Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi group.

I'm not to knowledgeable when it comes to solid body electric (beside from setting them up), and a customer asked me if I could find information about "light ash".

He said he tried some Telecaster that apparently had a body made out of it, and he liked it. So he would like to get himself one. That said, no one (that I could find) seem to sell tele bodies mentioning they are made from "light ash". Just "Swamp ash".

Am I understanding correctly that "light ash" just means "lightweight" ash? And do you just basically need to get lucky to stumble upon one or some resellers actually sell swamp ash guitar bodies lighter then normal?

Thanks!

_________________
Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

I'm no expert on terminology, but as I understand - light ash means it weighs little.
Most of the swamp ash guitars I've known were pretty light.
Of course, we know that some ash is very dense - but I don't know what anyone called it, other than ash.

_________________
"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

It's a pretty ambiguous term, I think. It's probably referring to Fraxinus pennsylvanica, which is generally lighter than white ash (Fraxinus americana), which can be quite dense and is more frequently used in furniture, construction, and baseball bats.

Pennsylvanica is also known as green ash, red ash, swamp ash, and water ash. Americana is also known as white ash, american ash, and biltmore ash.

It is an ambiguous term for sure. For all intents and purposes, my experience is that any ash weighing less than about 3 lbs/board foot will fit the bill.

Swamp Ash light, Northern Ash heavy.
What HaMMerHeD said.

_________________
I've got a mind like a steel......whatsername!!?

That makes sense. I was told Northen ash grows on dry land and Swamp (black) ash grows in the water.


Yes. 2lbs per bd ft. is usually what everyone wants. I don't mind it being a little heavier. Don't think you would ever find a piece of Northen ash that light.

_________________
"I'm not going to say that perfection has never been achieved. However, if it has, it probably went unnoticed due to it's lack of character."

Sounds like a BBQ gone wrong yuk yuk yuk

Yeah, ny understanding is light ash is from down south often near/in water where it grows quicker and less dense. Northern ash grows slower and is typically more dense.

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Well, thanks for all the responses guys.

_________________
Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)