Help picking a no-finish neck

[Shandrazar]

A couple of months ago I acquired a PRS SE Soapbar-II, which has a double-cut mahogany body and P-90 pickups.  I've never had a guitar with P-90s before and I love them.  While the PRS is a great guitar for the money, my long term goal is to get a high end guitar with P-90s.  It will take me a while to save up the money, but I'm starting planning now.  The choices in mass-produced guitars is very limited, so I am looking at building my own.  I need help with the design.

I'm looking for a fairly versatile guitar, but with an emphasis on blues and 60s/early 70s rock.  There are only two non-negotiables in the design 1) it must have P-90s (probably Lollars), and 2) it must have a no-finish neck.  I am leaning strongly toward a mahogany or korina body with some sort of hard-tail.  Alder runs a distant third.  I'm fairly open on body shapes, although I'm leaning toward a strat, soloist or tele.  Other shapes I'm considering are the J-master, the WGD, the LP, LPS, and the SG. 

I'm looking at an Indian rosewood neck, either one-piece, or with a ebony fretboard.  I know there are a lot more options out there, but even after reading the wood descriptions I am still not sure which way to go.  I'd like to hear opinions and other recommendations.  My budget is open ended, but the more expensive the option is, the longer it will take me to save up.

 

[Mor Paul]

My vote would be for a white SG with p90s.

Rosewood is probably a good choice, and a lot of the folks here like wenge too.

 

[Soylent]

WENGE WITH EBONY! :laughing7:

 

[Shandrazar]

My vote would be for a white SG with p90s.

Ah, my third non-negotiable is that I must see wood grain on the body.  (Our chief weapon is surprise, surprise and fear...)

 

[Mor Paul]

Swamp ash with mary kaye white finish.

 

[rockskate4x]

I say black korina body... Tonewise it's very versatile... warm and yet articulate. Get whatever wood top looks best to you and clearcoat it. I recommend against the SG because of it's proneness to be neck heavy, especially with an exotic wood neck. If you like your SE cut... go with the VIP!

I'll second the vote on the wenge and ebony neck :icon_thumright:

 

[Patrick from Davis]

While I am a sucker for the brighter tones, don't over look Goncalo Alves if you are looking to sound like the "Gibson" sound with an unfinished neck.  I suppose I should have started off with the standard disclaimer that no two pieces of wood sound alike, but it is another silky smooth neck wood that doesn't need a finish that has a darker-esque tone.  If you are going for a guitar without an angled headstock, it opens up quite a few more options.  The simple answer for why is that you don't have to glue the headstock onto the neck and have the glue hold oily wood.  But, Pau Ferro, Satine, Ebony, and a whole cast of others can be used there.  I am a sucker for a Pau Ferro neck right now.  In due time I guess...
Patrick

 

[Tempest]

Are you looking for more bright tones or warmer tones?

I'd say go for a korina body.  I've heard it's more articulate than mahogany.

Max's SG idea would be cool to.  I don't really dig Mary Kaye white myself though.

 

[Shandrazar]

Thanks for the responses so far.  It would be nice if I could somehow get both bright and warm, but warm is definitely more important to me.  I'm leaning more strongly toward a black korina body now. I'd given some thought to goncalo alves for the neck, but I'm not sure I like the look.  I hadn't been considering wenge, but I'll research it more now.  I like the look of pau ferro, but I'm worried it might be a little bright.

Since people have talked a bit about body shapes, I'll spend some time on that.  I want to get that discussion out of the way because I'm really more interested in necks at this moment.  If it is available on the body style I pick, I'll probably go chambered body.  I'm also going to go rear routed.  My top choices are Fender or Fender-like body shapes because they will look right with a strat or tele headstock, and that leaves open the option of one-piece necks.  The others really demand an angled headstock.  The SG has been low on my list because I'm worried about being neck heavy.  I don't know whether that is a problem on the 1 3/4" thick body and not just the 1 1/2" body.  Carved tops would limit my options for the top wood, so I'm leaning toward flat tops.  If I go with a black korina top, I'd probably finish it in transparent red or tobacco burst.  I'm not interested in a figured maple top at this time.  There are a few exotic tops that look interesting to me, but the expense could add the better part of a year to the time I'd have to spend saving.  I'd probably put a simple clear top on them.

 

[riverbluff]

I have a bubinga neck on my LP and a Pau Ferro neck on my tele and I really wouldn't say the Pau Ferro neck is overly bright.  The tele has an alder/spalt maple body and it really has a nice full sound with just a hint of bit on the bridge Pickup.  The neck pickup has an amazing full rich tone to it.  The feel of the Pau Ferro neck is like glass.  Just super smooth.  I don't think you would be disapointed with the Pau Ferro.

If I could every get around to recording a sound bit or two I'll get them posted.

Bill

 

[buckallred]

On a semi-related note, you might check out the Agile AD-2300. It is basically a knock-off of a Les Paul Junior. It is made in Korea.

$250 brand new, I got one used off the 'net for $180. And, let me tell you, the quality is very, very good for this pricepoint!

Neck fit and finish, frets, even the pickups. Neck has binding, very well-done. Tuners are Grovers, very nice. I expected the electronics to be shit, like most Epiphones I have had. But this guitar is really nice, the P90s have awesome pop and growl, the neck is like butter, the action is super low. . . I can't say enough nice things about this guitar. For $180! It is insane. I often grab this guitar before I play others I have that cost literally 5-6 times as much.

Here's the link: http://www.rondomusic.com/ad2300jr.html

 

[rockskate4x]

haha... it looks like a whale...

I like inexpensive gems...

 

[Shandrazar]

Buckallred, thanks, but I'm not interested in a second low-end or mid-level guitar with P-90s.  My goal is to get something really first rate.  My PRS is really a great guitar for the price and I would recommend it highly to anyone in the <$500 market, although I've got some nut binding issues that need to get fixed. 

Riverbluff, what do you think of the bubinga?  Would it work for me, or do you think the pau ferro would be better?

 

[Shandrazar]

I hate to keep on replying to my own thread, but let me try to focus things a bit more:

I've identified a few woods as options here, and I'd like to get opinions:

Bocote:  Attractive, and relatively bright for a rosewood.  A good choice for a one piece?
Brazilian Rosewood:  Only available for a fingerboard.  I may used it to warm up a bright neck.
Bubinga:  It seems to be used more for basses, but the tonal properties look right.  A good choice for a one piece?
Canary:  Bright.  Use a rosewood fretboard?
Ebony & Macassar Ebony:  Way too bright for a one piece.  Use as a fingerboard to add articulation and brightness to a rosewood neck?
Goncalo Alves:  I'm not a big fan of the look, but the tone seems right.  An ebony or pau ferro fingerboard will help with the look.
Indian & Palisander Rosewood:  A bit too warm for a one piece?  Add an ebony fretboard, or use as a fretboard on a bright neck?
Padouk:  Bright.  Add a rosewood fretboard?
Pau Ferro:  It looks too bright for a one piece, although Riverbluff says otherwise.  Can also use as a fretboard on a warm neck.
Satine:  Too bright?  Warm up with a rosewood fretboard?
Wenge:  Several people have recommended this with an ebony fretboard.  Has anyone tried this with rosewood?

 

[Soylent]

Give me two weeks and I'll say how I not only love Wenge with Ebony, but also Canary with Ziricote.

 

[riverbluff]

Riverbluff, what do you think of the bubinga?  Would it work for me, or do you think the pau ferro would be better?

To me the Bubinga has a tone very similar to Moghany, just you can play it unfinished.  It feels great (alot like my satin finish on my Jackson). 

I really like both necks, both give the tone I am looking for on the individual guitars.

 

[rockskate4x]

It isn't better than your Jackson?!

 

[dwayneed]

I hate to keep on replying to my own thread, but let me try to focus things a bit more:

I've identified a few woods as options here, and I'd like to get opinions:

Bocote:  Attractive, and relatively bright for a rosewood.  A good choice for a one piece?
Brazilian Rosewood:  Only available for a fingerboard.  I may used it to warm up a bright neck.
Bubinga:  It seems to be used more for basses, but the tonal properties look right.  A good choice for a one piece?
Canary:  Bright.  Use a rosewood fretboard?
Ebony & Macassar Ebony:  Way too bright for a one piece.  Use as a fingerboard to add articulation and brightness to a rosewood neck?
Goncalo Alves:  I'm not a big fan of the look, but the tone seems right.  An ebony or pau ferro fingerboard will help with the look.
Indian & Palisander Rosewood:  A bit too warm for a one piece?  Add an ebony fretboard, or use as a fretboard on a bright neck?
Padouk:  Bright.  Add a rosewood fretboard?
Pau Ferro:  It looks too bright for a one piece, although Riverbluff says otherwise.  Can also use as a fretboard on a warm neck.
Satine:  Too bright?  Warm up with a rosewood fretboard?
Wenge:  Several people have recommended this with an ebony fretboard.  Has anyone tried this with rosewood?

Isn't that all of the woods?  :laughing7: My note is on Goncalo, I would describe Goncalo as mellow it sounds very musical though when amplified. Mahogany is probably more like Indian Rosewood if you want a no finish neck. You mentioned warm and bright..... That is the definition of mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, mahogany body with maple top in my opinion. Les Paul anyone?
Also, you probably want a Gibson Scale length 24 3/4". You PRS is 25", Fender is 25 1/2". That alone could define the tone you get.

 

[m4rk0]

Who told you Satine is too Bright??

Try to scoop up one of the (rare) Cocobolo necks that pop up in the showcase every now and then!
should be warm and very figured!

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Who told you Satine is too Bright??

Try to scoop up one of the (rare) Cocobolo necks that pop up in the showcase every now and then!
should be warm and very figured!

Cocobolo necks?

I'm going to broke and in financial rehab before I even get a well paying job.............