Help with my wood…well choices for custom

[Chugalug]

So I have a guitar being made. Body choice I went with Black Limba, Flame Maple Top and originally a maple neck and maple FB. I play almost all metal, usually heavier on the rhythm side. I’m skeptical on tone from wood as I believe most of the tone comes from the PuPs. That said I have an option for a multiple piece neck, and love the feel of wenge, so debated asking for a wenge maple neck with a maple board but also have the option for ebony or Pale moon for the fret board. This will be a set neck guitar too. I had debated on pale moon before for the FB but went back to maple. That said having the multi piece neck for my attention for the running stability of the plys/multiple pieces.
What do y’all think would go well for what I described and for tuning stability?

 

[budda]

Do you live somewhere with big climate swings in spring and fall? Wenge may not be the best idea for that, from what I've read (not experienced - never had wenge). Multi-laminate should be more stable IIRC.

What does the builder recommend?

 

[Chugalug]

Do you live somewhere with big climate swings in spring and fall? Wenge may not be the best idea for that, from what I've read (not experienced - never had wenge). Multi-laminate should be more stable IIRC.

What does the builder recommend?

Thanks! I have some pretty decent climate changes. Big humidity fluctuations in my home. The builder has a few options that are standard and the multi-lam neck popped up as I asked if that could be a posit and it is for a $300 up charge, but this is not typical of their offering and only saw it on a colab they did before.

 

[cip 123]

There's a lot to be learned from your builder as @budda has recommend asking them.

However skeptical you may be on tone, the woods will affect the resonance of the instrument, and how it vibrates and sustains. Certain woods are better than others.

A well built instrument should be fairly stable but that said Maple can move around a lot. A good multi-piece neck will be stable and you don't have to get exotic woods, 3 piece maple built correctly with alternating grains will work against itself to remain stable over time.

Tell your builder what aesthetic you would like, and any other features, stability etc and let them handle rather than asking them for woods they may not currently work with. I'd say it's better for the builder to come to you with a solution they know they can build correctly rather than going out on a limb cause exotic woods look cool, or are featured on other instruments.

 

[Chugalug]

There's a lot to be learned from your builder as @budda has recommend asking them.

However skeptical you may be on tone, the woods will affect the resonance of the instrument, and how it vibrates and sustains. Certain woods are better than others.

A well built instrument should be fairly stable but that said Maple can move around a lot. A good multi-piece neck will be stable and you don't have to get exotic woods, 3 piece maple built correctly with alternating grains will work against itself to remain stable over time.

Tell your builder what aesthetic you would like, and any other features, stability etc and let them handle rather than asking them for woods they may not currently work with. I'd say it's better for the builder to come to you with a solution they know they can build correctly rather than going out on a limb cause exotic woods look cool, or are featured on other instruments.

just gave them an ask. Appreciate the thought process and opinions! I’ll let you know what they say.

 

[jl-austin]

To me it seems the fretboard makes the most difference in the overall sound of a guitar (in terms of build construction). but its not a major difference. I'd say Amp, then pickups, then fretboard, neck, then last body wood.

 

[A-Branger]

go with the woods that are more prettier to you. All the choices you mention are gonna work great. But if you go with one wood only neck (either maple or wenge) be sure its a 3 pc and not a single piece, its gonna help in stability way more than whatever "tone" benefits from a one piece neck they would try to sell you

I would go with a 3 pc wenge, jsut becasue I like the look/feel of it better, but whatever works better visually for your build, the better it looks, the more you would want to play it

 

[yan12]

I have had plenty of guitars built and have built some myself. In my experience, tone woods in regard to electric guitars do not matter all that much. Nothing like acoustic instruments.

What matters the most to me is construction. A bolt on vs. set neck vs. neck thru all sound different to me. Chambering has an effect. My two best electric guitars are very loud acoustically and are really built right. One is alder with a maple top the other is solid swamp ash. Different tone amplified but both are very loud unplugged due to proper construction methods, at least that's what I think.

Concerning necks, I am a huge fan of multi-ply necks and rarely need to adjust them. I prefer all maple in 3pcs, but have no reservations using any woods for necks. Build it how you want, and I don't see fretboard wood influencing tone very much in my experience.

 

[Alex79]

To me it seems the fretboard makes the most difference in the overall sound of a guitar (in terms of build construction). but its not a major difference. I'd say Amp, then pickups, then fretboard, neck, then last body wood.

I feel the same way; body wood doesn’t really seem to matter.

 

[bostjan]

I'm all about keeping the materials local to the builder for the least impact. Maple, walnut, ash, etc. are all favourites for me for US builders. These are also very common timbers to work with, so the overall experience level should be good.

Some people really love Wenge. Personally, I find it kind of weird-feeling and spongy-sounding, but used as a reinforcement material, neither of those should really matter. 5 piece necks are more stable than 1 pc necks, so it's worth considering.

Actually, if it's well constructed and reinforced well, it's my opinion that you can make a neck out of just about anything. I have a guitar with a neck made of spruce, but it's reinforced with carbon rods and has a carbon fiber resin exoskeleton, and it's by far the most stable neck I've ever owned.

 

[ArtDecade]

I came in here to help with your wood, but I didn't think this was a guitar-related issue.

 

[Chugalug]

I have had plenty of guitars built and have built some myself. In my experience, tone woods in regard to electric guitars do not matter all that much. Nothing like acoustic instruments.

What matters the most to me is construction. A bolt on vs. set neck vs. neck thru all sound different to me. Chambering has an effect. My two best electric guitars are very loud acoustically and are really built right. One is alder with a maple top the other is solid swamp ash. Different tone amplified but both are very loud unplugged due to proper construction methods, at least that's what I think.

Concerning necks, I am a huge fan of multi-ply necks and rarely need to adjust them. I prefer all maple in 3pcs, but have no reservations using any woods for necks. Build it how you want, and I don't see fretboard wood influencing tone very much in my experience.

Thank you! I asked, but haven’t heard back. I’m working with Dunable if this helps anyone else out. They’ve been fantastic and I’ve asked a million questions. I’m leaning toward getting a maple wenge multi piece neck. I was going to have the maple finished(as I’m doing a burst finish on an Asteroid). The multi piece neck is not something they always do, which is what made me wonder if it’s even worth it. I played an Ernie ball Albert Lee and loved the neck, which is where my thought for a wenge with (maple/etc) mixed would be nice and than just leave it unfinished vs the burst style that I’m seeing on their necks. So far they’ve been so amazing to work with though.

 

[Chugalug]

Just heard back from them on the stability question. Here’s what they had to say-“If your main concern is stability, the best way to go is probably quarter sawn maple or mahogany. Multi-laminate necks can be very stable as well but it would be a much higher upcharge for comparable stability. I'd go with whatever you'd prefer tonally or aesthetically as both options are very stable.”

I believe Quarter Sawn to have a good look to it from what I’ve seen. That said the multiply neck is still intriguing as this is my first custom and I never plan on selling this guitar. It’s been a dream to have a custom made for years and years. Choices! They’re good, but so many make my head spin.

 

[wheresthefbomb]