Ebony and other exotic woods...

[skinhead]

I think that a guitar with a lot of exotic wood, looks great. I don't think a lot on the enviroment, but if you think, in 20 years the mahogany it's going to be the cheapper wood, and the ebony too. Because a lot of people are sowing them.

I vote for a 5 pieces neck of maple/purpleheart/maple/purpleheart/maple, or maybe maple/purpleheart/wenge/ tinny purpleheart/tinny ebon/tinny wenge/purpleheart/maple

 

[Stitch]

I vote for a 5 pieces neck of maple/purpleheart/maple/purpleheart/maple, or maybe maple/purpleheart/wenge/ tinny purpleheart/tinny ebon/tinny wenge/purpleheart/maple

I vote for you sending me the money for all of that...



Still not really decided, but i'm leaning towards something plain and dark (and cheaper) for the neck and go all out on the body.

 

[Papa Shank]

I like ass peppers

Actually, I like simplicity, and I'm bored with maple.
Regarding the engineering, I agree that longditudanal stiffness on an 8 string guitar is not so much of an issue. There's certainly not as much tension on the neck as a bass. However, the added width of the 8 string means that lateral stiffness and stability is an issue. What would be a slight twist in a 6 string neck would present as a much more severe twist if the same plank were used as an 8 string neck. This makes wood selection paramount, ie. moisture content, drying process, the way it's cut.
I've never seen nor heard a wenge neck I liked (and I see quite a lot of wenge necks in my job). It's rubbery (as in flexable) and dull sounding, and the pores are like crevasses. Yes, I'm biased against it. Hate it. Wouldn't want to date it. Other people like it, that's their thing.

I've heard of chemically treating purpleheart to bring out the purple (it's brown when freshly cut), and I've heard that using a UV resistant finish keeps it purple longer. It might take a stain well as it's open grained, but it might not because of the silica content (this is what kills your tools). Short answer - buggered if I know

Regarding phenolic, I looked into using it as fretboard material as a lot of carbon guitars use it. The sound is very dull. Not good at all, unfortunately. I think I read somewhere that the dust created when working it might be carcinogenic.

Incidentally, Gallery Hardwoods does an acrylic impregnation process which totally stabilises the wood. It still works like wood, but it's totally sealed from the elements, and dyes can be incorporated into the process. There are limitations in size and the species that can be processed. I believe Bee Basses made an instrument entirely out of stabilised wood with great success, and I've done a couple of fretboards with it myself.

Okay that's it...education or no education I need my guitar back *posts thread*

 

[dpm]

lmao

 

[jtm45]

That's the 8 with the Bareknuckles Warpigs isn't it DPM ?
Very nice guitar man

Stitch!
The centre strip of my Dino neck is Purpleheart and it sounds great.
There's a company called 'Warrior Guitars' (not really into their guitars but they do make some fine ones)and they nearly always use Purpleheart as the centre strip of their necks.
They refer to it as a Purpleheart 'tonebar'.

'Craft Supplies' in the UK is very reasonable for laminate type woods for necks and for whole neck blanks.
They do nice Ebony and Birdseye Maple fretboards too.
I've got a few of their catalogues here somewhere.

 

[canuck brian]

my 8 string's neck is 100% purpleheart and it's stable as hell.

 

[eaeolian]

The centre strip of my Dino neck is Purpleheart and it sounds great.
There's a company called 'Warrior Guitars' (not really into their guitars but they do make some fine ones)and they nearly always use Purpleheart as the centre strip of their necks.
They refer to it as a Purpleheart 'tonebar'.

Our old bassist had a Warrior, and they do indeed use purpleheart. A very nicely made bass...

 

[Seedawakener]

dude... brian! more pics of that guitar ASAP!