Letting bodies age/dry out - bare wood

[GoDrex]

I wasn't sure how to search for this so I'm posting this any way. If it's been discussed, please point me in the direction of the topic.

I remember reading some site about les pauls and the guy was saying that electric guitars shouldn't be coated in paint totally - there should be some bare wood on it, like in the control cavities and the trem route if it has one and pickup routes. The idea being that it allows the body to dry out and age.

Then I was watching a video about the EVH Wolfgang and EVH says at one point that it's got bare wood on it to let it age right.

So anyone have any opinions on this? The neck time I work on my guitar should I get out the dremel and get rid of the poly in the routes so my guitar will be better after I'm dead?  :laughing7:

 

[UTSC]

I think the idea of aging an instrument comes from violin making if anything, and also the acoustic industry. I can actually believe that that can have more of an influence in acoustic type instruments due to sound vibrating off the wood. In electric instruments, I am not convinced that this may cause too much of a difference. In any case, by the time it ages, 50 years or so, you and many of us here will not be alive anyways.

 

[hannaugh]

Yeah, I think that type of thing applies a lot more to acoustics than solid bodies. 

 

[jerryjg]

^ Do you have a solid body?

 

[SkuttleFunk]

sounds like an opportunity for those who live in areas where temperatures and/or humidity vary greatly over the year to have problems with their finishes and bodies cracking

as related to solidbody bodies, I call this "aging theory" a total sham on par with many of the "anointed wood" scams that regularly find their way into discussions  :redflag:

now if you're buying instruments from a builder who doesn't properly dry their woods before making instruments, maybe there is merit - but in this case you should demand your money back and stop buying parts from them. thankfully W is not guilty of selling wet wood bodies!

I believe we have all seen people on eBay selling bodies from areas where the exotic woods grow naturally. many of you also probably know of people who have bought these bodies and received a rather moldy body wrapped in plastic full of condensation. the most famous one I can remember was an eBay seller from South America who made 'Smith' bass knock-offs out of essentially GREEN WOOD (i.e. fresh cut and not yet dried)

all the best,

R

 

[tfarny]

Don't all builders let their wood stock age for one year + anyhow?

 

[GoDrex]

^ Do you have a solid body?

I'm curious who this was directed to and what it's in reference too.

 

[jerryjg]

^ I'm gonna fess up and admit to the wisecrack. No offence intended.
You see, I come to OT after I look around the boards, and have talked to Hannaugh b4 and read lot of posts by Hannaugh, but was taken aback last night reading that Alternate lifestyle related thread, when Hannaugh said something about a Fiance. At first I thought Hannaugh was  just a dude of the "persuasion", because all this time I've thought Hannaugh was a male like everyone else here, or really, and this is what stunned me, ANYWHERE else Ive been, and I've been on alot of guitar related discussion forums,  its an entirely male dominated discussion, and in face I've NEVER seen or heard of a female with  a genuine interest in gear to the point that Hannaugh is/has . Sure, a few females hang around on some  of the guitar geek forums, but mostly in OT cause they have guy friends on the board or something. You see, I really couldnt tell by her Avatar cause its so small. So when I discovered Hannaugh was not a male, i was mildly shocked ..so  i let fly with a gender related funny. Forgive me Hannaugh!  :icon_jokercolor:

Now for something totally ON topic.; I once saw an old  popular mechanics magazine  that had an article on how to build your own home- Kiln..useing a room  De-Humidifier! Wish I  still had that article.

 

[hannaugh]

Haha, that's totally fine jerryjg.  I didn't even notice your joke until now! 

Yeah, I'm just a tomboy I guess.  I grew up with my cousin who was a few years older than me, and I kind of worshipped the ground he walked on.  He was like a really cool older brother.  I don't have any siblings, and there were no other kids that lived around me to hang out with, especially during the summers, so having him around was great.  He was really into baseball, and he wanted someone to play backyard baseball with him so he could practice, so he started teaching me overhand pitching when I was like 5.  So I basically grew up playing baseball and doing all kinds of other boy-type things.  I still to this day can throw a killer fastball and knuckleball. 

Combine that with my artistic tendencies and my inner do-it-yourselfer, add my love of music, and you get me: a girl who is pretty obsessed with custom gear.  I also used to be a scenic carpenter (because I realized I could make money doing that while I was going to school for scenic and makeup design), so I have some tools and woodshop knowledge from that. 

If you think that's crazy, one of my best friends is the master welder for the theater scene shop of the college we attended.  She is also a straight tomboy.  Her nickname is Flashdance. 

My future husband loves my DIY obsession.  I think the reason he is marrying me is because he knows that if he wants to buy a table saw or something, I'll be like "When can we go pick it up?!"  That, and apparently I make the best coleslaw in the history of the world (according to him). 

 

[line6man]

^ Do you have a solid body?

Wow. :sad: :toothy12: