Goncalo Alves question

[Glimmer]

Estimed forumites,

I'm thinking of getting a Goncalo Alves / Ebony neck for a build I'm about to embark on and am wondering if I build my own, can I specify that I'd like some streaks in the wood, rather than an "even color," i.e. something more like this:

than this:

or is it just a crap shoot?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[Cagey]

If you call and ask, they may give you some lip service, but for neck meat it's pretty much a crap shoot.

I just had this conversation with them today, and found out that they're often as surprised as anybody what a chunk of wood mills down to. What you see on the surface of a piece is rarely what it's going to look like once it's cut into something resembling a neck or a piece of veneer. Because of that, they can't really pick a piece of raw lumber that they can predict will come out a certain way. The grain changes as you cut into it, and the angles you cut will affect that as well.

Your best bet is to watch the showcase, and when you see something that floats your boat, jump on it. Don't go smoke a cigarette and think about it  :laughing7:

Fretboard wood is a bit different. If they see something out of the ordinary after it's milled, they may stash it for a "unique choice" entry. Not always - I've seen and bought some incredible parts off the showcase, and seen others do the same thing. Not sure how they decide what to stash. Seems unfair, but all you can say is "It's your world, boss".

All that said, I've never been disappointed with what they choose under normal production circumstances, and I go through a lotta necks here.

 

[Great Ape]

Ditto...

 

[Glimmer]

Thanks for the comments.

I have been keeping an eye on the showcase, but the only necks I've seen recently w/that combo of woods are for Strats and I'm building a JM. Showcase necks for that guitar tend to be the traditional 1-piece maple or maple / rosewood combo, at least lately. I'll keep checking, tho', and we'll see.

I think that Black Korina / Ebony would might serve my purposes (looking for a warmer, slightly darker sound), but BK neck wood seems even less common than GA. Out of curiosity, any ideas how this combo might differ sonically from GA / Ebony, if at all?

I'll probably wind up ordering one and just taking my chances. Between now and then, I've still got quite a few parts to order...

 

[Cagey]

So? Put a Strat neck on your Jazzmaster. They look better anyway. In fact, you could go all the way to a Warhead to get rid of that oversized "pizza peel" headstock that JMs and CBS-era Strats had, and still have the desired 6 in-line tuner setup.

 

[Hbom]

Gotta agree w/Cagey on that. If you put that neck on your JM I doubt anyone will be looking at the shape of the headstock.

:rock-on:

 

[Glimmer]

The thought had struck me (fortunately, it didn't hurt ).

Had done a bit of google-research but didn't find a definitive answer to the question of whether they fit or not. Based on your comment I'll assume they do, and go back and take a re-peak at the ones on offer.

Oh, and I like the JM headstock (and (some) pizza ).

 

[Cagey]

Strat necks definitely fit Jazzmaster bodies. At least, the ones from Warmoth. I have one with that combination here. It's the Jaguar/Mustang that has the unusual scale length (24").

 

[line6man]

Based on my casual observance, over the years, of pictures involving Goncalo Alves necks, I would say that the two showcase necks that you posted are the extreme cases, and the average is somewhere in between. I would not expect a neck as plain as the one in the second picture, but I wouldn't hold my breath for something as exotic as the first picture, either.

 

[Glimmer]

Based on my casual observance, over the years, of pictures involving Goncalo Alves necks, I would say that the two showcase necks that you posted are the extreme cases, and the average is somewhere in between. I would not expect a neck as plain as the one in the second picture, but I wouldn't hold my breath for something as exotic as the first picture, either.

Good point. That first one is a beauty, though aside from the woods the specs are not those I'm looking for. As I mentioned above, I'll most likely "build my own," take my chances, and hope for the best. I just got the body – it's f@¢$%! stunning, and I'd like a neck that will do it justice.

 

[musicispeace]

If it helps I have had two necks made from the custom builder option and they surprised me pleasantly in both cases. That said, yes, you are rolling the dice a little if the next neck blank they pull off the pile isn't s stunner. Absolute worse case you can sell it (admittedly at a loss) and try again. My all Bubinga neck was really, really  nice but not overstated (which is what I wanted) and the other neck (maple) turned out to have a bit of flame in it which was a nice surprise that I wasn't going to argue with. I did go with a unique choice fret board on the latter neck, so that factored in. I have definitely pondered Goncalo with the same concerns you are having. But if the universe aligns nicely then you have a unique piece that works for you.

 

[Glimmer]

That does help, thanks musicispeace. Other things I'm pondering are: will I really like a raw neck (probably, but you never know), and Warmoth's modern, as opposed to vintage/modern construction (maybe, but the latter is more appealing for a couple of reasons). This is all probably meaningless hemming and hawing, as I'm sure whatever neck I order will be really great.

Other wood combo's I'm considering for a (hopefully) warmer sound: hog / Macassar:

and black Korina / Macassar:

Either of these will work for me, though I realize that BK is not always available (currently it's not an option apparently).

 

[Cagey]

Other things I'm pondering are: will I really like a raw neck (probably, but you never know), and Warmoth's modern, as opposed to vintage/modern construction (maybe, but the latter is more appealing for a couple of reasons). This is all probably meaningless hemming and hawing, as I'm sure whatever neck I order will be really great.

I wouldn't call it "meaningless hemming and hawing". High-end necks made of exotic woods aren't cheap, and then you're tasked with selecting construction details like neck profile, fretboard radius, tuner type, fret size, truss rod design, finish, etc. - these are all things most guitar players don't think so much about, but rather pick up a guitar and decide whether they like it as it is. A little anxiety is to be expected  :laughing7:

I can't imagine you wouldn't not only like a raw neck, you would develope a preference for them. Especially if you burnish it, or have it done. Modern construction is great because even if you live in an area where the temperature and humidity fluctuate wildly, the neck remains stable. No more adjusting the truss rod every quarter or so to compensate for seasonal environmental changes. I live in SE Michigan, which sees some fairly wide temp/humidity changes, and I've got necks here that I've kept in the basement for 6 years+ that have never needed adjustment.

 

[Glimmer]

I wouldn't call it "meaningless hemming and hawing". High-end necks made of exotic woods aren't cheap, and then you're tasked with selecting construction details like neck profile, fretboard radius, tuner type, fret size, truss rod design, finish, etc. - these are all things most guitar players don't think so much about, but rather pick up a guitar and decide whether they like it as it is. A little anxiety is to be expected  :laughing7:

Yeah, when I first went to spec out a custom neck I was hit with all those details I'd never considered, sure enough, and that after many a year of playing professionally! Funny, then all I cared about was that the instrument made a noise when I plugged it in. Well, after a little research I've got that all worked out, but am stuck on wood choice...

I can't imagine you wouldn't not only like a raw neck, you would develope a preference for them. Especially if you burnish it, or have it done. Modern construction is great because even if you live in an area where the temperature and humidity fluctuate wildly, the neck remains stable. No more adjusting the truss rod every quarter or so to compensate for seasonal environmental changes. I live in SE Michigan, which sees some fairly wide temp/humidity changes, and I've got necks here that I've kept in the basement for 6 years+ that have never needed adjustment.

I live in SoCal and temp / humidity fluctuations are not as dramatic as elsewhere. I keep my acoustics in their cases with dehumidifiers to keep the RH between 40–50. The electrics are on their own.  Generally don't have to think about the truss rod unless I'm doing a significant string gauge change, which is kind of rare (all gits strung with 12s or 13s).

 

[Cagey]

If it's down to wood choice, then you can't go wrong at Warmoth. Anything you pick is gonna look great, so you're down to aesthetics and feel. You want it to sound good and complement the body, but feel like you never wanna let go of it. If you want something that will go with anything, look great and sound great, it's very difficult to beat an Ebony over Pau Ferro part. Burnish that baby up, put some mungo stainless frets on it, a slipperyt well-cut nut and some locking tuners, and you're talking pure sex on a stick. Whether you use black or Macassar Ebony for the fretboard sorta depends on what kind of finish you'll have on the body. Black Ebony goes with anything, Macassar is too pretty to force into competing with a fancy body top. It's better with solid colors. You don't wear striped shirts with plaid pants, is what I'm saying.

For something that feels just as good, Ebony over Bloodwood is right up there. Bloodwood is very much like red Ebony. Very dense and smooth. Only downside to that is that it is red, so you can't really bolt it just anything. You have to consider colors.

 

[Glimmer]

Cagey, I appreciate your knowledge, enthusiasm, and willingness to share both. Not trying to be a PITA, but as nice as the combos you mention seem, I am aiming for a slightly warmer sound, hence the shaft woods I noted (which admittedly are pretty damn beautiful, too).

You've got a point re the Macassar fretboard paired with a pretty body top. Here's mine:

Macassar might seem like overkill with that body, but then again, here was my inspiration. Looks mighty nice. That said, "just plain ol'" ebony would look nice as well.

On another note, bridge and vibrato came in today, am having a pre-wired assembly made as I type, will pick up the few odds and ends I still need in the coming week or so, and order the neck as soon as I come to a decision. Hopefully to within the next week-10 days, realizing it'll take a few weeks to make it and another to get it to me. Then I'll be able to start putting it all together. Won't that be nice!

 

[rgraf]

Cagey, I appreciate your knowledge, enthusiasm, and willingness to share both. Not trying to be a PITA, but as nice as the combos you mention seem, I am aiming for a slightly warmer sound, hence the shaft woods I noted (which admittedly are pretty damn beautiful, too).

You've got a point re the Macassar fretboard paired with a pretty body top. Here's mine:

Macassar might seem like overkill with that body, but then again, here was my inspiration. Looks mighty nice. That said, "just plain ol'" ebony would look nice as well.

On another note, bridge and vibrato came in today, am having a pre-wired assembly made as I type, will pick up the few odds and ends I still need in the coming week or so, and order the neck as soon as I come to a decision. Hopefully to within the next week-10 days, realizing it'll take a few weeks to make it and another to get it to me. Then I'll be able to start putting it all together. Won't that be nice!

Canary Wood would give a nice look, imo. Perhaps a bit not JM though, since it would look a bit like a baked maple depending on the wood. Same for Bocote. Cocobolo would be my first choice or Brazilian rose would be next. I've got a real nice quartered Brazilian rose board I'm thinking about selling if I don't find a real nice slab of Koa to match up with, or maybe Black Limba.

The rosewoods tend to have a less 'strident' sound, as you put it, and they polih out well. I've got a nice Mpingo board that should be able to be resawn into a couple of neck blanks, as well.

 

[Glimmer]

Thanks for your comment, rgraf. In the end I went with GA / Macassar ebony in a vintage / modern construction. I ordered it 3 weeks ago today, so hopefully it won't be much longer.

 

[Glimmer]

Time for a little update. The neck arrived yesterday. :icon_biggrin: I must say that it is every bit as nice, or better, than I hoped it would be. It feels solid and well made and looks beautiful IMHO. It should be a great playing neck. Here are the main specs, followed by some pics:

Vintage / Modern Construction
Shaft wood: Goncalo Alves
Fretboard wood: Macassar Ebony
Nut width: 1-11/16
Profile: SRV
Fretboard radius: Straight 9.5"
Fret size: 6150

I'm new to Warmoth – this is my first W build – but I gotta say I'm blown away by the quality of their product. Even the fret work on this thing feels great (tried to show it in a few of the pics). I suspect this is going to be a great player when it's finally ready to go. Now, do I wait a month on a proper decal for the headstock or just say f#¢k it and go without...?  :icon_scratch:

 

[MikeW]

F-n A that's a gorgeous neck. Congratulations. If I was you I'd say F it and go without. I'm looking forward to seeing this one put together since you've got two great pieces to start with.