PDA

View Full Version : Basswood vs Mahogany



bargeloobs
01-04-2014, 10:29 PM
Hi guys, I'm just starting out here and getting ready for my second build.
Anyway I plan on doing another LP, but the question I've got is regarding the body timber.
I plan on painting/laquering the top surface so that's irrelevant but I want to keep everything below the binding natural (or maybe just a light honey finish) and need it to match fairly closely to the maple neck.
Obviously the mahogany bodies are quite a bit different in colour to the maple necks so I was just wondering how close the basswood bodies are?
It would be good if I could get the two (body/neck) to match in as close as possible whist retaining a natural timber finish.
Cheers in advance.

wokkaboy
02-04-2014, 12:24 AM
Hi Bargeloobs, generally the basswood is quite a light colour, lighter than mahogany, but basswood is much softer to work with so more prone to dents/dings and I'd say mahogany is a better sounding timber

ultpanzi
02-04-2014, 12:50 AM
Basswood gives more growl and is a nice warm sounding wood which works well for guitars with floyds cos sometimes they can sound shrill or tinny in other woods. Mahogany is also a warm wood but it is more dark sounding and is slightly harder to work with because it lacks the softness of basswood. In the end, it depends on the tone youre looking for and how much you bang your guitar around to decide which is the "better" wood. Bot are great woods and have versatile tones which can be used in any guitar, but its really due to preference of tone to decide which to use.

Fretworn
02-04-2014, 01:27 AM
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Bodies/Options/BodyWoodOptions.aspx

On the Warmoth site that have got a list of guitar woods and their properties, which might help you out.

bargeloobs
02-04-2014, 02:41 AM
Great info everyone, that's a particularly interesting site there Fretworn, so I guess my next question is can the PBG suppliers do mahogany necks?
I've looked at a few different places doing them but the chances of them matching up with the PBG bodies without some sort of modification (bearing in mind I'm no luthier) would be pretty slim I would imagine.

dingobass
02-04-2014, 10:08 AM
Our LP 1S kit comes with a 'Hog body and neck.... but it does have a rather speccy Spalted Maple cap so it is not quite what you want.... be a real pity to paint over the spalt..

You can always email Adam- and ask him to order a kit in for you minus the Spalt.

bargeloobs
02-04-2014, 10:18 AM
Yeah righto I'll do that, cheers!