? you PMd me, I know your on a budget so plz Pm me with your $ constraints, I'm sure I can find something that will work for you. I'll pm you with my phone# if you have questions. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 (edited) Would it be bad to layer 3 layers of poplar to get the correct thickness of the body? I would make 2 pieces of 3 layered poplar...then join the 2 pieces together with the joint in the center of the guitar. Would this be ok? Or would all the glueing and layering reduce the sound quality out of the body? A good glue joint is stronger than wood (so I hear), so if anything perhaps it will improve "tone". I wouldn't sweat it... I built a guitar with a 5-piece poplar/spruce body, and I love it. The wood is ugly, though, so don't do a natural finish like I did. And remember... every acoustic guitar has bookmatched top and back and two seperate pieces of wood for the sides. But if MiKro is going to hook you up, go with that! Edited June 15, 2007 by Geo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 Well, if you're good, you can build a guitar out of anything: http://www.wellsguitars.com/Gallery/HomeDe...HomeDePaul.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted June 15, 2007 Report Share Posted June 15, 2007 >snip< But if MiKro is going to hook you up, go with that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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