Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: Matt77 on January 07, 2009, 08:39:29 PM

Title: UK wood
Post by: Matt77 on January 07, 2009, 08:39:29 PM: Does anyone know what wood is native to the UK and is worth using for guitars?
We obviously have a lot of ash and alder but does anybody know what it's like tonally.
I have a wood.
You can see where this is going
Title: Re: UK wood
Post by: dave_mc on January 07, 2009, 08:46:57 PM: sycamore? that's our version of maple, i think. not sure how it compares to maple in terms of tone etc., but i've seen it used on guitars...
Title: Re: UK wood
Post by: Afghan Dave on January 07, 2009, 09:03:58 PM: Quote from: Matt77 on January 07, 2009, 08:39:29 PM
I have a wood.
You can see where this is going

Is it hard or soft?

How thick is it?

If you've got wood take a picture and lets have a look.
Title: Re: UK wood
Post by: Matt77 on January 07, 2009, 09:25:31 PM: It's hardwood mainly
elm, birch, sycamore, maybe some ash on the marsh

I don't have any photos of my own, but, some ramblers / trespassers have kindly posted some on the internet for us

http://www.inceblundellvillage.co.uk/untitled/pages/lsh%20063_jpg.htm
http://www.inceblundellvillage.co.uk/untitled/pages/summer%20woods_jpg.htm

Probably about 10 acres across the family farm
Title: Re: UK wood
Post by: rohlfo on January 07, 2009, 10:07:46 PM: My bass guitar has a sycamore top. I'm no tome master, but I don't think it would sound that different to maple.
Title: Re: UK wood
Post by: Oli on January 07, 2009, 10:15:43 PM: I'm currently building a guitar using some figured english ash, and it's great so far :) Would like to try some english sycamore, perhaps for a les paul cap or something.

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/sqol/other/ash_body.jpg)
Title: Re: UK wood
Post by: Afghan Dave on January 07, 2009, 10:33:19 PM: Quote from: rohlfo on January 07, 2009, 10:07:46 PM
My bass guitar has a sycamore top. I'm no tome master, but I don't think it would sound that different to maple.

I've seen Tokai do that with some of their Love Rocks (Les Pauls) so I would think you're right with the maple comparison.
Title: Re: UK wood
Post by: Jonny on January 08, 2009, 12:01:36 AM: Quote from: Oli on January 07, 2009, 10:15:43 PM
I'm currently building a guitar using some figured english ash, and it's great so far :) Would like to try some english sycamore, perhaps for a les paul cap or something.

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/sqol/other/ash_body.jpg)
I do like that top :)
Title: Re: UK wood
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on January 08, 2009, 12:52:48 AM: I use Sycamore a lot - it can be great

My Amber Gunslinger (now sold) had a sycamore body and sounded great in a George Lynch kind of way
I will happily use it for Les Paul fronts as well - it is similar to the broad leaf maple that PRS and Hamer use, but different from the Northern Maple that Gibson used in the 50s (which was local to the Michigan plant in Kalamazoo

English Ash is nice but can be heavy and a bit treble biased
Walnut again is very usable, as are a lot of the woods that used to grow in the UK
Some are too dense to be comfortable weight-wise
Title: Re: UK wood
Post by: Matt77 on January 08, 2009, 08:58:58 AM: Cool I'll have a proper look at the different species when I go back next week.
I have access to temperature and humidity controlled storage facilities as well, so I might look in to this a bit more.