New Project Advice

[Radiohead]

Hey All,


The warm weather is finally hitting Toronto so I can get back into the garage and start a few new projects. I picked up this blank of Flame Maple which has been baked in that new process.


I am thinking of a Super Strat type of guitar for 80's Rock. Any suggestions on the neck? I usually prefer maple necks with Ebony boards but I know maple bodies can be very bright and would this combination work? Perhaps Rosewood would be a more balanced choice? Any suggestions for the Neck and pickups?


Also, does anyone know if you dye Baked Maple or would I need to go with an Natural oil finish?

[straycat]

Sully would be the one to ask about this.

[Axewielder]

My White Bengal has a maple body with a ebony board and the tone is fan-freakin-tastic. The pups are Duncan Distortion/Duncan Hot Rails and it all just gels. It's very Lynchy.

I've also got the maple/rosewood combo and that is killer, too. But don't fear the ebony.

[j2379]

i would just avoid the all maple route. I had a super strat flame maple body, maple/maple neck. it was great for lead work but lacked a bit of bottom chunk, it had a tight sound great for fast riffing and leads.

[84sups]

All maple might be a bit much maybe go with a mahogany back like half and half. It's being built by you for you so go with what you want. 80s rock screams all maple, Lynch's guitars are all maple with an all maple neck so.....

[Radiohead]

Thanks all for taking the time to post.

I am lucky enough to have several guitars, so I don't not need this one to be a best at everything type instrument. I do not mind having an instrument that has a "unique" tone but I want it to have a pleasing tone and want to avoid that "Shrill" or "Brittle" tones that can be described with all Maple. From my research, since this is flamed maple, it is like not hard maple, which will tend to warm up the EQ a bit. I am also curious if the Baked process will warm up the EQ of the wood as well? All I can find thus far, is that the Baked process replicates natural aging and make the wood more staple with enhanced tone? No one goes on to describe the tone enhancements? Since I think of old instruments as being warm, this is why I am thinking the Baked will be less bright...

Regardless, this is the most famous maple body guitar and I was thinking of using this as a stylistic template.



I think the Body Shape would be a Kramer Pacer? Perhaps a Dinky Shape with 24 frets, Ebony, Reverse Head Stock.

[zeegler]

I don't know who ever said maple guitars are shrill or brittle sounding, but they're wrong. I have several maple bodied guitars, and have owned many more in the past, and I've never had a single one that sounded shrill or brittle. If anything, I'd say they are more punchy and defined in the mids. Very "woody" sounding overall.

[darkside]

Flame maple is going to have warmer tone then hard rock maple, do to the fact that it is softer. As far as the dying, it will dye just fine.

[sully]

Funny, I've got a quilt billet that I was considering making a fully quilted body. Ah, the places the mind wanders when getting ready to go to work.

Anyway, all maple would be fine; my Rhoads is all maple with an ebony board and sounds great. You can always adjust any frequencies with your electronics. Although a mahogany neck could be fun, too. As far as tonal differences between baked and non baked, I'm saying it's voodoo. Besides, you can't compare that particular blank before it was baked, can ya? Nope. Rap your knuckles on it; does it ring? Great. Move forward!

As far as dyeing goes, I'm sure you can dye it, but obviously, test your colors on your offcuts first.

Sully

[zeegler]

Flame maple is going to have warmer tone then hard rock maple, do to the fact that it is softer. As far as the dying, it will dye just fine.

Technically not quite true. While most flame maple you can buy at hardwood sellers is big leaf maple (soft maple), hard maple can be figured too, so just because you have a piece of maple with flame in it, that doesn't mean it's soft maple.

[j2379]

Sully, i agree to a point. i have a bunch of all maple BCRs ebony or RW boards, nice sounding guitars. i had a full maple body, maple/maple neck, hot rod strat not for everyone. was not a nice clean sounding guitar, you could run a ton of gain & it wouldnt mush and mud up and lead wise it sang, and harmonics were great. but that fucker was bright. Ive had other HR maple body strats, w RW or ebony boards and they werent as bright at all. fret board? or just that combo?

Funny, I've got a quilt billet that I was considering making a fully quilted body. Ah, the places the mind wanders when getting ready to go to work.

Anyway, all maple would be fine; my Rhoads is all maple with an ebony board and sounds great. You can always adjust any frequencies with your electronics. Although a mahogany neck could be fun, too. As far as tonal differences between baked and non baked, I'm saying it's voodoo. Besides, you can't compare that particular blank before it was baked, can ya? Nope. Rap your knuckles on it; does it ring? Great. Move forward!

As far as dyeing goes, I'm sure you can dye it, but obviously, test your colors on your offcuts first.

Sully