I'm working on my third build. It's one for an old high school buddy in another state. He saw my video and wants me to build him one. We've chosen the Punch box for his body and I want to stain the neck a blue to match the box. What's a good hardwood that will accept stain well and won't warp a lot in the Iowa humidity this summer? I was considering birch but another post mentioned that it tends to detune with the weather.
I'll be putting frets into it for him. I'll probably build two, one for him, and one for me. the stain idea makes me want one like it.
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Use a light coloured hardwood which you can easily get, ideally for free.
they all work
ive had blue dyes return a green result from yellow wood. Be sure to test on scrap first. The best results I've had for blue are with ink.
Thanks, I've found something unique. I don't know if it will work for this project because it's a middle dark wood. More of in the sycamore family. I found some wood dye I want to try out that may produce the dark blue I'm looking for. If not, I'll keep looking.
If it's middle-dark it's not sycamore - true sycamore is a maple, which is pale, North American Sycamores are related to the plane tee family..and that's a pale wood too.
Not sure. Lacewood is a bit of a generic term covering Sycamores to a Central American exotic to Australian. So I'm just kind of guessing. Here's a picture, you tell me what it is? Feels pretty dense. I haven't had a chance to work it at all yet. Hopefully tomorrow after church I'll get to.
Lacewood.jpg
Maple and mahogany are what most factory guitars use I been using mahogany with rosewood fretboards because I have it but if your on the cheap you can use oak on oak. I don't use clear anymore just walnut oil.
Hi,
Sycamore might be worth a try.
I'm recycling an old drawing board, made of sycamore, for my necks.
It stays in tune for weeks, & seems to take stain O.K.
Cheers,
CBGBill.
Thanks Bill. I'll see what I can source out.