What body wood for a rosewood neck?

[marianoarnaiz]

Hello guys.

Now that I am going to be placing and order for my  Bubinga+Ebony neck and poplar+walnut body. My girlfriend wants a custom guitar too!. She is obsessed with this Surh guitar she played that was a 1 piece rosewood neck and she wants that but she has no idea of what body wood to choose from. So, in her behave... What is a great body wood for a Rosewood on Rosewood neck?

 

[line6man]

Body wood for what criteria?

 

[Cagey]

What is a great body wood for a Rosewood on Rosewood neck?

If it were me, I'd look to something non-descript. For example, a good Rosewood neck looks great on a cream or antique white body.

As for what wood to use? Almost doesn't matter. On the list of things that contribute to an electric guitar/bass tone, the body wood species is pretty far down. Not that it has no influence, but it's just not that much. What's going to contribute the most to the character of the thing are the pickups, neck and bridge, in that order. The body has too much inertia to have much effect, even if it's a super-lightweight piece.

 

[bagman67]

+1 on a nice cream or antique white body.  The reddish rosewood will go nicely with Olympic White, e.g.

 

[Great Ape]

For reasons that may well be just as subjective as any opinion anyone on the forum will give you, John Suhr's go-to body wood choice is basswood topped with maple, so it may well be the wood on the guitar your girlfriend found so alluring. That being said, I agree with Cagey for the most part that body
wood has minimal actual effect on tone; I own guitars made from pretty much everything but balsa and bamboo, and I couldn't begin to claim that I can identify what wood does what to my tone. Personally I think it's the neck and the pickups that are by far the strongest factors in tone generation.
So, pick the body wood that you like, and I'll betcha that rosewood neck'll put a grin on yer visage! ENJOY!!

 

[stratamania]

I recently saw an ad for a John Cruz Fender custom shop with Rosewood neck, the body was alder and a white/ off white colour as I recall.

 

[pabloman]

Rosewood is pretty nondescript in appearance. Don't go for a vanilla body unless that's what she's after. There's plenty of examples of highly figured maple tops in blue, red, green, amber etc. all with rosewood necks. They all look great.

 

[marianoarnaiz]

Hello guys. I talked to her and she said that as long it was a light piece of wood (as she is a petite girl) and that can resonate a lot, she will be happy? So... basswood?

 

[Hbom]

I think chambered alder would be hard to beat.

 

[rgand]

I'm going to agree with a couple of posts here.

Yes, a light colored body will look great. Vintage white and cream for sure but I'd also consider butterscotch blonde, sonic blue, daphne blue, surf green or shell pink.

Pretty much, the lighter woods are basswood, alder and spruce. I think spruce is only available as a laminate top from Warmoth but I scratch built an electric mandolin from it one time and it worked out great. Personally, I'd also choose solid alder or chambered alder. Since the body wood does make a difference, no matter how small, put as much in your favor as you can from the start.

 

[MikeW]

...sonic blue, daphne blue, surf green...

This. At the last NAMM show, Fender had Sonic Blue and Daphne Blue examples of every model they sell. The local CG had both a Strat and a Tele in Daphne Blue with one-piece Rosewood necks not too long ago. I almost bought the Strat just because it was so unique, but I was in the process of building the Turtle so I let it go. The striking part (same with the Turtle) is the contrast between the dark Rosewood and the lighter solid blue/green colors. It's a really great combination.

I think chambered alder would be hard to beat.

This was my first thought too. Chambered bodies are close to a half pound or so lighter than their unchambered counterparts, they're common in the showcase, and probably come in the woods you're looking to use. I'd use that as a starting point.

 

[gjacob]

I would think a satin finish (or even Tung Oil) on Swamp Ash would look killer with a rosewood neck.  I'm not sure what that would sound like though.

 

[swarfrat]

Solid rock maple WGD. Builds character (and muscles)

 

[musicispeace]

Solid rock maple WGD. Builds character (and muscles)

Like the TEN POUND Les Paul copy I hefted in a brick and mortar shop not long ago. Lucky I didn't need physical therapy. I have a basswood strat copy that is nicely light. Just remember it can be a magnet for dents.