The Steel Guitar Forum

Is there any other kind of hardwood that is ok for building a steel as i am having problems getting hold of hard rock maple in great britain .thank for any help
GOD BLESS JF.

Honduras Mahogany

get the heaviest and densest wood you can. Zane Beck made a few out of Oak, and they sounded good. Walnut or Chestnut might be appropriate for the UK.

JW

My preference would be straight-grained walnut or RED mahogany (not the soft brown).
Because I don't like to laminate in order to get the required thickness, I recently started using poplar for lap/console steels. Poplar (2+inches thick)is more available, less expensive, takes dye nicely, and is MUCH lighter than the other woods of choice.

I used to think density/mass was important but now believe the wood's grain is what yields the quality of sustain and timbre I want. Poplar has really surprised me. You might also consider some varieties of Ash. --Everett

I would have to say that Koa with a tight curl (even if it is covered with another finish) should make for great tone from a steel.

I would think that you could order Maple from a source out side of the U.K. The shipping will be more but in the end if you are going to build an instrument the cost of shipping is not as important as building what you really want.

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Regards
-- Eugene@FJ45.com



<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Eugene Cole on 08 June 2002 at 07:18 PM.]</p></FONT>

I just wonder how an ash steel would sound and perform. Remember when we all thought guitars(I'm talking 6-string,here) needed to have brass hardware and weigh thirty+ pounds? Now we know how much sustain we can get out of a Tele or Strat---even without a compressor. Just thinking out loud.....
Good luck!

Mr. Baggett in Decatur, Alabama, custom made my U-12 for me several years ago. He mentioned that he had seen African Purple Heart and that it was a very tight-grained, dense, and pretty wood. I found a hardwood floor supplier that occasionally had African Purple Heart in stock (imported), and ordered enough to build a couple of steels. Mr. Baggett said it was the hardest wood he had ever worked with (you can actually put MACHINE THREADS into this stuff), but that it was spotty (some places harder than others, making even sanding difficult). In any event, he succeeded in building one of the most beautiful guitars I've ever seen from this stuff. It has 17 hand-rubbed coats of hard urethane over the wood - looks like one of those old candy-apple paint jobs hot-rodders used to put on their cars when you could still buy lacquer paint. As for tone, it is there... and would be better if I was better. Incidently, Mr. Baggett said he would never build another from this African wood - it was just too hard to work with. But, it sure is purrrrty......<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Gil Berry on 09 June 2002 at 12:57 AM.]</p></FONT>

There is a good 'Exotic' Wood supplier in Boroughbridge in Yorkshire, 'Boddy's' he stocks just about everything. give them a ring.



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Ron (Chippy) Wood
Carter S10/Pad

Tommy Morrell's steel guitar is made of mesquite wood, which is very dense and hard enough to machine as if it were metal. And there is NO shortage of mesquite.

Stephen, the old Fender 1000 top and necks were made out of ash and they had a great sound.

Thank you my dear freinds for being so kind and helpfull.I did manage to find some hard rock maple and will soon be gluing and screwing my body together.the maple one that is .THANK ONCE AGAIN AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
JIM.