Help me decide

Draugr

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** EDITED **

I'm updating this post to give a better description of what I want and hopefully get more responses.

I play mostly metal when I practice alone and with my band, but I'm taking lessons from a local guru in all other genres. Jazz, Blues, Reggae etc.
I will be strapping on a pair of SD Blackouts (mounted directly on the wood).

Walnut was my first choice for a top, but when I settled for a Pau Ferro fretboard I felt that the contrast between the two woods might not look that good. Walnut being greyish compared to the pau ferro. Now, I don't know how a walnut top would look like with a clear finish. I believe its darker and has more color than an unfinished walnut top? Could work.

So what I need now is to decide what kind of wood I should get for the body. Since I do play about every genre there is, I want a guitar that will sound good clean. Suggestionsare greatly appreciated.

Here's a list of my current thoughts.

Body woods
Zebrawood
Koa
Walnut
Padouk
Black Korina

I really dont know how any of these woods will look like with oil/clear finish. What do you guys think will look good? Any help would be just great =)
 
Tobacco burst Alder body. . Gets an excellent tone with the Pau Fretboard.  Maple neck, Pau fretbaord.
I love to balance my tonewoods, and thence i dont usually recommend a bright tonewood neck/fretboard with a bright body.But thats just me.As others have mentioned, pickups make a huge difference, biut  I think a little  differently; I think you choose pickups to accentuate the positive qualities of the tonewoods, and not just plunk down any old pickup that an and will change the sound far for the worst.
In fact., choosing the right pickups can be as involved as choosing the right woods.
 
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom said:
Pau Ferro top maybe?

Yes, I've thought about that option. I guess it will do just fine, but I have a feeling it might be a little too much pau ferro and therefore look a bit boring? Some contrast between the fretboard and body would be great, but I've definitely thought about this option =)

jerryjg said:
Tobacco burst Alder body

As i mentioned in my post I want a clear satin finish on the body so a tobacco burst is not an option. I have no guitars with a clear finish. I've always wanted one =)

Maple neck you say? It's always a good option. The mahogany neck was more or less just for color matching purposes. I have an LTD with mahogany neck and it feels great to play.

I prefer heavier woods over light ones..
 
I'd say walnut, this one I built is solid walnut with maple runners with danish oil finish...And it has a ziricote fretboard which can be similar in color to pau, and it looks awesome... :icon_thumright:

Raw...
Krankenstein.jpg


Oiled...
index.php
 
that does indeed look great! Does the fretboard match the oiled body? Not that looks are everything, but still :p
 
Draugr said:
:eek: :eek:ccasion14:

just beautiful! How does the neck and fretboard feel?
feels awesome, it's a raw canary neck with raw ziricote board. The canary is smooth as silk and the ziricote is slick as butta...
 
Heres my  100% Warmoth 'Nutty Buddy'. Also Walnut  , but with a Rosewood neck and and Ziricote fingerboard. I would caution you that with walnut you may have a hard time finding something that isnt icepick in the forehead . I settled on a PATB-3 Duncan bridge and now am going to put in a Chopper Dimarzio middle and a Air Norton S in the neck . IMO< your choices will be limited to either that or a SuperD, cause i tried the Air Norton ( bridge) and it was still too blasted bright.
I also sanded down the body since these pictures were taken( it had true oil finishing)  and used Cabots Tung Oil finish , wet sanding for a very smooth finish and its awaiting resurrection. I'll post pictures after its back together again.
jerr837-1.jpg



You'll freak when you get your paws on the Ziricote Fretbaord. Man, that is one classy feeling and sounding fingerboard!
 
jerryjg said:
your choices will be limited [...] still too blasted bright

My plan was to use walnut as top only. I'm thinking maybe mahogany underneath it...

jerryjg said:
You'll freak when you get your paws on the Ziricote Fretbaord. Man, that is one classy feeling and sounding fingerboard!

Maybe i should consider a ziricote fretboard then? It does indeed look great on walnut :)
 
You say metal, I think Van Halen ...
Maple neck, maple fret board, Basswood body.
 
I'll put another vote in for Ziricote!  I love mine http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=7932.0  :icon_biggrin:
 
DangerousR6 said:
Draugr said:
that does indeed look great! Does the fretboard match the oiled body? Not that looks are everything, but still :p
I think it does...
index.php

Dangerous - this photo looks a lot darker than the body only shot above.  Was it just the difference between indoor / outdoor photos or has it gone darker. BTW I really like this guitar - it is inspiring me to do an oiled body myself.  :glasses9:
 
chrisg said:
DangerousR6 said:
Draugr said:
that does indeed look great! Does the fretboard match the oiled body? Not that looks are everything, but still :p
I think it does...

Dangerous - this photo looks a lot darker than the body only shot above.  Was it just the difference between indoor / outdoor photos or has it gone darker. BTW I really like this guitar - it is inspiring me to do an oiled body myself.  :glasses9:
chrisg, it's just the difference from indoor/outdoor. It hasn't gotten any darker....
 
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