Thread: Latest tele

id probably suggest against using swamp ash, as its not worth the prices you would be paying in australia (or from what i've seen). there are plenty of timbers that are just as suitable if not more suitable as a solidbody. if you want lightweight and a nice looking timber, why not silky oak? even qld maple can be quite light (but then again, i tend to use pretty heavy timbers).

thats just my opinion, and its your guitar.

Originally Posted by black_labb

id probably suggest against using swamp ash, as its not worth the prices you would be paying in australia (or from what i've seen). there are plenty of timbers that are just as suitable if not more suitable as a solidbody. if you want lightweight and a nice looking timber, why not silky oak? even qld maple can be quite light (but then again, i tend to use pretty heavy timbers).

thats just my opinion, and its your guitar.

Yeah, swamp ash is more of a "this is what I would like it to sound like" type of thing. I believe it has a high ringing tap tone and this would suit the type of instrument I was aiming for, more singing, less moody (aka mahogany) Basswood, although a plain, fairly dull timber has a moderate tap tone, but sounds more controlled across the spectrum.
I have heard of people using silky oak and they have been for tele's mostly which were bright and spanky. When I really am honest with myself, the best wood in the world is only as good as the player choking it.
Looks like we've hijacked Rays thread...whoops...
still we're just filling in the gaps between his pics: some more would be nice ray

i agree, where are the pics.

its interesting the way these threads drift but hey thats cool - let the discussion go where it will

i have been waiting for the oil to cure and am about to apply a couple of coats of minwax - the neck is also having the decal sprayed in - polyurethane at 1 or 2 coats a day takes a while.

i cut the pickguard last nite and am abot to also start on the electrical bits
so not much visually to report at this stage

to digress - the swamp ash is what i would use if i was building a repro tele like say a 52 - i priced out a blank from USACG last week at around $200.00 landed but that was weight and grain specific - pretty pricey for a blank

it is surprisng how much swamp ash is like vic ash in its grain structure and colour although vic ash desn't have the sexy dark grain display of swamp ash. If you sort through a pack of vic ash you can often find a nice light piece even 1/4 cut pieces can be gotten. vic ash is used by a few local makers ie jim dyson with great results - his daughter mia dyson uses jims guitars

Yeah I've heard of Jim - guitar mag I think. For this particular axe I wouldn't care if it looked like plywood (gasp) I am aiming to make the guitar that suits my playing style (or the style I think I have anyway) so grain pattern and colour are not an issue. I have played a few swamp ash guitars and they have a nice attack and sustain without the "muddyness" of mahogany when you drive it.
The lexicon for guitar wood tones is pretty funny thou: spanky muddy blah blah blah...
Kramer - when they were kramer and not Fender - made a full hard maple guitar, body and neck, I reckon they would have had the tight singing sound I am after, but I don't KNOW for sure, but my guess is that it would be tight and sustaining.
If I could put the neck sound of an ES335 onto the bridge sound of a souped up jackson...
In the words of Queen...
I WANT IT ALL!

Some more updates on this build
not quite where i wanted it this weekend [finished] but getting close
I have gone into a bit of detail mainly for those about to start on their 1st build


Cavities ar carefully shielded with copper foil and earth wires are soldered from each to a central point in the control cavity. The controls and pickups will be soldered into a loop that termintes there as well. [star grounding]


Setting up the control plate components for wiring.


Control plate wired up ready to go into the body.


mmm dunno whether i like that black guard - Its a cut down standard 50's style guard [5 screws instead of the usual 8] I am thinking I might go for a different colour.


Roughed out a blank in 12mm MDF and stuck the guard on with DS tape and blocks of 9mm ply to give a bit of claerance for the router


Taken most of the waste now to tidy up the corners and rythm rout with a 1/4" bit.


There is the freshly cut master template.
You can see the ply blocks still stuck to the old guard.


Ok I had a pice of laminated guard material in "aged" white. I would like mother of toilet seat but don't have any so "aged" white will do. It will look pretty nice I reckon.


Roughed out the blank on the bandsaw stuck it down to the master with DS tape and here you can see I have just cut the bevel which shows the laminates up pretty good


Poke through some 1/8" holes


Viola! nice "aged" white guard.



There she is in place and everything seems to line up pretty nice.
Next job is to buff out the headstock and clean up the overspray. I will fit the graphtec nut, drill the screw holes and bolt the neck on next.

That is one neat way to make some perfect pickguards. Looking good.

Hi Deep South, From some one that has been Salvaging Tasmanian Timbers on and off for 40 years believe me Myrtle from Northern Tasmania is better in colour than Myrtle from down South, regards Robert,http://www.tasmaniantimbers.com.au

looking good. like the white pickguard better as it contrasts better with the fretboard.

Originally Posted by woodturner777

Hi Deep South, From some one that has been Salvaging Tasmanian Timbers on and off for 40 years believe me Myrtle from Northern Tasmania is better in colour than Myrtle from down South, regards Robert,http://www.tasmaniantimbers.com.au

i agree with that for sure Myrtle from Northern Tasmania is a beautiful looking timber - i use southern myrtle as it is cheap, easy to work and usually yields a nice light guitar

i dont know wether this stuff is even from tassie