7 String Pale Moon Ebony Guitar Build

[Pimiboj]

Alright, this is my first thread on here. After looking a build threads for a long time I decided that I have to make my own contribution by keeping a build log for my next guitar.

This will be the second guitar I've ever built so take it easy on me
the first one was a neck through Superstrat with a Pakuak/Wenge neck, Limba body, Ziricote top and headplate and a Birdseye maple fretboard.
Pics below:

So after my last build, which went undocumented, I want this one to have a full build thread. Which obviously starts at the design stage. this is what I've come up with thus far:

It will be a 7 string neck through (again) featuring a Hipshot bridge & tuners. other than that I haven't decided much more. As per the title I'm going to be using a Pale Moon Ebony top which I've had laying around for a couple of months now.

So here's my question to you all. What wood combinations do you think look good with this top and design?
I'm looking for neck woods, body wood and a fretboard.

Thanks in advance for the suggestions!!

-Pim

 

[sezna]

Are you just leaving the color natural and not staining in any way?

I think walnut is an amazing looking wood, although I may be alone in that. It'd be cool to have a walnut board with that ebony.

 

[High Plains Drifter]

Tbh I think that a really nice dark ebony board would look killer with that top. If it were me I'd want to compliment that grain and therefore keep the material, color, and grain subtle/ complimentary. I would steer clear of any flame although a maple in a similar light color might look amazing. Other than that maybe limba if getting away from a solid dark ebony. It would be easy to make this look too "busy" if adding too starkly opposing grain type, grain direction, or color for the board. Body and neck dunno.

 

[Pimiboj]

Thanks guys for the suggestions, I'm heavily leaning towards using really dark Ebony as the fretboard. Maybe incorporating a complicated inlay on the 12th fret or so.
For the top I'm thinking maybe a black burst but that is still up in the air as of now.
For the body i'm looking at swamp ash right now which i'll leave uncolored. But using Korina again is also an option in which case I'd opt for a light to no figure blank.
I also agree with Sezna that Walnut is a nice wood, which is why I'd like to incorporate it in the neck.

 

[sezna]

Thanks guys for the suggestions, I'm heavily leaning towards using really dark Ebony as the fretboard. Maybe incorporating a complicated inlay on the 12th fret or so.
For the top I'm thinking maybe a black burst but that is still up in the air as of now.
For the body i'm looking at swamp ash right now which i'll leave uncolored. But using Korina again is also an option in which case I'd opt for a light to no figure blank.
I also agree with Sezna that Walnut is a nice wood, which is why I'd like to incorporate it in the neck.

What about a mahogany/walnut laminate neck with a black-as-night ebony board?

 

[Pimiboj]

What about a mahogany/walnut laminate neck with a black-as-night ebony board?

Thanks, that's definitely an option that I'm keeping in mind!

 

[KnightBrolaire]

if you want to keep the top as the focal point, then go with a dark fretboard wood like ebony or wenge or richlite/rocklite. I'd do the headstock that way as well unless you really want a matching PME headstock. As far as body/neck woods, depends on what kind of aesthetic you want. I'd probably do a korina or sapele body and multi lam neck with walnut or wenge fillets.

 

[jwade]

Walnut or black Limba body/neck, macassar ebony or stained black maple fb.

 

[crackout]

Slightly off-topic: how thick was the top on your first build?

 

[KR250]

I would pencil out a section of the body top to cut out for the headstock, go dark ebony for freboard. Thinking similar neck woods as your previous build, perhaps a black limba body to match. Super sick!

 

[Pimiboj]

Slightly off-topic: how thick was the top on your first build?

This top was only 3mm thick, this enabled me to do the cutaway effect at the higher frets.

I would pencil out a section of the body top to cut out for the headstock, go dark ebony for freboard. Thinking similar neck woods as your previous build, perhaps a black limba body to match. Super sick!

thanks dude! It means a lot coming from someone that builds all these nice guitars!
I was planning to do that, if i can't find a nice piece I still have a Pale Moon fretboard which I could use (I'd rather not).

I'm leaning towards a light color scheme for everything but the fretboard in order to keep the attention on the top.
therefor I'm thinking about either this: (the left one)

Or this:

Or something in those lines.
Also I'm debating black binding.
Opinions?

-Pim

 

[Solodini]

Some reddish colours would be a nice contrast to the black and white. Like some ziricote perhaps.