Jtross1297
TDPRI Member
My classic vibe tele has a pine body and it’s quite heavy. In general are heavier/denser guitars stronger/more durable than lighter guitars? Might be a silly question but I’m interested to hear what you guys think. Thanks
Pine bodies good?
- Thread starter Jtross1297
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I am a big fan of old pine bodies, not so much new pine though. Weight doesn't equate directly to durability / strength when it comes to wood. I have an Irish Blackthorn cane that weighs nothing yet can support my 240 lb frame with ease.
I would say yes, stronger and more durable. Hard wood is stronger than soft wood. Screws may strip out in soft wood. A dent/gouge may occur in soft wood more readily.
But not a thing to worry about much really!
Incidentally, I have found, just by experience, that heavy solid body guitars seem to rise to the top as keepers and be more resonant than light ones. Go figure, maybe it's just coincidental.
But not a thing to worry about much really!
Incidentally, I have found, just by experience, that heavy solid body guitars seem to rise to the top as keepers and be more resonant than light ones. Go figure, maybe it's just coincidental.
Made from tree. Strong like bull.
FuncleManson
Tele-Afflicted
There are a lot of different species of pine. Yellow pines are more dense, heavier and harder than white pines. That said, I have seven eastern white pine-bodied guitars and I love them.
I’m a naysayer.
Nay.
See?
I’m not a fan.
I’ve owned a pine T-style partscaster, and a Squier bass.
They were heavy, and neither lasted very long with me.
Admittedly, your results may vary.
Nay.
See?
I’m not a fan.
I’ve owned a pine T-style partscaster, and a Squier bass.
They were heavy, and neither lasted very long with me.
Admittedly, your results may vary.
Interesting question. According to this chart, pine is one of the most variable 'solidbody' woods in terms of weight (density).
https://guitaristnextdoor.com/electric-guitar-tonewoods/
Here're a few weights from the table:
So according to that, pine can be both the heaviest and lightest of these -- actually that's true across almost the whole chart.
Likewise, pine is considered a softwood. A typical comment on a pine guitar might be "sounds great but dents easily." Still, as mentioned, pine varies: Species, hardness, resonance, density. Even within a species, 19th-century old-growth white pine is worlds away from big-box-store "common."
https://guitaristnextdoor.com/electric-guitar-tonewoods/
Here're a few weights from the table:
So according to that, pine can be both the heaviest and lightest of these -- actually that's true across almost the whole chart.
Likewise, pine is considered a softwood. A typical comment on a pine guitar might be "sounds great but dents easily." Still, as mentioned, pine varies: Species, hardness, resonance, density. Even within a species, 19th-century old-growth white pine is worlds away from big-box-store "common."
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ChicknPickn
Poster Extraordinaire
I’ve cut one pine body. It’s so easy to work that you have to love it for that reason alone. Once holes were threaded, I dropped CA glue into every one, and I applied it to bump-prone areas such as the body edges. Sanding that stuff is not fun, so don’t get too crazy with it (see what I did there?). Final product passed the “tap test” and has a really nice personality. 
Tubedrt3000
Tele-Meister
If you go on Sweetwater right now, you will see new Classic Vibe 50's Tele's with weights varying from 7lb-6oz to 9lb-1oz. I have had both resonant and dead sounding light guitars, as well a resonant and deep sounding heavy guitars. Every guitar is different, as every tree is different... that is what I love about guitars. I have a Fender '59 Bassman LTD reissue that has the pine cab, and it's box took a hit during shipping and left small dents in the side of the cab but did not damage the tweed. I'd assume a baltic birch cab would not have been dented if it took the same hit. The only wood I've noticed "softer/lighter" when working on a guitar was basswood. You could just tell it was softer and easier to drill, etc.
" Pine " seems to be a very different species around the world....If you believe in " tone wood " as a real thing , ( I dont ) you should try different woods.
To me , there is structural strength , and weight , nothing else.....I have owned fine guitars made out of plywood....some people can hear a difference between alder and ash , I cant , but , you know.......Maybe , just maybe they are right........I dont give a s....
To me , there is structural strength , and weight , nothing else.....I have owned fine guitars made out of plywood....some people can hear a difference between alder and ash , I cant , but , you know.......Maybe , just maybe they are right........I dont give a s....
I may have a pine classic vibe body, I bought it off CL and made a partscaster. It is an absolute tank, weighs as much as a Les Paul. I really like it though.
I have also made 3 knotty pine tele's using bodies from Tonebomb, they are nice and light, I love them, the wood is soft though.
First pic is the possible classic vibe.
I have also made 3 knotty pine tele's using bodies from Tonebomb, they are nice and light, I love them, the wood is soft though.
First pic is the possible classic vibe.
I'm a big fan of basswood. It's a bit harder than pine and has incredibly consistent grain. A pleasure to work with. It sounds killer too!
Knotty pine gives me the creeps like I'm looking at old, cheap furniture or wall paneling from the 70's. I'm so glad that era is over. Of course, it was followed up by Antigua which was just as bad. Very appliance-like.
Knotty pine gives me the creeps like I'm looking at old, cheap furniture or wall paneling from the 70's. I'm so glad that era is over. Of course, it was followed up by Antigua which was just as bad. Very appliance-like.
Dostradamas
Poster Extraordinaire
I think pine can be quite fine.
Old is good
I'm pining for a good body. But I digress.
NewTexican
Tele-Holic
Color me shocked pine is so danged heavy!
I recently saw a Ron Kirn Barnbuster for sale locally. I was very interested untill seller said over 8lbs!
MY experience has been lighter guitars have tone I seek. Not better or worse and YMMV but I dig lighter guitars. My Broadcaster is ~6.9lbs
I recently saw a Ron Kirn Barnbuster for sale locally. I was very interested untill seller said over 8lbs!
MY experience has been lighter guitars have tone I seek. Not better or worse and YMMV but I dig lighter guitars. My Broadcaster is ~6.9lbs
Ricky D.
Doctor of Teleocity
I worked in a truck body factory in the 70s. Mainly platform bodies (flatbeds). The standard wood floor was southern yellow pine. Heavy and hard! That stuff was like iron, hard to run screws in it for sure.
Wayne Alexander
Friend of Leo's
I've used two nitro-finished pine Strat bodies from MJT to make partscasters. One of these pine bodies weighed 3 pounds 3 ounces, the other weighed 3 pounds 6 ounces. Both made spectacular, resonant, great sounding, lightweight guitars. Pine isn't necessarily heavy. If you want a light pine body you can get one. These two strats do NOT sound less good than ash or alder ones. There may be a slight contribution from body wood in a bolt-on guitar, but in my personal experience, the neck is a bigger factor in the tone/response than the body is.
Naah, no pine for me, nor paulownia or basswood neither. Although pine and paulownia sound great, they're soft woods and dent and ding too easily, and screws tend to strip out. Alder still seems to be readily available in guitars.
Although Leo Fender built some prototypes and early production Teles in pine, he switched over to ash because pine "was a material too soft and too easily dented for a professional guitar."
Although Leo Fender built some prototypes and early production Teles in pine, he switched over to ash because pine "was a material too soft and too easily dented for a professional guitar."
Tonetele
Doctor of Teleocity
Pine is a great straight grained wood except for the knots. I walked past a lumber dryind business on my way to high school in the 70s and the guys there told me to reject any knots. In their vernacular " they're just waitng to pop out"
Arlo West has a beautiful pine guitar ( see Youtube The End Is Not in Sight) and it is like straight grained spruce. Also inexpensive Bill Lawrence pickups . Might build one one day as our city's best wood seller moved and my son helped move his stock to his home in the hills nearby.
Arlo West has a beautiful pine guitar ( see Youtube The End Is Not in Sight) and it is like straight grained spruce. Also inexpensive Bill Lawrence pickups . Might build one one day as our city's best wood seller moved and my son helped move his stock to his home in the hills nearby.
