SurfCat
Joined: Oct 04, 2006
Posts: 64
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Posted on Oct 04 2006 08:35 PM
"Exotic Woods" for Stratocaster Surf Guitars?
Hello, All,
I am in the process of buying all parts for building a Stratocaster clone "surf" guitar. Today, on eBay, I noticed a bunch of Strat bodies made of various "exotic woods" like African Mahohogany, Brazilian Mahogany, Brazilian Tauri and Brazilian Araucaria.
Well, this has got me to wondering if these or other exotic woods would be suitable for use as the body wood for a guitar purposely built to reproduce Dick Dale-like and Ventures-like surf guitar sounds? While these exotic woods are not truly cheap in price, they sure beat paying some of the outrageous highway robbery prices I see on eBay and various stores on the Internet for a Strat clone body made of traditional ash or alder.
Does anybody here have any experience with or knowledge of exotic wood bodies? The crasftmanship is actually quite good on some of the Strat clones. Some of the wood grain patterns look like they would accentuate natural internal harmonic resonances. I would be happy to pay $41 to have DHL ship the right body from Brazil.
SurfCat
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90
Joined: May 16, 2006
Posts: 91
Florianopolis SC Brazil
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Posted on Oct 04 2006 09:56 PM
hmmm
Who are these sellers? I hope they´re not the same fellas on mercadolivre (Ebay´s affiliate in Brazil). Big scam.
— http://www.myspace.com/cochabambas
http://gianninisupersonic.blogspot.com
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SurfCat
Joined: Oct 04, 2006
Posts: 64
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 01:13 AM
90
hmmm
Who are these sellers? I hope they´re not the same fellas on mercadolivre (Ebay´s affiliate in Brazil). Big scam.
90,
Currently, I am only aware of three eBay (USA) dealers in exotic wood Strat style bodies.
These are:
1
exxtremeluthier( 0)
Positive feedback: 0%
Member since: Sep-30-06
Location: Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
2
Seller: eauctions001( 1556)
Feedback: 99.1% Positive
Member: since Aug-17-05 in United States
Item(s) location: Knoxville, TN, United States
3
Seller: ghostzapp( 86)
Feedback: 100% Positive
Member: since Dec-22-04 in United States
Item(s) location: Houston, Texas, United States
I found exotic wood bodies by searching "Stratocaster body" or "Strat body" under "Musical Instruments" in eBay and then grinding through each page of listings.
SurfCat
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 01:26 AM
Do the world a favor and don't buy an exotic wood from a foreign country.
Exotic woods are exotic because they are in short supply, in most cases anyways.
If you want the surf sound then buy what was used in the surf guitars in the 60s.
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11053
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 01:37 AM
JakeDobner
Exotic woods are exotic because they are in short supply, in most cases anyways.
Not exactly Jake, there's plentiful amounts of many exotic species and much of it sustainably grown and harvested. The correct advice is to purchase your exotic wood from a reputable supplier that only deals with sustainably grown wood.
That being said, I agree that exotic woods look wrong on a strat, and are typically heavier.
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta
Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party
Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF
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SurfCat
Joined: Oct 04, 2006
Posts: 64
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 01:56 AM
DannySnyder
JakeDobner
Exotic woods are exotic because they are in short supply, in most cases anyways.
Not exactly Jake, there's plentiful amounts of many exotic species and much of it sustainably grown and harvested. The correct advice is to purchase your exotic wood from a reputable supplier that only deals with sustainably grown wood.
That being said, I agree that exotic woods look wrong on a strat, and are typically heavier.
I don't think anyone would notice an exotic wood if it was painted with an opaque color, such as Fiesta Red or Candy Apple Red or Metallic Red, though it would certainly be noticeable if painted with clear coats.
For me, the whole point is to get a good sounding wood without getting robbed. Yes, it sends money out of America, but look at it this way, it gives the Brazilians (or whoever) money to buy stuff from Americans.
As long as the sound is "right on", I personally do not care if I am following a time-honored tradition by using only ash or alder.
SurfCat
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moondevil
Joined: Sep 10, 2006
Posts: 250
Lancaster, CA
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 03:38 AM
Why exactly do you need exotic wood? Just wondering.
— Dean(aka Moondevil)
deanmatherly.com
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11053
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 07:51 AM
I missed the point that you wanted to paint the body. All I can wonder is why use a more expensive wood that is probably heavier to boot? The subjective sound quality of various woods is very subtle, add reverb to the mix and I challenge almost anyone to discern the differences.
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta
Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party
Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 09:33 AM
SurfCat
Yes, it sends money out of America, but look at it this way, it gives the Brazilians (or whoever) money to buy stuff from Americans.
SurfCat
Its not about sending money out of the US. Its about buying wood that may have been illegally harvested.
Also, to Danny. I'm sure people could discern the difference between various woods when reverb was added in if it were their own guitar. And I'm also sure people playing that set up could say, this tone sounds different from this one. As far as saying what wood it is, no way.
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Coolcat
Joined: Mar 01, 2006
Posts: 55
New York City
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 09:41 AM
Personally, I wold stay with a lighter ash or alder. Mahogany and exotic heavier woods produce a darker tone. I just bought a hollowbody strat with a paduak top and an ash back. The paduak is naturally an orangy color and it has a really nice grain. I have no idea what it's going to sound like once it's done. I'll let you guys know in a few months...
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11053
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 10:31 AM
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta
Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party
Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF
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WR
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 3832
netherlands
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 10:43 AM
I 've got your A/B test for you --- I have two strats, with EXACTLY the same middle pickup (SD sll1) EXACTLY the same neck (korean 80's squier) and the sam esquier tremsystem. same strings. bodies are really the only thing different on those guitars. they sound radically different.
one has a basswood body, the other multiplex. so much for comparing tonewoods 
fwiw, I think the plywood one sounds WAY WAY better. 
WR
— Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."
https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/
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90
Joined: May 16, 2006
Posts: 91
Florianopolis SC Brazil
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 11:17 AM
SurfCat
90
hmmm
Who are these sellers? I hope they´re not the same fellas on mercadolivre (Ebay´s affiliate in Brazil). Big scam.
90,
Currently, I am only aware of three eBay (USA) dealers in exotic wood Strat style bodies.
These are:
1
exxtremeluthier( 0)
Positive feedback: 0%
Member since: Sep-30-06
Location: Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Yep, that´s them alright. Scammers. Stay away.
— http://www.myspace.com/cochabambas
http://gianninisupersonic.blogspot.com
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11053
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 11:38 AM
WR
I 've got your A/B test for you --- I have two strats, with EXACTLY the same middle pickup (SD sll1) EXACTLY the same neck (korean 80's squier) and the sam esquier tremsystem. same strings. bodies are really the only thing different on those guitars. they sound radically different.
one has a basswood body, the other multiplex. so much for comparing tonewoods
fwiw, I think the plywood one sounds WAY WAY better.
WR
I guess you got me there 
Jake, I concede. 
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta
Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party
Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF
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Dane_Brammage
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 203
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 11:49 AM
If you like the way it looks, go for it. If you don't like it, you can always put it back on EBay and go for a more traditional wood.
The choice of body wood has some effect on the sound, but far less than most people think. I have a 40th anniversary edition Strat with an aluminum body - there's probably not one person in a hundred that could tell it apart from any other Strat in a blind test.
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surfneptune
Joined: Mar 16, 2006
Posts: 923
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 11:59 AM
I don't think you will find a magic tone with exotic wood unless you are very lucky. There are so many factors at play to get good tone. In my opinion the best tone comes from guitars that are medium in weight and resonate well unplugged. Which is why thin finishes are good, because they translate vibration better. You can change the sound of a strat by using all 5 springs in the trem and making sure you have great contact between the steel block and the body.
All this to say, study the guitars you like the tone of and follow that path.
just my two cents
— THe NEpTuNeS
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SurfCat
Joined: Oct 04, 2006
Posts: 64
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 01:40 PM
90
SurfCat
90
hmmm
Who are these sellers? I hope they´re not the same fellas on mercadolivre (Ebay´s affiliate in Brazil). Big scam.
90,
Currently, I am only aware of three eBay (USA) dealers in exotic wood Strat style bodies.
These are:
1
exxtremeluthier( 0)
Positive feedback: 0%
Member since: Sep-30-06
Location: Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Yep, that´s them alright. Scammers. Stay away.
90,
Crooks in every country, it seems.
Thank you for the warning!
SurfCat
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SurfCat
Joined: Oct 04, 2006
Posts: 64
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 03:56 PM
surfneptune
I don't think you will find a magic tone with exotic wood unless you are very lucky. There are so many factors at play to get good tone. In my opinion the best tone comes from guitars that are medium in weight and resonate well unplugged. Which is why thin finishes are good, because they translate vibration better. You can change the sound of a strat by using all 5 springs in the trem and making sure you have great contact between the steel block and the body.
All this to say, study the guitars you like the tone of and follow that path.
just my two cents
Stratocaster, Handmade Guitar Body, Brazilian Canjerana
http://x5.freeshare.us/view/?122fs1270049.jpg
http://x5.freeshare.us/view/?122fs1270434.jpg
This handmade Stratocaster guitar body, made by master luthiers in Brazil, is made of Brazilian canjerana hardwood which was sanded with #280 sandpaper.
The weight of this body is 5 lbs and 10 0z according to the seller, eauctions001.
My uneducated guess is that Brazilian canjerana hardwood would likely have charcteristics similar to mahogany.
SurfCat
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surfneptune
Joined: Mar 16, 2006
Posts: 923
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 07:26 PM
I gotta say it would be a blast to try all kinds of woods! You might find a great combo, I have a mahogany les paul special, it's from 61 and the wood is very light, and has a great woody tone! Keep us posted!
Schecter made exotic bodies finished in oil, in the 70's and some of those were amazing, heartwood, paduk, koa...
To me, that body from the link is too rough, the cutaway has flatspots and the there is an edge left by the route around the body, and the shape looks a tad off. would make a fun project though.
— THe NEpTuNeS
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SurfCat
Joined: Oct 04, 2006
Posts: 64
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Posted on Oct 05 2006 09:23 PM
surfneptune
I gotta say it would be a blast to try all kinds of woods!
Yes, that would be a blast!
It would also be a lot of fun trying out different pickup combinations, i.e., Alnico 3, single-coil size blade humbuckers, and custom wounds for the S-S-S pickup configuration, sending the signal through a vintage Twin Reverb or Super Reverb with tons of reverb!
I hope to someday be able to generate a "Psychedelic Surf" sound . . .
Not traditional, to be sure, but it would combine my two favorite types of guitar music.
It would also be fun painting them in various Candy Apple, Metallic, and Pearlescent colors.
SurfCat
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