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chiasson · June 16th, 2010, 03:40 AM

I was hoping someone could confirm for me that this body is alder? It's a MIJ 60s RI made in the mid 90s.

Guitarmadcat · June 16th, 2010, 05:21 AM

That feint grain pattern to me is reminiscent of basswood.

rangercaster · June 16th, 2010, 05:42 AM

Fender Japan is known for basswood bodies ... NTTIATWWT ... original retail was 67,000 Yen, so not a top line model, but still a beautiful example ... IMO, better than MIA any day of the week, unless you are talking Custom Shop ... and then the MIJ stuff still competes ...

chezdeluxe · June 16th, 2010, 05:54 AM

? The control rout shows what appears to be a glue joint between top and bottom of the body. I have struck this before in a Fernandes Tele body made of Alder not thick enough for one layer.

nadzab · June 16th, 2010, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chezdeluxe

? The control rout shows what appears to be a glue joint between top and bottom of the body. I have struck this before in a Fernandes Tele body made of Alder not thick enough for one layer.

Glue joint or two different router depths? I think a two-layer alder body (not talking veneers here) on a Fender would be quite an anomaly...but I don't know for sure.

That looks like basswood to me, which would make sense on an MIJ.

chiasson · June 16th, 2010, 12:57 PM

I just added a second pic that shows the grain better. I'm sure hoping it is alder if for anything that that's the premise I bought it under. I took the sellers word on it before buying it. It's in transit.

Guitarmadcat · June 16th, 2010, 03:48 PM

Checking out your additional pix convinces me it's basswood. Sorry!

Oh - those marks in the cavity is two router depths - not two planks glued one on top of t'other.

nadzab · June 16th, 2010, 04:34 PM

It's a great-looking guitar, and there's nothing wrong with basswood...a tad softer than alder perhaps, but if you bang your guitar around, it will dent whether alder or otherwise. Unless you paid a premium for it due to the representation that it was alder, I wouldn't sweat it.

boris bubbanov · June 16th, 2010, 05:48 PM

Look at how silver blonde the wood is in the neck pocket.

That's much more likely to be basswood than alder. Alder has more of a salmon color in unfinished form, generally.

Jakedog · June 16th, 2010, 06:28 PM

Basswood is what I'm thinking too. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I actually dig basswood quite a bit. It's hard for me to believe that there are still people out there with the misconception that it's crap wood. It makes a really nice electric guitar.

I have had several basswood guitars, and will most likely own more. They sound great. They always seem to be warmer and "woodier" sounding than ash or alder to me.

People have to remember that although it worked out well, alder and ash weren't originally used for Fender guitars because they were somehow superior to other woods. They were used because they were the cheapest and most plentiful. Leo and company were some very cost conscious cats back in the day.

chiasson · July 28th, 2012, 01:43 AM

Well, more than two years after I started I finally finished this project.
I am loving this guitar!

vibrasonic · July 28th, 2012, 10:33 AM

i'll bet it sounds great with the lollar's.

El Hefe · July 28th, 2012, 11:02 AM

Nice looking

NastyMojo · August 16th, 2012, 10:06 AM

Looks like basswood to me.

June 16th, 2010, 03:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
chiasson TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: canada Posts: 56	Alder? I was hoping someone could confirm for me that this body is alder? It's a MIJ 60s RI made in the mid 90s. Last edited by chiasson; June 16th, 2010 at 01:14 PM.

June 16th, 2010, 05:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
rangercaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2008 Location: portland, or Age: 55 Posts: 4,053	Fender Japan is known for basswood bodies ... NTTIATWWT ... original retail was 67,000 Yen, so not a top line model, but still a beautiful example ... IMO, better than MIA any day of the week, unless you are talking Custom Shop ... and then the MIJ stuff still competes ... __________________ "Unum saltum et siffletum et unum bumbulum"

June 16th, 2010, 05:54 AM	#4 (permalink)
chezdeluxe Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: brisbane australia Age: 63 Posts: 5,227	? The control rout shows what appears to be a glue joint between top and bottom of the body. I have struck this before in a Fernandes Tele body made of Alder not thick enough for one layer. __________________ "Life is mostly Froth and Bubble" Adam Lindsay Gordon

June 16th, 2010, 06:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
Jakedog Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Cleveland,OH But my heart's still in TX Posts: 9,628	Basswood is what I'm thinking too. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I actually dig basswood quite a bit. It's hard for me to believe that there are still people out there with the misconception that it's crap wood. It makes a really nice electric guitar. I have had several basswood guitars, and will most likely own more. They sound great. They always seem to be warmer and "woodier" sounding than ash or alder to me. People have to remember that although it worked out well, alder and ash weren't originally used for Fender guitars because they were somehow superior to other woods. They were used because they were the cheapest and most plentiful. Leo and company were some very cost conscious cats back in the day. __________________ It's not a mini-van, it's a manly van, and it's awesome.

July 28th, 2012, 10:33 AM	#12 (permalink)
vibrasonic Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: sault ste marie canada Posts: 915 19 Photos	i'll bet it sounds great with the lollar's. __________________ Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker Guitars. Fender Amps

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June 16th, 2010, 05:21 AM	#2 (permalink)
Guitarmadcat Banned Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Colchester, England, UK Posts: 1,169	That feint grain pattern to me is reminiscent of basswood.

June 16th, 2010, 12:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
chiasson TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: canada Posts: 56	I just added a second pic that shows the grain better. I'm sure hoping it is alder if for anything that that's the premise I bought it under. I took the sellers word on it before buying it. It's in transit.

June 16th, 2010, 03:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
Guitarmadcat Banned Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Colchester, England, UK Posts: 1,169	Checking out your additional pix convinces me it's basswood. Sorry! Oh - those marks in the cavity is two router depths - not two planks glued one on top of t'other.

June 16th, 2010, 04:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
nadzab Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New England Age: 45 Posts: 2,147	It's a great-looking guitar, and there's nothing wrong with basswood...a tad softer than alder perhaps, but if you bang your guitar around, it will dent whether alder or otherwise. Unless you paid a premium for it due to the representation that it was alder, I wouldn't sweat it.

June 16th, 2010, 05:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Telefied Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 30,261	Look at how silver blonde the wood is in the neck pocket. That's much more likely to be basswood than alder. Alder has more of a salmon color in unfinished form, generally.

July 28th, 2012, 01:43 AM	#11 (permalink)
chiasson TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: canada Posts: 56	Well, more than two years after I started I finally finished this project. I am loving this guitar!

July 28th, 2012, 11:02 AM	#13 (permalink)
El Hefe Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: co Posts: 338	Nice looking

August 16th, 2012, 10:06 AM	#14 (permalink)
NastyMojo Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Louisville,Tn Posts: 1,185	Looks like basswood to me. __________________ "To this day I don't have a guitar idol. I have people who are my favorites". -Randy Rhoads

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