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I have been looking for what type of woods can be used on acoustic necks. I usually see just Spanish Cedar or Mahogany. But many suppliers carry more than just those two woods. Are other woods such as rosewood (besides the cost and rarity) Also goo for necks. If not why? Thanks - Adam

Maple and walnut both make excellent necks. Rosewood is used for necks as well but it is pretty heavy. If I was making a choice I would consider the weight of the neck very carefully. Other than that anything that is stable and that you think you can carve well is fair game.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Cherry is a great neck wood as well.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

I think maybe when I can no longer use mahogany, I'll try walnut, or maybe I'll quit.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Adam,
Walnut works very well and isn't all that heavy. I think it is a good
substitute for mahogany. I built a guitar with a wenge neck. Wenge is a
very heavy wood. I noticed a substantial improvement in sustain when
using wenge, especially in the lower registers. Dropping the guitar into
DADGAD and plucking with normal force results in over 26 seconds of
sustain - which is pretty darn good.

So be aware that going with a very dense and heavy wood like wenge or
indian rosewood will affect the sound. I think a heavy neck wood is an
excellent option for those that play in alternate tunings or purely
fingerstyle.

Also, while indian rosewood is heavy, it's not actually terribly stiff for its weight...

Walnut, Cherry, Mahogany, Maple, list goes on and on and one. I plan on making some rosewood necks for my electrics, but not for my acoustics.

How about cocobolo necks? Anyone tried this?

I noticed that LMI now carries Sapele neck blanks
(although they're currently out of stock).

Somewhere on some forum I read a comment from
someone who was very pleased with Sapele as
a Honduras Mahogany replacement.

Anyone here have direct experience?

Oh, certainly the African mahoganies can make great necks; Sapele is possibly my favourite neck wood, a little heavier than most mahoganies (mostly), plenty stiff, great stuff. Khaya can also be great, but it's more variable (the heavier stuff I have is much stiffer than the lightweight, and is perfectly excellent for necks as well). Sipo/Utile mahogany can be great too.

Serge: David Myka (electric builder) builds with Cocobolo necks, loves it, and has inspired me to build myself a personal (electric) guitar with a Cocobolo neck. For an acoustic, once again, I worry about the sheer mass of such an item.

Thanks Mattia, i had the weight factor in mind too but on the aesthetic side, must be really gorgeous!

Thanks for all the info!

I've used walnut, mahogany and some other stuff I salvaged from a dumpster whick I later ID'd as possibly








Port Orford Cedar!!!!!

Made a dread and a mando with this as neck wood and no problems yet over 6 months down the line.........

Not a fan of CARVING the walnut, And I tried oak but it was horrible to carve. As long as mahogany is available (questionable) or I can scrounge old table tops I'll stick with it.

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Oak and ash should make fine necks (remember that gorgeous 000 12 fretter by John Kinnaird with curly ash neck and appointments? O-la-la!), but perhaps on the heavy side for 14 fret acoustics. Hickory and beech has tremendous strength, but the weight would be even higher. Birch has been used a lot, many of the classic Gibson mandolins (and most likely guitars too) had birch necks, sides and backs. I'm sure that many of the common hardwoods will work, but as long as we still can get mahogany...

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

I'll second (or third) the cherry. Lovely to carve, tough on the tools...

Mahogany is amazing. It is such a tough, forgiving wood!!!

Of the ones I've used, Bubinga is nice but heavy. Zebrano ditto, combined with the Wenge problems of open pores and grain that goes in different directions.

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Pete
http://www.petewoodmanguitars.com

Awesome, its nice to hear that other people have wondered and tried rather than just going with the flow.