Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by BenBob on November 9, 2010 at 4:35pm

Good discussion - I've wanted to try some mahogany for a neck, but nobody nearby sells it. I see rockler.com sells mahogany and maple by the inch, and the prices don't look too bad. Anyone try them?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Huntz Meyer on November 10, 2010 at 12:12am

I've been getting mine from Rockler. Nice wood in sizes I can use ("by the piece"), great price, fast shipping.

http://www.rockler.com/c/lumber-veneers.cfm

Huntz

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Paul Doug on November 10, 2010 at 5:03am

I have purchased a lot of boards off Ebay. I see a board I want and set a price I am willing to pay (including the cost of shipping). I don't let my self go over my set price. Sometimes I win the bid, more often I lose. I have never been disappointed on the ones I have won.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on November 10, 2010 at 10:41am

http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Craig Cox on November 10, 2010 at 12:14pm

I buy lengths of 1x2 maple at home depot. straight, strong, cheap, look great just tung-oiled.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Craig Cox on November 10, 2010 at 3:51pm

rockler is good for "fancy" stuff. I buy pieces of walnut from them for my fret boards. not exotic and pretty reasonable. love the way it looks with the maple neck

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Don Goguen on November 10, 2010 at 5:04pm

My main supplier is a local exotic lumber company called the Woodery. I did a quick google search around your end of NH and found North End Hardwood

At my supplier, one of the guys is a bass player and extremely knowledgeable in both wood and guitars. He will spend a great deal of time helping me find just the right pieces from the racks. We spent a couple of hours once checking resonance of the sitka spruce stock till I found just what I was after. He will cut off what I need if the board I am looking at will have enough remaining to be able to sell.

The point I am trying to make is that sometimes the relationship you develop with a vendor can really be valuable. I certainly have benefited from taking the time to ask questions and find the right supplier. This year I've been trying out a bunch of different species I've never worked with before thanks to the help I've received at my local wood dealer. I've made zebra and leopard wood fretboards that I am just thrilled with along with curly maple and rosewood.

Don't know how far away from you they are but they might be worth a call.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mungo Park on November 10, 2010 at 6:09pm

If you got the tools to work it down into a neck pallets have some great wood in them, they use super strong wood so they last. Crates with motorcycles from the east are also a great source of usable wood. Plan B like the guy said maple from the hardware store. Cheers Ron.

• ▶ Reply