WOOD

Here can be one of the trickiest things to sort out.

All wood is not created equal.

Some have a better 'sound' or 'tone' that others, and it does show in the final product.

It is also highly subjective to the individual. What some may consider a sweet tone may be a screech to others

Just look at the wide variety of music. The sound of wood is the same!

Having said that, I do tend to stick with the classics:

Mahogany (when I can get it), Alder, Ash (both northern and swamp) Maple, Ebony, Rosewood ( again when I can get it).

You simple can't go wrong with these woods. They have been used for centuries in acoustic instruments, and since the birth of the solid body guitar.

I wont go into the tonal qualities of these woods as many of you  will already know them.

But there are other woods out there for those who want something different.

I deal with several suppliers, all well known in the industry, in acquiring the wood I use for a build.

Having said that however, not all wood is available all the time. And some wood is becoming increasing scares as over forestry takes its toll, and export restrictions come into effect. With that in mind I try my best to buy only environmentally forested woods.

This can be very difficult to ascertain at times, and even the big companies find out that they haven't met this obligation.

The same can be said for shell inlays as well. I want to build guitars, not dsestroy the planet doing it.

But still, for all but the most extreme builds, I can get the wood you want and need for you guitar. The choice is up to you.