Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on October 29, 2014 at 10:18am

rule of thumb :  if you can't push a fingernail into the grain then yes....

(sorry Im Australian, and familiar with entirely different trees than you blokes.  but this rule will serve you well when scavenging / sourcing wood.)

If you CAN push a fingernail in along the grain then this wood is more suited to a soundboard / top / solid body if its wide enough.

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on October 29, 2014 at 1:05pm

Depending also, of course, on whether one has fingers..

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Permalink Reply by john mackay on October 29, 2014 at 11:56pm

all mine are intact but its the grey matter that is the problem lol

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Permalink Reply by Michael Fred Johnson on October 30, 2014 at 4:39am

Beech is fine for necks,it's hard and straight grained

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Permalink Reply by john mackay on November 1, 2014 at 6:44am

got me 12  lengths of beechwood for £24 not bade eh!

1'050mm x 44mm x 24mm. £2 a piece.cheap as chips.

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on November 5, 2014 at 7:01am

I've got to say, I quite like Tulipwood (yellow poplar)...especially for beginners because it's easy to cut, carve and sand, and takes a finish reasonably well. Yes, it's not top quality "tonewood" stuff (and neither is beech, but that works OK as a neck too), and Harmony used yellow poplar on millions of their guitars necks from the '40s thru to the '70s. As for the wood being soft, you cant get much softer than cedar, yet virtually every traditional flamenco guitar has been made with a cedar neck.

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Permalink Reply by john mackay on November 5, 2014 at 8:39am

thanks for the info .another question is ash wood good enough for a fret board?

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on November 5, 2014 at 9:46am

Leo Fender used Swamp Ash in the early years for his guitar bodies until it became very scarce, Ash should be fine :-)

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on November 5, 2014 at 7:53pm

Ash is OK, I've used it as centre laminations for 3 and 5 part necks, more for contrast than strength. However, it is very open grained, and VERY whippy - not ideal for a fretboard, and I wouldn't used it as a full neck. It's tough stuff but it's flexibility and shock resistance means it's often chosen for tool handles, hockey sticks and archery bows...and that needs some bendy wood..I've used ash to make instrument bows with some success.

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on November 5, 2014 at 9:44am

I use Oak for necks exclusively - all hardwood should do pretty well for fretboards- I use Sapele, Cherry, Maple, Walnut, Beech - they hold the frets in pretty straight and firm, I used Ebony once but was difficult to work with was and not too sure of the results. :-)

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Permalink Reply by john mackay on November 5, 2014 at 11:02pm

neck is sorted now.

I need fretboards  now

there's plenty of ash wood @ 6mm-7mm and 10mm but little else at the moment of that size.

I want to make a cbg for my son for Xmas. he can play 6 stringed guitar very well.

he tends to chose tricky tunes to play like stairway to heaven.

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Permalink Reply by john mackay on November 6, 2014 at 6:23am

so far I've made two but not fretted.

all very well buying them from gitty but its the postage is the killer.

I've manage to or will get 12 pieces of AMERICAN BLACK WALNUT for £26 this inc shipping.

so that worked out at £2 a pop (just over $3 each)

600mm x 50mm x 6mm

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