Jimmie78 Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Whats up ya'll I have gotton a couple of guitar plans to build my first guitar but then i realized that i cannot afford to buy a body blank. Now my question is is there an alternative i can use maybe something at home depot that will work for a body? please let me know. Thanks guys Jimmie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Whats up ya'll I have gotton a couple of guitar plans to build my first guitar but then i realized that i cannot afford to buy a body blank. Now my question is is there an alternative i can use maybe something at home depot that will work for a body? please let me know. Thanks guys Jimmie Jimmie yes Home depot maple except its not thick enough. If you can't afford a few dollars for some hardwood how can you afford all the other parts and tools necessary to build a guitar???????? maybe you are also looking at overpriced wood available from dealers selling to guitar newbies. Check a local lumber yard for ash, maple and possibly alder if its in your area, ask for two inch thick stock if you have the tools or will power to do some work, It always helps to know what you are about to build so the wood selection can be narrowed to a wood used in the design. If you paint it just go to home depot and buy glue too LOL. these posts make my day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_labb Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 any timber will work, some will sound better than others. if its a bolt on give something cheap a try and you may like it, if you dont start saving up for when you do have the money, snd then you will have more experience and wont botch the other piece. i dont think you will find any traditional "tonewoods" at home depot, but i live in australia so i have no idea what they do have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmie78 Posted January 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Whats up ya'll I have gotton a couple of guitar plans to build my first guitar but then i realized that i cannot afford to buy a body blank. Now my question is is there an alternative i can use maybe something at home depot that will work for a body? please let me know. Thanks guys Jimmie Jimmie yes Home depot maple except its not thick enough. If you can't afford a few dollars for some hardwood how can you afford all the other parts and tools necessary to build a guitar???????? maybe you are also looking at overpriced wood available from dealers selling to guitar newbies. Check a local lumber yard for ash, maple and possibly alder if its in your area, ask for two inch thick stock if you have the tools or will power to do some work, It always helps to know what you are about to build so the wood selection can be narrowed to a wood used in the design. If you paint it just go to home depot and buy glue too LOL. these posts make my day And thats why the topic is wood and not parts. i have the tools and the part from various guitars i have owned in the past. i just wanted to know a cheap way to build a body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmie78 Posted January 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 any timber will work, some will sound better than others. if its a bolt on give something cheap a try and you may like it, if you dont start saving up for when you do have the money, snd then you will have more experience and wont botch the other piece. i dont think you will find any traditional "tonewoods" at home depot, but i live in australia so i have no idea what they do have. yeah because if i did spend 60 or dollars on a body blank and messed it up i would probably go suicidal. Thats why i like to go cheap first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Home Depot has poplar, as well as maple, but it's only 3/4" thick, and there's no guarantee of how dry it is. The maple I've come across at Home Depot has been dry enough, but the poplar sometimes isn't. Most bodies are at least 1 3/4" thick (there are exceptions). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 There was a thread around here lately about how to get free wood by giving out donuts and coffee to cabinetshop workers. Maybe that thread and you were made for each other. When funds are tight, creativity and originality totally rule the day. I think you may want to give it a try, you may hit a Motherload of wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digi2t Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 I'll be happy to provide the link to the donuts for wood scheme; Donuts for wood... Click here I spotted a cabinet shop on my way home from work the other day. Snagged myself a nice piece of maple (fretboard) and a mohagany board (maybe laminate, don't know yet). The guy is really into the strawberry jelly filled topped with the powdered sugar. Thank you Tim Hortons. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Home Depot is NOT going to be a cheap way to get any solid hardwood. Find a local hardwood dealer, or find that cabnet shop. If you buy timber you are going to need 4bd. ft. of some type of hardwood in 8/4 form(2" stock). Now Maples will run between $4-6 bd. ft., Alder ruffly $3.50-5.50 bd. ft., Black Walnut $7.50-$10 bd. ft., Khaya $4-5.50 bd. ft., Gen. Mahogany $9-11 bd. ft. The list goes on. All of which will generally be offered in kiln dried form. Save up and either invest in donuts or buy some hardwood. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmie78 Posted January 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Home Depot is NOT going to be a cheap way to get any solid hardwood. Find a local hardwood dealer, or find that cabnet shop. If you buy timber you are going to need 4bd. ft. of some type of hardwood in 8/4 form(2" stock). Now Maples will run between $4-6 bd. ft., Alder ruffly $3.50-5.50 bd. ft., Black Walnut $7.50-$10 bd. ft., Khaya $4-5.50 bd. ft., Gen. Mahogany $9-11 bd. ft. The list goes on. All of which will generally be offered in kiln dried form. Save up and either invest in donuts or buy some hardwood. Peace,Rich lol i think i can try the donut thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Maple's about $4/bd.ft. at Home Depot (around here anyway), but I definitely agree a hardwood dealer is the way to go, if you can get to one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Hey Hey its not a scheme ok............. well its sorta a free-trade bargaining agreement thing... -Vinny ""I spotted a cabinet shop on my way home from work the other day. Snagged myself a nice piece of maple (fretboard) and a mohagany board (maybe laminate, don't know yet). The guy is really into the strawberry jelly filled topped with the powdered sugar. Thank you Tim Hortons.'' -Digi2t -Way to go bro ! -Vinny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MescaBug Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 (edited) Damn. Standard woods cost between 5-10$ bd./foot. A Strat style body for example, takes about 3-4 bd./foot. You're telling that you don't have a 20-30$ to buy a piece of wood? I don't want to be rude, but find yourself another hobby if you're gonna commit suicide if you loose a few bucks on your first guitar build. In that case, everybody here would be pretty much dead now... Seriously, give yourself a chance, and invest a little bit. LMI sells their Alder body blanks for 45$. It's glued, planned and ready to build. Store like Home Depot usually won't sell you a 2'X2' piece of wood, they will sell you the entire board which they will cut to your specifications, and charge you for the labor. It will cost more than a custom size board in a lumber yard. And I don't remember seeing anything thicker than 1" at Home Depot, which is not enough for a decent guitar body. You can pancake 2 boards then... Edited January 29, 2008 by MescaBug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Ikea .... yes you too can build your guitar from an IKEA table top. Foul Language Warning! http://www.esquire.com/the-side/qa/guitar042307 Foul Language Warning! Actually reclaimed wood is a great source for guitars. I know there are members of this forum that have used reclaimed wood to build guitars. 1. It really adds character. 2. It makes it unique. 3. A guitar without a story is no fun... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 I keep my eyes peeled for old furniture being thrown out. Haven't found anything worthy so far, but one day...one day... I've been meaning to hit some secondhand stores too, but haven't gotten around to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmie78 Posted January 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Ikea .... yes you too can build your guitar from an IKEA table top. Foul Language Warning! http://www.esquire.com/the-side/qa/guitar042307 Foul Language Warning! Actually reclaimed wood is a great source for guitars. I know there are members of this forum that have used reclaimed wood to build guitars. 1. It really adds character. 2. It makes it unique. 3. A guitar without a story is no fun... Makes me want to tear apart my kitchen table lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digi2t Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Hey Hey its not a scheme ok............. well its sorta a free-trade bargaining agreement thing... -Vinny ""I spotted a cabinet shop on my way home from work the other day. Snagged myself a nice piece of maple (fretboard) and a mohagany board (maybe laminate, don't know yet). The guy is really into the strawberry jelly filled topped with the powdered sugar. Thank you Tim Hortons.'' -Digi2t -Way to go bro ! -Vinny No, THANK YOU Vinny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 (edited) "i just wanted to know a cheap way to build a body" ???? Again if you tell us what you are building instead of just cheap wood it would make it much easier not to treat your post with skepticism. If you phrased your question like "I am building an SG body but need to save some money on the body wood any suggestions? the responses would have be more helpful and less of what you got fryovanni has spell it out in plain English. Prices vary from location to location. Anyway the only other solution is to find a tree someone cut down bring it home, borrow a chain saw cut it into slabs wait a year or more and you have free wood. Except for the gas for the car and chainsaw. LOL Donuts- Hummm Good luck Edited January 30, 2008 by Woodenspoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulinnc Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 I have found these places close to me. The people there are more than happy to answer questions and help out. Roger over at East Wake was really cool and he knew exactly what I was talking about when I mentioned the Alembic style, the hippie sandwich. I want to build a Doug Irwin Wolf replica so I will probably go to him for the wood. Here is his site: http://www.eastwakehardwoods.com Also check out this place too. Very friendly staff. http://www.hardwoodstore.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Another option for easier to locate stores are Woodcraft. Sometimes they have hardwoods in 8/4 somtimes not, depends on what you want. They are a little pricier than lumber mills, but easier to find. Downside, is you have to buy an entire board which is sometimes 8ft long and can get costly. Check your local yellow pages, I found lumber mills around me that I never knew existed until I started searching for them. They are easier to find than you would think. While it is a less likely place, I have on occasion seen large pieces of hardwood on Craig's List. Where are you located, some of us may be able to point you to places near you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Another option for easier to locate stores are Woodcraft. Sometimes they have hardwoods in 8/4 somtimes not, depends on what you want. They are a little pricier than lumber mills, but easier to find. Downside, is you have to buy an entire board which is sometimes 8ft long and can get costly. Check your local yellow pages, I found lumber mills around me that I never knew existed until I started searching for them. They are easier to find than you would think. While it is a less likely place, I have on occasion seen large pieces of hardwood on Craig's List. Where are you located, some of us may be able to point you to places near you. It is cheaper to buy wood at a dedicated lumber yard. Any specialty dealer catalog supplier or local woodcraft store will charge you much more than you would spend at a lumber yard. My local dealer Willard Brothers has a large show room, however if you want plain domestic stock you have to ask them so they can walk you out the door open the other storage area where the cheaper wood is stored. They are not stupid why put the cheaper wood in the same showroom as your imported stock, makes it look expensive. I dont like this practice but its not my store and they are my closest dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeb_hendrix Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 I keep my eyes peeled for old furniture being thrown out. Haven't found anything worthy so far, but one day...one day... I've been meaning to hit some secondhand stores too, but haven't gotten around to it. How can u not afford a cheap piece of wood. I bought my piece for a meer $45 AUS dollars of the internet & its pretty much the cheapest thing on my guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 i have had some really good finds. For a start the school i work at has quite a large stock of old mahogany left over from the original bookcases and other things. most of its 3/4" thick when cleaned up so pretty good for laminated neck stock... as long as i pick the good bits anyway. I think i have cleared out all the bits long enough for through necks but there are still plenty of shorter ones i may have. I am still trying to convince the head to replace the old mahogany bookcases in the other library!!! occasionally a student wants to build a guitar and i point them towards the old science worktops that are 1 3/4" thick Iroko, loads of that around. not used the iroko myself but its free so they cant complain!! I have also had non-school finds like two old black planks that were being used as gateposts.. After resawing i had 8 golden mahogany body blanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 (edited) I keep my eyes peeled for old furniture being thrown out. Haven't found anything worthy so far, but one day...one day... I've been meaning to hit some secondhand stores too, but haven't gotten around to it. How can u not afford a cheap piece of wood. I bought my piece for a meer $45 AUS dollars of the internet & its pretty much the cheapest thing on my guitar Didn't say I couldn't afford it. But if I could find a big ol' mahogany desk for 25 bucks, I would be a happy camper. It's just the fun of the hunt, and the happiness that comes with "saving" a nice piece of timber. Edited February 6, 2008 by Rick500 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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