Favorite neck woods?

[ghotiphry]

I swear by pau ferro. For both looks and feel. Raw and burnished, amazing stuff.

 

[jay4321]

I always end up back with good ol' maple. Not roasted, not flamed or birdseye'd, not even quartersawn. It's cheap, plentiful, easy to finish in about any way you would want to finish a neck, and you even stand a decent chance with it if unfinished also (although, still a bit of a gamble there).

I would encourage folks to try a few types out if you're going to do the Warmoth thing often enough

 

[cromulent]

Anyone have experience with bloodwood or kingwood?

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

I will only order necks with roasted maple shaft wood as it gives excellent stability and avoids the need for lacquer. Fret-board wood is open to preference.

 

[Rick]

Bloodwood makes a real nice fretboard. To me it’s slightly oilier than ebony, beautiful tight grain pattern, has chatoyance … I understand though it’s hard to work, with a lot of failed pieces compared to say rosewood or ziricote hence it’s scarcity. Think of it as deep red ebony.

 

[bagman67]

Here's a pic of mine from when it was new:

Won guitar of the month back in Aug 2010. I think.

I tell ya, Trevor, every time I see that axe I get a special feeling inside. Truly one of the most glorious paisley to ever see daylight.

 

[cromulent]

Here's a nice example I found of an all-Canary neck: https://reverb.com/item/1636793-2015-warmoth-canary-stratocaster-neck-new-unused

 

[Spud]

Here's a nice example I found of an all-Canary neck: https://reverb.com/item/1636793-2015-warmoth-canary-stratocaster-neck-new-unused

You best get it before it flies away!

 

[mayfly]

I tell ya, Trevor, every time I see that axe I get a special feeling inside. Truly one of the most glorious paisley to ever see daylight.

Thanks man! I like it too. Currently playing a tonar-burst tele mind you...

 

[bagman67]

Thanks man! I like it too. Currently playing a tonar-burst tele mind you...

I'm playing a Bagman-burst Tele and it's not too bad, either. And on the topic of neck woods, this one has a wenge/wenge modern-construction boatneck with SS6115 frets, and I have zero complaints. Slicker than the canary, and obviously a fatter profile; but very fun to play.

 

[Spud]

It is beautiful! The low E sure is riding close to the edge! I ain't gonna lie Bagman, I am a little upset about it.

 

[cromulent]

Is canary not slick? I'm really leaning toward an all-Canary neck now, but want reassurance that I won't have any complaints...

 

[bagman67]

Canary is plenty fast. You won't be disappointed. Wenge just has a different feel. Its pores are much larger and more visible. You'd think it would give the neck a rougher feel, but I think the hardness of the lumber cancels out the porosity, and then some. I prefer my canary neck, but the wenge is also very nice.

 

[cromulent]

People like this ziricote stuff?

 

[bagman67]

I have not ever seen a neck made entirely of ziricote, but it's some really nice lumber, and expensive, approaching the price of ebony. It's hard and tight-grained and dense, and makes a visual statement, for sure. It's similar to pau ferro in texture, being tight-grained, but it's of the borage (Cordia) family, as is bocote; and as such is not a true rosewood. I reckon if you can get an entire neck made of it, you can burnish it to a high sheen without any finish, and you'll love it.

I have a 3"x24"x.75" piece of it in my garage waiting for me to one day use it as fretboards when I finally commit to building necks from scratch.

Lots of high-end builders are making acoustics with ziricote backs and sides. Here's a fair sample:

 

[cromulent]

Sorry, to be clear - I'm thinking about ziricote just for the fretboard on a canary neck...

 

[Spud]

If you like uber smooth and fast , I say ebony fretboard.

 

[cromulent]

I was thinking I'd get some figuring on this board. Also, it's a tobacco sunburst strat, so black may not be the best color.

I should have gotten ebony on my recent tele

 

[ragamuffin]

I've got a ziricote board on my baritone canary neck and love it. Similar feel to ebony and very attractive grain. What's not to like?
I'd say ebony and ziricote are my two favorite fretboard woods.
As far a neck meat there's lots of good options. My favorite three that I've tried are bubinga, roasted maple, and canary. I also have a wenge and a goncalo and I've played a rosewood; these have a waxier feel to me and personally I like the "dryer" feeling woods.

 

[cromulent]

That's very nice! Not sure any of the current ziricote boards look at pretty as that one...