Goncalo Alves /Pau ferro

[Sunfish]

I'm building my first guitar, so far I have a Goncalo Alves neck with a Pau ferro fretboard and SS frets.  Has anyone out there built a Strat with that kind of neck?  Was looking for some opinions on body wood with that combination.  Was also Wondering about solid vs chambered what kind of sound difference do you really acheive.  Another question I have is about the finsh - due you really see any benefit in sound quality going with a nitro finish?  I play the blues, rock, country, but no heavy metal - I'm looking for more of a warm bluesy sound but also wan't her to scream when I get the need.  I know that tone is very subjective, but value thoughts from those who have traveled this road before me.  Thanks.

 

[Cagey]

There have been a number of guys here use that combination of woods for their necks, and are always quite pleased with them. And with stainless frets? That's a neck straight from Nirvana. It doesn't get much better than that.

Bodies don't contribute as much to the sound of an electric as you might imagine, so the field is fairly open. And chambered vs. solid only changes the weight, not the character, even if you put F holes in them. So, do what you want there.

If it was me, I'd consider that the neck is going to be pretty enough on its own, so I wouldn't get too fancy with the body finish lest you upstage or diminish the neck's appeal. A solid color over solid Alder would probably work as well as anything and still be fairly light, as well as relatively inexpensive.