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alder wood guitar

Not especially dense, it’s a lightweight, closed-pore wood that has a resonant, balanced tone brighter than other hardwoods, with a little more emphasis in the upper midrange. Select grade 10 pounds 4 … Solid guitar body. There was a problem. Wet alder smokes a lot and leaves behind a lot of ash. VINTAGE STRAT STYLE ELECTRIC GUITAR BODY*UNFINISHED* $89.50. In the '90s a friend of mine offered me a Tele Deluxe with the trem on it from '74 or '76. That’s why Leo Fender, creator of one of the most successful guitar lines today, used this knowledge to his advantage. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, "Where we can get and store ash, we will, but it will probably become a more premium thing for the higher-end American and Custom Shop stuff. Does body wood have an effect on the tone of an electric guitar? It’s commonly harvested in Europe, Russia and North West Africa and is a popular choice for bass guitars due to its light to medium weight. This is not like it will go away for a couple of seasons and eventually grow back.”. Up for sale is a 2008 Fender Road Worn'57 Sunburst Relic Stratocaster Guitar Body. On Alder, the grain is closed, making it a good candidate for amateurs and budding luthiers. “First off, it’s important to say alder and maple are fast-growing and fast-replenishing woods, not like the tropical exotic hardwoods where there’s a lot more regulation and worry. "But the floods have not been receding, so these areas are underwater for two thirds of the year and it’s gotten to the point where we are sitting there for six or eight months waiting for ash we can’t get reliably. Use a spectrum analyzer, you say? “We’ve started looking at ash that’s a little heavier and working on different chambering techniques that would allow it not to be 12 or 13 pounds. Add to cart. We’ve also had a bit of a look at choosing pickups with respect to the wood: what wood works best with which pickup for which style? I also have a Telecaster that’s made out of reclaimed redwood from a trestle bridge from the Goldrush in Northern California… those two are the main ones in rotation. While alder remains to be the most popular hardwood for Fender bodies, the American giant’s ties to ash cannot be understated - it was pretty much all they used for guitars and basses made between 1950 to 1956 and continues to sell successfully to this day. Finally agathis is a softer wood, and as such will give you a lighter guitar than other woods. Thanks. These are made in Mexico. The alder wood itself has a soft to medium quality toughness. When you are playing with a band and need to cut through, the alder has a better peak and allows you to claim more space in the song. Get the facts on Fender guitar body woods. ALDER guitar body blank, 43.5mm, 1 pc. Other woods in use today on a very small number of Fender electric instruments include poplar, pine and koto. Discussion in 'Musicians Corner' started by fallen2289, Aug 7, 2006. A lot of people vote with their eyes… ash has a much more pronounced, swirling grain pattern compared to alder, which is more uniform in its look. Alder is the most common choice for Stratocasters, Jaguars and Jazzmasters as well as the Jazz Bass due to its warmer balanced tone. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Not a scientific test, you say? Softer woods include Alder, Swamp Ash and Basswood. The latter is more commonly used, and was chosen by Leo Fender for his first Esquire, Broadcaster and Telecaster guitars. Why have those two woods been used for so long in most Fender electric instruments? Joined: Mar 24, 2006 Messages: 113 Likes Received: 0 Trophy Points: 0 Location: Southern California. When you’re looking over the specs of a Fender electric guitar or bass, one of the first things you’ll see listed is the kind of wood the body is made of. So you can see — and hear — why many ash-body Fender guitars of the ’50s are so highly prized. As for the quality of alder guitar wood, for your kind information, our collection of drift wood comes from some of the best sellers from China.In order to further simplify your shopping experience and make it more convenient, we feature smart filtering tools, so that you … Alder wood is easy to machine and finishes well. Due to its wide spread popularity it produces a very familiar tone, a "vintage tone." Alder wood is used in more guitar bodies than any other species. Notably, alder also takes finishes well — with a light brown color and a tight grain that’s only slightly visible, it’s ideal for solid colors rather than the transparent finishes that look so good on ash. Thanks again, Steve. "When we were redesigning some guitars, we made these exact guitars out of the same everything, same necks, same parts - changing just one thing on each one. Alder 1-piece guitar body blank Cut to "tele" shape #2611. We did ash versus alder to hear the differences. First off, going back historically, non-Fender luthiery always used things like spruces but also exotic tropical hardwoods. Featherweight 3.9 pounds. Alder was especially in popular in the ’50s and ’60s, and is the body wood of choice for Fender. Alder is generally considered to be one of the "traditional" Stratocaster body woods. Jun 17, 2014 #7 Ladera said: Hi Ron, You know your stuff about guitars. A uniform dark ebony is nice, but streaks are unique and nice, giving the instruments a signature look.”. TELE STYLE ELECTRIC GUITAR BODY (Solid Alder Wood) +UNFINISHED+. $65.00. It’s a medium-weight wood, although quality cuts of alder used for guitar bodies will often weigh less than denser cuts of ash. But unfortunately due to the circumstances our ash production will be winding down.”. Alder 2 piece glued, guitar body blank. "Alder is a more consistent and occupying sound in the mix. Additionally, it machines well and is regularly available. In an exclusive interview, Executive VP of Fender Product Justin Norvell reveals what spec changes we can expect, and the fate of its Summer NAMM releases, It was recently announced that Fender will be phasing out ash for production-line electric guitar models. Any thoughts or opinions here? Lindo PDB Series Purple Dove Electric Bass Guitar With Carry Case and Cable. Softer woods have a mellower, warmer tone. I had a repo'62 tort pickguard on it, so there are a few extra holes in the body. CYBER WEEK SALE: Save 50% on a Monthly Plan. Benefits charity. (020) 8551 5987. “When Bob Taylor switched from regular ebony to streaked ebony, he explained why - only 10% is truly black. See similar items. Generally, heavier woods like mahogany resonate differently than a medium-bodied wood like alder and a lighter wood like basswood. Lam . This is not a guitar commonly on the shelf, you have to order it. But there’s a warmth to ash, that’s what people love about it. You’ll be well on your way to finding the right guitar for you. In this article I want to explore some possible guitar, pickup, style and tone choices. Weight is 4 lbs, 15 oz. It’s relatively form stable during moisture variations. Alder is a common name for genus Alnus, which is part of the birch family Betulaceae family. Ooop! Due to its widespread popularity it produces a familiar tone. "Sassafras is another, we just did an Eric Johnson sassafras Strat, which was based on his real one from the 50s. Alder. Here’s a brief rundown on each one. The signature light tan colour with the spiral grain wood pattern is one of the signs to help recognise Alder. "They’ve tried to do all kinds of things, introducing non-native species that would eat the beetles, pesticides, they’ve thrown everything at the wall and nothing has stopped the blight of this invasive pest that was not-native and I don’t know how it got here. Alder body models also boast a sleek new roasted maple fretboard in place of rosewood. Again, Leo Fender was a pragmatist, he would have said, ‘What have you got today?’ They both have a similar grain pattern to ash and are sonically similar. "Because Leo [Fender] was much more pragmatic, he used to say, ‘If I have $100 to make something, I’d spend $99 making it work and $1 making it pretty’. Up in the north, we don’t use that ash because it’s really heavy… we use the swamp ash which is down in the south. There is a wood hardness test called the Janka Hardness Test. it has an alder body though. Are there any other steps Fender are taking to be environmentally conscious? So ash is a wood that goes back to the very earliest days of Fender - Esquires, Broadcasters, ‘54 Strats and so on...”. Body Woods Alder Similar to Basswood, alder is lightweight with soft tight pores. Since it grows from Southeast Alaska to Central California and almost always within 125 miles of the Pacific Coast, a plentiful and affordable supply existed practically in Fender’s backyard. Alder has more of a peak. There are several kinds of ash trees; for this purpose, we’re talking the American ash. Tough to go wrong with a guitar made from alder. We’d love to stay in touch, sign up for the Guitar World team to contact you with great news, content and offers. Occasional logs have a dark colored heart which produces what we call Black Limba. Our interactive gear guide, FindYour.Fender.com, matches you with the perfect model by learning about your sound & style. Today we will be having a look at two of the most popular, specifically for the bodies of Fender guitars; ash and alder. It’s relatively form stable during moisture variations. "It’s like a recipe, you can make it time and time again, it will always be a little different. It imparts excellent sustain and sharp attack. That said, Id much rather have a good poplar body of few pieces, than an alder … "We just did Jimmy Page’s Dragon Tele, which had an ash body, so for reissues we’re going to need that wood. Item Number: IW34272 It’s going to be a lot more limited.”. Firstly bridge 'admittance' (conductance) is near zero in a solid body electric (but very high in an acoustic guitar), so very little string vibration is transferred through it to reach the solid body (many different lines of experiment from different labs show that). - might be easier to ding or indent if hit). Alder is a medium weight, closed pore wood. There was a decent amount of that stuff back in the day - we made some pine guitars and have even used it recently. The relative disadvantages of poplar are that it is not well suited to use with transparent colours, and that on average a guitar body will weigh about 1/2 lb more. The thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish lets the body wood's natural tone shine through, making for one of the most exciting new instruments in the Fender family. Its highs sizzle slightly, but are rarely harsh, and it offers a decent amount of sustain. I know I want a flame maple top on the body, but I can't decide between mahogany or alder for the main body wood. We’ve done a lot of reclaimed pine from barn wood that came from the middle of America. Ash can be difficult to work with, though; the pores must be filled before finishes are applied, and two swamp ash guitar bodies are more likely to differ from one another tonally than two bodies made of alder, which has a tighter, more consistent grain. I’m mainly Strat guy just because that’s what I grew up playing and what informed my style. It is lightweight, has beautiful grain patterns, and gives a warm sound with plenty of highs. “It’s eating its way through the forest and ash will be completely gone in a couple of years. $12.50 shipping. I remember being in a guitar store 10 years later and there was one for $4,500! Alder has a strong, clear, full-bodied sound, with beefy mids and excellent lows. Finally, what have been your favorite guitars you’ve owned over the years? Generally, I try to keep everything I have. “Yes, we are looking at other woods - there are some that are very on-brand for Fender, like pine. Photo 4. Please don't ask. Strong, dense, straight-grained and light in color, American ash is commonly used in everyday applications, including flooring, furniture and baseball bats. But for those that insist on ash, it is what it is due to scarcity, which always drives demand. This isn’t a decision we’re making to exit the ash business, it’s more like adapting to a new normal. Music School. i'm still in the process of re-finishing my alder body DKMG (pictures to come soon). It just hit the point where we couldn’t put it in a production guitar telling everyone we can make something which we can’t get anymore. You will receive a verification email shortly. Body, Neck and Fingerboard. Alder is a light, relatively soft and medium tough wood among the wood species. I might even like the Alder better. … Watch. The guitar comes with a Fender gig bag . This is a fairly lightweight, light-colored wood from West Africa with excellent tonal qualities. But it's still Alder wood. You can set the conditions for storage and access to cookies in your browser settings. So we’re looking at roasted pine -people worry about it being soft, though some species are softer than other. The alder wood itself has a soft to medium quality toughness. If you are a do-it-yourselfer interested in finishing your own guitar body, there are some very important differences between Alder and Ash. check more. 10 watching. Ibanez GIO Series GSR180-BS - Electric Bass Guitar - Brown Sunburst . The only way to know is to cut the tree down, so you might do that and then realize it’s not completely black, so then they leave the tree rotting on the floor of the jungle. Alder Lumber for Sale. The wealth of regional varieties falls under two main types — black alder or European alder, which is native to most of Europe and to Southwest Asia; and red alder, which is native to the U.S. West Coast. It’s just a matter of preference. $172.02. Alder used to be very popular in the 1950s and 1960s, and many Fender guitars from that era are made from Alder. Road Worn Sunburst Nitro Relic Finish. Looking for a beginner guitar? It looks good with a sunburst or a solid color finish. All in all, swamp ash imparts articulation and presence with a great balance between brightness and warmth, and it looks great. At least we’ll have ash again, unlike chestnut which is totally gone. Alder bodies tend to produce warm, even sounding mids and lows, although the highs can be relatively subdued. We have full chain of custody on all our woods, to know exactly where they came from right from the beginning. Inside the Luthier's Shop with BigDGuitars.com. We have full chain of custody on all our woods, to know exactly where they came from right from the beginning, "We might space them out differently, some might get pushed a few months, but we’ll definitely have an assortment of new products in the second half of the year – we’re already well down the road with them.”. Joe Hannis Guitar & Theory Tuition . We like the wood from the water, it’s more porous and that’s how we get the light swamp ash. It’s often used for furniture and cabinetry. so ive been looking around for a new guitar for a long time and ive almost decided. As you might guess, red alder is the one used for guitars in general — and Fender guitars in particular. I guess as we all walk back out into the light and adjust our eyes, our idea is to continue our plan of releasing new products. So we’re figuring a few things out right now to allow ash to live a little longer and making the most of a scarce resource. We were using ash all the way down through to Squier before! You can pull three or four guitars made on the same day and they will all feel and resonate differently… that’s the beauty of it. Generally speaking, alder lumber is slightly lower in weight than Swamp Ash lumber. Or you can mix the wood … Choosing Pickups to Match Your Guitar’s Wood. Texas Residents must pay 8.25% State sales tax. It readily accepts all kinds of stains, so its light color can be altered to match just about any wood tone. Messages 5,574. Alder wood. More importantly, red alder’s middle-of-the-road grain pattern can be minimized or exaggerated by the type of stain or the way it’s applied. reply; James. Manufacturer: Wood For ... About Wood For Guitar up. Leo Fender has used alder as the mainstay of the Fender bodies for years since the mid-50s. For our purposes, Alnus rubra, or red alder, is the variety of interest. Let’s take a look at some of the most commonly used bass guitar tonewoods: Alder. We’re looking at urban trees. Many guitar manufacturers as a substitute for alder are using this wood, as it is quite similar in tone. Alder is a light, relatively soft and medium tough wood among the wood species. Alder (Alnus rubra): Alder is used extensively for bodies because of its lighter weight (about four pounds for a Strat® body) and its full sound. guitar wood: Mahogany or Alder? Alder’s enduring popularity as a tone-wood is mostly due to the fact that its sound is so well balanced across the entire sonic spectrum. Every piece of wood is different. Only a few things got away - there was a beautiful ‘64 Bandmaster that I got rid of, so I definitely miss that.”. it has about 20-25 coats of tru-oil its really simple, and you can get a fairly high-gloss shine at the end. Page 1 of 2 1 2 Next > fallen2289 New Metal Member. Alder Electric Guitar Body Blank High quality, flat sanded to 120 grit - 1, 2 or 3 piece body blank for guitar or bass. Construction. Also known in the guitar trade as Korina. $12.50 shipping. The P-90 also seems to soften up the tightness of the lows of alder and ash, but gives the lows of mahogany a slightly chewy character. SKU: Alder Tone Wood Guitar Body Blank Category: Guitar Blanks. $13.40 shipping. 8/4 Alder is a versatile wood. The neck radius has also been flattened to a much more contemporary 9.5 inches. The email you entered isn't valid. The great thing about working at Fender is nothing is more than a few screws away, you can always swap things around! Its closed grain makes this wood easy to finish. Roasted Alder 3 pc 22 x 15 X 1.78 Sanded Torrefied P Bass/Strat/LPBody Blank. “It’s something none of us took lightly - ash is part of the DNA of what we do at Fender. “I’ve had a couple of guitars come and go that I regret parting with. You tell me! Many people choose to burn the wood during the fall or spring when the outside temperatures are moderate. Alder is the type of wood that has a uniform, small pore structure and is commonly used for … Alder wood. As you might guess, red alder is the one used for guitars in general — and Fender guitars in particular. In the world of musical instrument construction, red alder is valued for bass and electric guitar bodies as it has good tonal qualities and is very light for its size. Thunderbird Vintage Pro Tobacco Sunburst. I sold that one before moving back, but since then I’ve pretty much kept all my instruments. Alder / Guitar / Body blanks / Tonewood species. "So we started using streaked ebony too, we actually get ours from him, its ebony with character. Softer woods include Alder, Swamp Ash and Basswood. Alder bodies are resonant, and have a strong, clear, full-bodied sound, with beefy mid-range sounds and excellent lows. This is how we adapt to that scarcity.”. Watch. Even the mahogany we’re using for the Acoustasonics were sourced to be the most sustainable we could find. “I would say ash has a great sound, especially when you are jamming at home by yourself. Trees woods and wildlife. "I actually lived in the UK and went to grammar school there for a couple of years from 11 to 15, which is where I got my first guitar. Is there a recommended wood filler color/brand for alder bodies, in terms of adherence and comparative grain (still trying to figure what color I want to do)? 53 sold. ken374 Member. It just hit the point where we couldn’t put it in a production guitar telling everyone we can make something which we can’t get anymore. We’ve discussed choosing pickups according to your style before. The result is a guitar with a complexity of tones. Item and description: Alder: Pieces: Three: Measurements: 480mm x 347mm x 44.45mm: Planed and sanded 3 piece body blank. The guitar will have an HH configuration and the humbuckers I'm going to use are HOT. $89.50. Why those two? 90% of what gets cut down doesn’t get used. Messages 568. Poplar and alder are very similar tonally. The wood produces more treble and good sustain, with less warmth than other guitar woods. Dating back to the late 1950's, this is the wood found in more 3 single coil, double cut-away, 25 1/2" scale length guitars than any other. Alder wood and its appearance. 22" x 14" x 1-3/4". Finish. Like Alder, the tone of Ash is musical and well-balanced, with perhaps just a little more “pop”. With a tight and hard grain pattern, Alder is very easy to finish and is found lurking under the lacquer finish on hundreds of different bass guitar models. Alder is frequently used by Native Americans for making bowls, masks, handles, and other small articles. "We’ve already been prototyping the heavier ash with chambering, we actually had Kenny Wayne Shepherd in recently to test the difference and he thought they sounded and felt great. People received them well and said they sound great, so that’s a path we’re going down. Alder Dating back to the late 1950's, this is the wood found in more 3 single coil, double cut-away, 25 1/2" scale length guitars than any other. For us, we’re looking at ways to store and hold what we have without worrying about beetles. Messages 6,836. This can be attractive to those of us in our waning years, looking for ways to preserve our backs! Especially right now, guitar players will be eager for something new and exciting to inspire them. Not a scientific test, you say? Mahogany is a medium-hard wood and is used in some bass guitar bodies. Mahogany is a medium-hard wood and is used in some bass guitar bodies. Ever since, it remains the body wood for the majority of Fender electric instruments. This advanced baking process rids the wood of imperfections and leaves it with a much darker, luxurious tint. Add to basket. Guitar Body Material Alder Seasoned alder firewood burns relatively fast but creates a hot fire with decent coals. Finish. What Kind of Wood Is Alder?. I favor classic rock music. All Rights Reserved. Guitar Tone Woods A tone guide for Guitar Tone Woods. All rights reserved. Guitar World is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. If we get ash, we’ll use it and make limited editions. Its other wood properties like its ideal color, wood structure, softness, reluctance to swelling and shrinkage make alder suitable for making guitars. Figured Maple Red Alder Wood Electric Bass Guitar Body Blank #5105 11 PC. I am not a guitar wood expert, but I was wondering whether mahogany or alder was better for eletric guitar bodies. It's going to need refinishing and some nick/gouge fixing. Ash was my tonal preference, it has a little more of a scoop in the mids. “There will be a day where there’s nothing left, and we’ve known this for three or five years. Weight does vary, however, and some alder used for guitar bodies may weigh less than denser cuts of ash. What exactly prompted the decision to stop using ash for your production-line models? Its other wood properties like its ideal color, wood structure, softness, reluctance to swelling and shrinkage make alder suitable for making guitars. Basswood: the principal wood used on many Japanese made instruments. It grows throughout the northern hemisphere in the temperate zone. The Alders color and structure of the wood, softness and reluctance to shrinkage and swelling makes it suitable building guitars. I like the warmth of mahogany but the balanced nature of alder. That’s why Leo Fender, creator of one of the most successful guitar lines today, used this knowledge to his advantage. Alder sustains well without weighing a ton, so it is very efficient. What goes good with what? “This isn’t a decision we’re making to exit the ash business, it’s more like adapting to a new normal. You tell me! Manufacturer: Wood For Guitar Price: €73.11. I'm trying to acquire an alder strat-type body for a geetar build. Bath Alder Guitar Body Wood Questions Is Alder heavier than Swamp Ash? Common uses of Alder wood are cabinetry, furniture and musical instruments. The Janka Wood Hardness Test. The Alders color and structure of the wood, softness and reluctance to shrinkage and swelling makes it suitable building guitars.

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