unconventional woods

[MDV]

Are you up for any wood, so long as the bit of wood is good, and you have a reasonable idea what the sound is like. Wenge, meranti, sycamour, birch, koa, padauk, etc - any wood, basically

Or

Do you like to stick to the standard 'Name' (for the purposes of discussion) woods, that are most regularly used in guitars; maple, mahogany, rosewood, basswood, alder, ash etc.

[MDV]

I voted the latter, btw. 6 months ago I would have gone for 2, a year ago for 1. Changed my mind, hence the question.

[Philly Q]

As someone who spends half his life studying the Warmoth showcase, I'm definitely interested in trying different timbers.  I'd love to try one of the neck woods that doesn't need a finish.

They do tend to be a lot more expensive though, and not so easily available, so I end up with the tried and tested swamp ash, alder and maple. 

If I do venture into the exotic-wood forest, it'll most likely be for nothing more than a fingerboard.

[AndyR]

I ummed and ahhed for several moments there, and then finally voted 1.

I could almost vote for any of the options, but then I thought this way:

I pretty much buy off-the-shelf, mid-price, "vintage-esque" guitars - and I usally want them to have "the right stuff" in them where possible...

But otherwise, I tend to buy guitars, not woods, if it's made of hardboard, and it plays, then it's made of hardboard :lol:

I'm not averse to fancy stuff at all, but I'm not big on figured woods showing through on my guitars...

And then, finally, I realised, if I was going custom I'd be asking for, er, the old standards:

a) Mahogany body possibly with maple cap, mahogany neck with rosewood board
b) Alder/Ash body, maple neck with maple/rosewood board

.... I'm a luddite! :lol:

[Twinfan]

Normal stuff for me thanks.

[MDV]

I dont mean exotic

I mean anything.

[Philly Q]

Normal stuff for me thanks.

You have got that goncalo alves neck though!  How's that guitar coming along?

I dont mean exotic

I mean anything.

Yeah, when I said exotic I really meant "non-standard", not necessarily tropical hardwoods or whatever.

I have to say, in terms of looks there's nothing I like better than ash, so that's firmly in conventional territory.  I'm a bit bored with rosewood at the minute.

[Ratrod]

I went for the middle option.

I like the classic mahogany/maple combo for LP's and Jets.

I like the classic maple or maple/spruce combo for hollow bodies.

But then my Esquire is Pine. And I also dig Korina.

I'd also considder to say "to hell with wood" and go for something made from metal.

I also had a USA Reverend that was plastic and wood fibre and resin. And how about those Resoglass Airlines?

[Twinfan]

Normal stuff for me thanks.

You have got that goncalo alves neck though!  How's that guitar coming along?

True, but on a partscaster, you can take a punt.  I would have been just as happy with maple, which was a similar price, but I thought I'd give the GA a go.

The guitar is great - really good clean/crunch tones.

If was speccing up a custom guitar, I'd go with normal stuff.  Same applies if I was bothered about resale on anything too.

[WezV]

i am up for anything - but i would want to handle the wood and check it over to make sure i think it will make a good guitar

[FernandoDuarte]

They do tend to be a lot more expensive though, and not so easily available, so I end up with the tried and tested swamp ash, alder and maple. 

If I do venture into the exotic-wood forest, it'll most likely be for nothing more than a fingerboard.

If you get the cost of the paint job, usually the exotic gets cheaper than maple

I really enjoy exotic woods!

[shobet]

i am up for anything - but i would want to handle the wood and check it over to make sure i think it will make a good guitar

Fnnarr, snigger...

[Philly Q]

If you get the cost of the paint job, usually the exotic gets cheaper than maple

Yeah, I know what you mean, if you get Warmoth to paint a maple or mahogany neck it can be another $95.

I'd quite like a Canary neck..... but as usual, they hardly ever appear in the Showcase.

[Jonny]

Some unconventional woods look REALLY purdy too.

[dave_mc]

bit of both, here. For the "classic" guitars, I like them to be "right". For more modern guitars, I don't care as long as it does the sound I want. I have a similar philosophy with amps (and fx, i guess).

I didn't vote as I got confused with the options... :lol: I don't think any of those three is exactly what I'm saying.