Comment

Comment by BrianQ. on June 10, 2022 at 12:29pm

 Pick uses Hemlock on Swamp witches, it’s got a good sound to it? I’ve seen kit bodies made from it a few times. Douglas fir is a staple in the west, as our rural & mountain areas are packed densely with it, the almighty 2x4 tree! 

Comment by T-Gripped on June 10, 2022 at 10:16am

Brian--I'm jealous! Here HD is limited to oak and poplar. 

Doug--I've never worked with hemlock or fir... I'd like to. I also like 'softer' woods--but like you--use whatever i can scrounge up

Comment by BrianQ. on June 10, 2022 at 6:21am

I meant Aspen 1x2’s :)

Comment by BrianQ. on June 10, 2022 at 6:19am

Home Depot has Alder 1x2’s in California, as well as Alder, Birch, Cherry, Hickory, Mahogany, Maple, white & black Walnut in 1x2’s? 

Comment by Doug Thorsvik on June 10, 2022 at 5:21am

Great discussion on neck wood Uncle John, Brian, and T-Gripped. Clearly most of us use woods we can easily get our hands on and aren’t outrageously priced (those woods are often toxic too). For me that is normally Douglas Fir, Hemlock (nice tight vertical grain!), Alder, and whatever yardsticks are made of (low end)! I lean towards the lighter and therefore softer (and easier to work with) woods to avoid neck heavy guitars.

Comment by Uncle John on June 10, 2022 at 12:29am

Thanks, Tee.   I usually get my woods at Menards and have used all you mentioned.   I think I did not like the aspen so much because it was very open grained and maybe needed extra sanding with fine sand paper.   I love the workability of poplar and the lightness.   My current GDGB build is oak, which I think is pretty and tough, but makes a HEAVY git - which I don't really mind.  

Comment by T-Gripped on June 10, 2022 at 12:20am

Long answer to a short question: I've used aspen a few times before and liked it OK. I was wanting a light blonde look to go with the trim on the box.

But initially I thought I was forming maple. After the brace was on and I was making sawdust rounding off the neck I realized that indeed it was not maple.

Here in WNC my only options are oak and poplar. We took a trip up north and on the way stopped at Menards which sells maple, hickory, mahogany, aspen, alder, and maybe more. Poplar is my 'go to' but the others can be fun. This fingerboard is poplar. Tuned GDBG.

Comment by BrianQ. on June 9, 2022 at 4:51pm

Aspen is a little softer & lighter than Poplar, kinda like Basswood? It’s used a lot for Strat type bodies & Basses since it has a good resonance? Downside is that it dings real easy?

Comment by Uncle John on June 9, 2022 at 3:14pm

Yup, on telling about the aspen.  I used it once and did not like it well, but kind of forget why.  

Comment by Doug Thorsvik on June 9, 2022 at 2:35pm

The colors are all working well together on this one T-Gripped! Aspen is an unusual choice for a neck. What is the story on that?

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