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Cheap E-bay Tops?


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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

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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.

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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.

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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 by jessejames
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...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 :D

IMG_5358.jpg

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

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

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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...

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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.

l_1714bca0cfb64fb7a9c3d8af6a0986fe.jpg

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

l_176a89ef9c18481499330492708f0384.jpg

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

l_dfc3c25ef35540429cb4eadf4d01b442.jpg

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

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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!

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  • 2 weeks later...

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