Cheap E-bay Tops?

[jessejames]

Scored this for 30$ shipped to my house. Was going to do a PRS style, but that top completely screams 59" les paul.

Edited December 20, 2010 by jessejames

[Dean]

I see way to much in the fugure of this piece of wood.So I'll just say ,nice wood.Look forward to your build.

[jessejames]

Not bad for a 3/4" thick top 30$ shipped to my door.

[Buter]

+1 Dean

I would not be able to use that top for a guitar.

Childish, I know, but true.

Good luck on your build, JJ.

Cheers

Buter

[Our Souls inc.]

+1 Dean

I would not be able to use that top for a guitar.

Childish, I know, but true.

Good luck on your build, JJ.

Cheers

Buter

Why, is it the rorschach factor????

[westhemann]

Well,most of "that" won't be there after routing for the neck and pickups.I think I would put a rather large bridge on it as well.

Not alot of figure in that piece.mostly just grain lines.Fairly standard,but $30 is a fair price.

You can go to a cabinet store and buy wood that will bookmatch into that at around $7.50 a B.F. if you look around a bit,and see what you are getting in person

[jessejames]

I dont have the luxury of cabinet makers or lumber yards to choose from here.

I thought for 30$ I was going to be getting just a paintable top, but when I wet it down and saw the figure it looked like a 59' les paul top to me.

[Our Souls inc.]

I dont have the luxury of cabinet makers or lumber yards to choose from here.

I thought for 30$ I was going to be getting just a paintable top, but when I wet it down and saw the figure it looked like a 59' les paul top to me.

...and thats the important part.

I once saw a guitar in a shipping pallet. ( Pine and poplar )

keep your eye on the prize, you'll get there.

[avengers63]

...and thats the important part.

I once saw a guitar in a shipping pallet. ( Pine and poplar )

keep your eye on the prize, you'll get there.

Weren't you the one who made the explorer from a carving found at a junk store?

[ihocky2]

I agree with Wes, it's a decent price but not a major score. There is some decent curl to it, but it is not all the way throughout the wood and is rather random. Most of the look is in the grain lines and wood coloring, to most places that probably falls around a AAA grading. However, I like it and would grab it for a guitar top. I'm not one to go with the traditional PRS quilts or Gibson flame tops, I like wood that I think has more character and is different than what you normally see.

[jessejames]

I didn't think it was a "major" score. But compared to what you normally get for 30$ to your door, it has a ton more figuring than what I was expecting. I would like to do a cherry burst on it, we'll see if i can pull it off. I still gotta build that tele first.

I just saw your site too, nice work!

Edited December 21, 2010 by jessejames

[Our Souls inc.]

...and thats the important part.

I once saw a guitar in a shipping pallet. ( Pine and poplar )

keep your eye on the prize, you'll get there.

Weren't you the one who made the explorer from a carving found at a junk store?

Guilty as charged

^^ not a bad body for $20........

I think that top will make a fine looking guitar if you play your cards right.

[Drak]

I got this top for right around $25.00.

It pays to know who to watch on eBay.

[Geo]

It has a lot more character than tops that are just bleeding figure everywhere. I like how the figure comes and goes.

If YOU are happy with it, then yes, it was a good buy!

[westhemann]

Take a trip down to Gonzales one Saturday.

http://austin.craigslist.org/mat/2113724670.html

I don't know about "figure",but I bet there is a lot of sycamore and pecan in there with a lot of great character for a guitar body.I may go myself this weekend.About a 100 mile round trip fr me,but I could fill my tuck up and be set for life...

[westhemann]

I bought this here on this site in the classifieds for something like $30 or $40..can't remember..but you are new to this..just keep your eyes peeled and don't jump on too much until you are familiar.

This board (the birdseye maple)I got somewhere online..don't remember...but it is 3/4" thick and 13 12" wide..it was 8' long..I think I paid around $100

cut this top from it,but the whole board is just as good.

Like yours,the birdseye is not "as" desirable because of the gray streak...but for a guitar it is perfect

[Our Souls inc.]

I got this top for right around $25.00.

It pays to know who to watch on eBay.

did you BM that yourself or did it come like that for the quarter?

p.s. - that top would NOT look like that if *I* - or another lesser finisher - finished it.

just sayin......

[WezV]

its also a great example of making the most out of a lesser quality top.

It was cheap because it has limited figure, but the way you made it work with the shape and design really makes it seemer higher quality than it is

best ones i had off ebay was a load of redwood and spalted maple about 7 years ago... the stuff was going for $30-50 per guitar top, highly and consistantly figured. It may have helped that the exchange rate was better then meaning i could get it for a tiny amount - i should have had more!

edit:

i still watch ebay - but i am not seeing the deals i was!

[Our Souls inc.]

I just scored two spalted Elm boards for 19.99..........

Thay are book matched, and 7/8" X 16" X 33.5" . each.

I'm going to do a guitar and bass that match each other I guess.

If I play my cards right, I might get 4 tops out of it.