Why no roasted maple body option?

[cromulent]

ssia

 

[triple jim]

My guess is that the stability advantage for a neck isn't much of an advantage for a body, and the extra brittleness might not be desirable, since the trem stresses the wood a fair amount.

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

It would be bright sounding, cost more, and also be quite heavy. I'm not sure why you would want this.

 

[cromulent]

It would be bright sounding

Correct me if I'm wrong, but roasted wood is supposed to retain the sonic properties of the unroasted wood. At least that's what Warmoth claims. [That being said, I also don't believe wood actually makes a significant difference in tone. Don't @ me.]

cost more

It appears Warmoth charges $70 for roasting (based on roasted alder and roasted swamp ash prices). However, assuming you can get away with not having to finish a roasted maple body (just like you don't have to finish a roasted maple neck), it would save you some $215, netting you $145 in overall savings. An unfinished roasted maple body should come out $285 (just a tad more expensive than the genuine Fender replacement bodies) vs. $430 for a finished maple body.

and also be quite heavy

Correct me if I'm wrong, but roasted wood is also supposed to end up slightly lighter. At least that's what Warmoth claims.

My guess is that the stability advantage for a neck isn't much of an advantage for a body, and the extra brittleness might not be desirable, since the trem stresses the wood a fair amount.

Yeah I assume it has to do with the brittleness? But then again, Warmoth does offer roasted Alder and roasted Swamp Ash, so it just strikes me as strange that they don't offer roasted Maple as well.

@aarontunes must know...

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

I hope it's available off-menu so you can try the idea of unfinished roasted maple body. I'm curious how much weight reduction there is due to roasting. Does the claim of moisture reduction imply that roasted wood does not absorb the humidity from the air?

I understand you are not worried about the tone aspect. I personally believe the roasting will cause some crystalisation, or cross-linking of natural resins in the wood. If it's true, the roasted wood can be more rigid.

 

[Scab Pickens]

ssia

You lost me with that one ... Shoe Service Institute of America?

Shoe Repair in the United States and Canada - Shoe Service Institute of America

The Shoe Service Institute of America is the trade organization for the shoe repair industry. Learn how to care for and when to repair your shoes.

www.ssia.info

As far as the roasted maple body goes, it sounds interesting. I'd probably try one. Especially if it was a Tele/Velocity mix for my future slide-specific build.

 

[cromulent]

I hope it's available off-menu so you can try the idea of unfinished roasted maple body. I'm curious how much weight reduction there is due to roasting. Does the claim of moisture reduction imply that roasted wood does not absorb the humidity from the air?

I understand you are not worried about the tone aspect. I personally believe the roasting will cause some crystalisation, or cross-linking of natural resins in the wood. If it's true, the roasted wood can be more rigid.

I'm not really sure. All I know if that roasted maple necks are supposedly similar in sound to regular maple necks, slightly lighter, do not require a finish, and indeed more rigid. I'm curious because it could be a pretty cheap way to get a decent body to spec. But mostly just want to understand why roasted maple isn't an option for body wood. There must be a reason...?

You lost me with that one ... Shoe Service Institute of America?

Shoe Repair in the United States and Canada - Shoe Service Institute of America

The Shoe Service Institute of America is the trade organization for the shoe repair industry. Learn how to care for and when to repair your shoes.

www.ssia.info

As far as the roasted maple body goes, it sounds interesting. I'd probably try one. Especially if it was a Tele/Velocity mix for my future slide-specific build.

ssia = subject says it all

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

You’ll likely have to wait until the work week to find out by contacting Warmoth directly.

 

[supertruper1988]

Its likely not an option because there is no demand for such a thing in the guitar making world. Roasted maple is readily available in 4/4, 5/4, and 6/4 blanks for making necks. Roasted ash, pine, and alder are becoming more popular and more readily available in 8/4 blanks for body building.

I highly doubt that Warmoth is roasting in house, but if they are roasting in house then you may be able to get them to roast the maple for a body for an off menu upcharge.

At the end of the day, they are in the business of being a thriving business and their wait times and popularity definitely indicate that they are doing well. This also means that they are cannot offer every conceivable variation because it cost money to offer the variation, stock the variation, track how well it does in the market place, etc.

Just as an example, they had an 8 string bass option that they had enough parts to make less than 10 of an it took them YEARS to sell enough necks they had parts for. Once they were sold out they are gone forever.

 

[cromulent]

Why the difference in demand for roasted ash/pine/alder vs roasted maple? They do sell unroasted maple bodies.

Good point about the in-house - I had assumed they roasted in house but it's probably not the case.

 

[electric__steve]

Maple isn't as commonly used for bodies. There probably isn't a ton of demand for regular maple bodies, let alone roasted maple.

If you really want one, I guess you could buy a regular maple body and throw it in the oven.
Here's the current showcase inventory for Strat bodies:

1. Alder 10items
2. Basswood 1item
3. Black Korina 22items
4. Mahogany 10items
5. Maple 2items
6. Poplar 5items
7. Roasted Swamp Ash 12items
8. Swamp Ash 58items
9. Walnut 11items
10. White Korina 13items

Tele bodies:

1. Alder 49items
2. Black Korina 9items
3. Mahogany 12items
4. Poplar 6items
5. Roasted Alder 5items
6. Roasted Swamp Ash 18items
7. Swamp Ash 37items
8. Walnut 1item
9. White Korina 12items

So 2 total bodies out of almost 300 have a Maple core. Presumably Warmoth's inventory reflects demand.

 

[cromulent]

Makes sense.

I guess the other obvious next question is - is it feasible to use an unfinished roasted ash/pine/alder body, or do those require a finish for some reason that doesn't apply to maple?

 

[J-Bones]

Warmoth doesn't do any of the roasting in-house -- it's all handled before we ever see it. Warmoth does occasionally have Roasted Flame Maple lam tops, but I've never seen a full, solid Roasted Maple body blank. Maple is debatably the heaviest "conventional" body wood and roasting it wouldn't help significantly, to be honest.

 

[Rick]

I was in one of my wife's friends house in perth and the whole house flooring (except in areas that could be wet) was done in roasted maple. It looked beautiful, stairs, hand railings the whole 9 yards. She had it shipped from the USA to Australia. Felt great walking around in bare feet. As to it's cost effectiveness, meh.

My house has oak floors (except in areas that could be wet), stairs, hand railings and it's not roasted. Put on three thin coats of hard poly and it's beautiful.

I guess the answer to your question is a question: Why would you want it? To me the ultimate answer is, the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

 

[cromulent]

Why would you want it?

I'm interested in an unfinished roasted body if it would spare me the cost and time of going through the paint department. Roasted maple necks don't require a finish so I was hoping a roasted maple body wouldn't either. Or any roasted wood for that matter.

 

[TBurst Std]

Why focus on maple for the body. Other than Rickenbacker, name someone who has used it for a core wood.

 

[BroccoliRob]

Why focus on maple for the body. Other than Rickenbacker, name someone who has used it for a core wood.

yo i dont know why I know this, but was not the kamikaze geroge lynch guitar a maple body? tbh the guitar aesthetic is in poor taste if u ask me, but I can't argue with his shred so

 

[cromulent]

Why focus on maple for the body.

Because I know that roasted maple necks don't require finish. But as I have said...

Or any roasted wood for that matter.

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

Maybe you could consider a Warmoth paint-ready body. It has a level of protection and the surface is already filled, so would it be suitable for use without any top coat applied.

 

[supertruper1988]

yo i dont know why I know this, but was not the kamikaze geroge lynch guitar a maple body? tbh the guitar aesthetic is in poor taste if u ask me, but I can't argue with his shred so

It was a nd a buddy weighed it at a gig. 13 pounds! hahahaha