Question about woods for electric guitar necks

[Sailor Charon]

I'm fairly sure you can't use swamp ash or walnut for necks, but I don't know why.
What is the reason? Or am I (as I often am) wrong...

[Joe Dorcia]

You can use walnut, as its strong enough, swamp ash is too soft though. It depends on the density of the wood you see, I would say walnut if ok but some may vary on this.

I hope that helps

[Sailor Charon]

You can use walnut, as its strong enough, swamp ash is too soft though. It depends on the density of the wood you see, I would say walnut if ok but some may vary on this.

I hope that helps

Yes, that's great thanks.
I was wondering if, with a walnut cap and a swamp ash body, you could have a thru neck as part of the cap, rather than having it as part of the body...
Would graphite reinforcement rods let you use an otherwise unsuitable wood? [I suspect not, but I'll ask anyway.]

[plastercaster]

necks have to resist all the tension from the strings (dont know figures, but its a lot of lbs) and soft woods will simply bend. Swamp ash is not strong enough, But im sure I've seen walnut with maple in 3/5/7/9 piece thru necks, and warmoth use it for neck backs.

[PhilKing]

I have a guitar with a flamed walnut neck with an ebony fingerboard.  Swamp Ash will not work for a neck.

[Sailor Charon]

I have a guitar with a flamed walnut neck with an ebony fingerboard.  Swamp Ash will not work for a neck.

Ok. Thanks. As I said, I didn't think it would.  No problem, just confirms that you can't have a thru neck on a swamp ash guitar...
Now, if you have a swamp ash guitar with a walnut cap, can the thru neck be integrated into the cap, or does it have to have a set neck/bolt on neck?

[FELINEGUITARS]

I have a guitar with a flamed walnut neck with an ebony fingerboard.  Swamp Ash will not work for a neck.

Ok. Thanks. As I said, I didn't think it would.  No problem, just confirms that you can't have a thru neck on a swamp ash guitar...
Now, if you have a swamp ash guitar with a walnut cap, can the thru neck be integrated into the cap, or does it have to have a set neck/bolt on neck?

You could do a walnut or walnut and maple thru neck with swamp ash wings
Then put a walnut cap over the whole body area - that would work

Otherwise the neck will need to be fixed or bolted into the body

[Sailor Charon]

You could do a walnut or walnut and maple thru neck with swamp ash wings
Then put a walnut cap over the whole body area - that would work

Otherwise the neck will need to be fixed or bolted into the body

Thanks.  One question, I read that with a thru neck, the neck material affects the sound more than the wings. Is that right?

[Joe Dorcia]

One question, I read that with a thru neck, the neck material affects the sound more than the wings. Is that right?

Yes. Simple answer :). Since the pickups will be mounted onto the through neck then thes is will affect the tone much more than the wings. They have more sustain too, as there is no joint between the neck and body, as its the same chunk of wood. If you do do a thru-neck walnut neck, i would say, so it with a couple of maple laminates in it, looks nice and adds tones of strength. Then you could put your swamp ash wings on and a walnut cap.
Joe

[Sailor Charon]

One question, I read that with a thru neck, the neck material affects the sound more than the wings. Is that right?

Yes. Simple answer :). Since the pickups will be mounted onto the through neck then thes is will affect the tone much more than the wings. They have more sustain too, as there is no joint between the neck and body, as its the same chunk of wood. If you do do a thru-neck walnut neck, i would say, so it with a couple of maple laminates in it, looks nice and adds tones of strength. Then you could put your swamp ash wings on and a walnut cap.
Joe

Thanks, the main reason for wanting a thru neck was the extra sustain.  How much of a swamp ash tone will I get, btw? (It will save weight though :)  ) I'm looking for something relatively bright since I'm going to be putting a trio of Pig90s in it (connectable in series or parallel).