ash, alder, pine, and basswood...lightest to heaviest.
- Thread starter turfdoc
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arlum
Friend of Leo's
I'd think basswood would be the lightest. Followed by pine, then alder and finally ash. Of course, because there are different types of each the hardness and weight probably varies between them.
Tmcqtele65
Tele-Meister
Your four choices:
Basswood - 20 - 36 lbs/ft^3
Pine (white) 22 - 31
Alder 26 - 43
Ash (white) 41 - 53
If your looking for light, consider Paulonia. The body in my profile pic is Paulonia. ~18 lbs/ft^3.
Basswood - 20 - 36 lbs/ft^3
Pine (white) 22 - 31
Alder 26 - 43
Ash (white) 41 - 53
If your looking for light, consider Paulonia. The body in my profile pic is Paulonia. ~18 lbs/ft^3.
If you're looking for a lightweight blank or finished body, specifying the wood species is no guarantee of anything except general appearance. And sometimes that contains a wide variation in grain appearance. I work with alder, ash, mahogany, maple, korina, and other woods every day, and the mass of each type swings wildly.
Your best approach is to get the wood species you want, and specify a weight. For example: ash, 3lbs or less.
Your best approach is to get the wood species you want, and specify a weight. For example: ash, 3lbs or less.
oldunc
Poster Extraordinaire
There are any number of vital statistics tables for all sorts of woods; Google will lead you to more information than you will ever need.
Just learning this now and here, thanks.
( not a builder just curios about wood)
What exactly does the 'lbs./ft^3' measure mean?
Me stoopid!
( not a builder just curios about wood)
What exactly does the 'lbs./ft^3' measure mean?
Me stoopid!
That's what I kind of thought ( with the '3' ) Thanks.
I use this to find wood properties
www.wood-database.com
They give basswood 26 pounds per cubic foot.
Note that basswood is very soft and the database says its a common wood for carving. It is occasionally used for guitar bodies bit they are subject to denting and screws might not hold as well as in denser wood. I remember Ibanez making some guitars out of it that were finished in some sort of two part finish that was supposed to protect the wood better.
Everything is a compromise.
Wood Filter | The Wood Database
www.wood-database.com They give basswood 26 pounds per cubic foot.
Note that basswood is very soft and the database says its a common wood for carving. It is occasionally used for guitar bodies bit they are subject to denting and screws might not hold as well as in denser wood. I remember Ibanez making some guitars out of it that were finished in some sort of two part finish that was supposed to protect the wood better.
Everything is a compromise.
You'll find charts of specific gravity ( density) won't be really much help except in a general manner. You'll find that the wood you select will have heavier and lighter densities even in the same tree. Buy your Basswood. Make your guitar body. Most tele body purchasers want something that weighs about 4 lb when complete.
good advice...thanks.
The reason I was looking to basswood is that I have a 93 Strat Plus that is very very light, seems to be basswood (looking at the grain in the tremolo pocket) and it is the most resonant and best sounding guitar I have...even unplugged it shimmers and shakes. And I have two strats, three teles, a 335, and a Ric 620-12, so it's got some serious competition.
Those new Fender JV's have basswood bodies.
I have an Ibanez with a basswood body, it's fairly light but it doesn't feel a lot lighter than my alder tele's to be honest, not enough to worry about... I don't weigh my guitars though.
I have an Ibanez with a basswood body, it's fairly light but it doesn't feel a lot lighter than my alder tele's to be honest, not enough to worry about... I don't weigh my guitars though.
I like Paulonia better than basswood. It is super light and seems to be able to take a beating. Something to consider is balance. Head heavy guitars aren't fun to play. Take into consideration the neck weight and tuners you use. It doesn't take much to throw off the balance
