I have some spare here and thought I could use it to build a guitar from scratch.
I know it would be heavy but how would it sound?
Cheers,
Alkay.
I have some spare here and thought I could use it to build a guitar from scratch.
I know it would be heavy but how would it sound?
Cheers,
Alkay.
Hi Alkay, You can make a guitar out of any wood (and nearly any other material), but the question should probably be should you do it.
Besides being heavy, it may crack with age, most tonewoods used on guitars have been aged, or kiln dried, before you buy them. If you can find someone to cut it down, it may look good as a veneer over another wood, but if you are just looking for something cheap to use for your first scratch build, you can't go past pine.
If plan A fails, remember that you still have 25 letters left.
Did a quick google search and the consensus is that it is too heavy, very hard to machine (especially when dry) and prone to splitting and splintering.
Current:
GTH-1
Completed:
AST-1FB
First Act ME276 (resurrected curb-side find)
ES-5V
Scratchie lapsteel
Custom ST-1 12 String
JBA-4
TL-1TB
Scratch Lapsteel
Meinl DIY Cajon
Cigar Box lap steel
Wishing:
Baritone
Open D/Standard Double 6 twin neck
I'd also be careful as I'd take a stab at any gum being a harmonic killer - just thinking a liquid (even if it is pretty solid) that gets hit by vibrations will dampen them and possibly take some of the tone out of the wood.
Current builds:
GPB-4B: https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...548#post184548
Most of my old CBG builds had red gum fret boards, the source I had was very old air dried Red Gum paneling looked pretty good with some occasional nice figure. Probably way too heavy for anything else though.
CBG below Red Gum fret board and Vic Ash neck (fret work not exactly straight!)
Last edited by euroa guitars; 09-07-2016 at 06:45 PM.