SuperTele build - Northern Ash?

[Steve Ouimette]

I've decided to build a SuperTele similar to Charvel's "Style 2" model. So far I've never built a guitar out of hard ash but most speculation seems to agree that EVH's Frankie was made of it, and even Musikraft offers a Frankie body made of it.

That said we all know it's heavy. Like 5-5 1/2 lbs heavy for just the body. Add the neck, Floyd, hardware, etc. and I'm not in love with the idea. But...if it sounds anywhere in the ballpark of the first 4-5 VH albums (I'll be using either a Duncan '78, iM1 or EVH pickup), then it would be a great day.

Anyone else build a humbucker based Tele out of hard ash? I'd love to hear your experience!

 

[Mike Simpson]

Gonna be heavy... 9lbs + maybe over 10lbs

 

[fenderrookie]

Should have sustain for days though

 

[Steve Ouimette]

9+ pounds is pretty bad! I wonder how different swamp ash would sound?

 

[RodeoTex]

I built a northern ash Strat once.
All blonde, gold hardware, gold pickguard. Beautiful guitar. Weighed a ton.
Gave it to a friend.
It's on permanent display in his living room.

 

[Steve Ouimette]

I built a northern ash Strat once.
All blonde, gold hardware, gold pickguard. Beautiful guitar. Weighed a ton.
Gave it to a friend.
It's on permanent display in his living room.

Is it on display because it looked good but sounded bad?

 

[RodeoTex]

Looked good, sounded good. Weighed a ton.

Is it on display because it looked good but sounded bad?

 

[Stratified]

I have a strat with a northern ash body. Comes in at 8.5 lbs. Wonderful tone and sustain. I can play it all day and night. I guess 9lbs is my threshold.

 

[crisscrosscrash]

I built a tele out of Northern Ash - it had strat contours which relieved an ounce or two I guess...

It was heavy, but not a deal-breaker - less than a non-relieved LP! I didn't notice any specific tonal differences to be honest (I built another tele out of Aniegre and Walnut (with a Wenge fretboard) -- not the sunburst in that pic -- that had the same Lollar pickups and they sounded pretty identical).

 

[GunsOfBrixton]

Chamber it. Your back will thank you.

 

[John Nicholas]

I'm building a Tele-ish guitar out of Northern Ash, it has no body routing yet, but here is the weight in raw form.

As a comparison here is the same body shape but using Sapele with a maple cap...

 

[Steve Ouimette]

I built a tele out of Northern Ash - it had strat contours which relieved an ounce or two I guess...

It was heavy, but not a deal-breaker - less than a non-relieved LP! I didn't notice any specific tonal differences to be honest (I built another tele out of Aniegre and Walnut (with a Wenge fretboard) -- not the sunburst in that pic -- that had the same Lollar pickups and they sounded pretty identical).

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing that with me. Pickups certainly are a big part of the equation so it's interesting to hear they sounded really similar.

 

[Steve Ouimette]

I'm building a Tele-ish guitar out of Northern Ash, it has no body routing yet, but here is the weight in raw form.

View attachment 438141

As a comparison here is the same body shape but using Sapele with a maple cap...
View attachment 438138

YOWZA!