When is a raw guitar body just too light?

[Downrazor11]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

Who was the seller? I might want to try out that light of a body.. PM me if you don't want to post but I am curious..

[GuitarDoc]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

Oh, and to answer your header question...

NEVER.

Weight, hardness, durability, tone, etc...these are all totally different parts of the equation. All of my "solid body" guitars are light weight (5 1/2- 6 1/2 pounds total finished weight and with locking tuners), but are made from very hard and durable woods. Light weight is achieved by chambering not by light and soft wood types.

Again, great job.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

It looks like it turned out great. So glad it plays and sounds as good as it does. Reinforcing the trem screw holes was a very good idea and I can't imagine that you will ever have any problems with it. I generally love the 2 point trem but here is a case where the 6 screws really are a must.

Congrats on your first finished project. This is exactly how I got started building electric guitars many years ago. With such great success, you can be sure that there will be many more in the future. Pretty soon you will be at the hardwood store picking out the perfect wood for your first build-from-scratch guitar. good luck.

Again, very nice results, nice looking guitar.

[GuitarStv]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

That is not maple. No way!

That could only be Empress/Paulownia wood at that weight. I guess it could theoretically be balsa or something else super lightweight too, but the grain doesn't look like that.

Seems like a sweet body to me. I'd love to build something out of it.

Remember that Strat hardware and electronics are heavy. There are three pickups and a weighty vibrato system. The guitar likely won't feel terribly light in the end. Probably 5–6 lb.

If I had to guess, I bet it would weigh about 5 lbs, 13 oz in the end. Just relying on my super impressive luthier skillz.

[ItsaBass]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

That is not maple. No way!

That could only be Empress/Paulownia wood at that weight. I guess it could theoretically be balsa or something else super lightweight too, but the grain doesn't look like that.

Seems like a sweet body to me. I'd love to build something out of it.

Remember that Strat hardware and electronics are heavy. There are three pickups and a weighty vibrato system. The guitar likely won't feel terribly light in the end. Probably 5–6 lb.

[TimBo266]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

Is it really neck-heavy?

It balances out between the end of the neck pocket and the neck pickup. While wearing with my usual Fender tweed neck strap I can feel it tugging at my neck and shoulder. Even with moving around and bending over it never shifts from where I usually play it. That Vintage Fender Big Block tremolo unit helped a lot with the balance being were it is. Had it been a Hardtail it would have been a lot heavier on my neck and shoulder.

[Mincer]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

Is it really neck-heavy?

[TimBo266]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

Looks great......how does it sound??

After a while of calibrating and recalibrating the thing finally settled down. I tuned it and lo and behold it was in perfect intonation with the tremolo just as it was when it arrived from Fender. I"m impressed with the sound. So smooth and not a dead spot or buzz anywhere when playing around with it. Strike a note or chord and it plays on and on and on...... So I'm impressed with the first guitar I ever built.

[TimBo266]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

[QUOTE=devastone;4342349]It's not maple or poplar, it's that paulo_wth stuff. I don't have any experience with it so I can't speak to it's tone or strength, but poplar is generally about the same weight as alder, usually just a bit more. At 1lb 13oz I'd almost vote balsa wood.

I had to reinforce every hole with a hardwood dowel. I found out early on that it was like balsa wood when I tried some screws.

[TimBo266]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

At that weight if he has neck dive issues, a couple well placed helium balloons could probably solve it.

Cute... I like that one.

[GuitarStv]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

It's not maple or poplar, it's that paulo_wth stuff. I don't have any experience with it so I can't speak to it's tone or strength, but poplar is generally about the same weight as alder, usually just a bit more. At 1lb 13oz I'd almost vote balsa wood.

Missed page 2, looks like it turned out pretty nice, probably have to tie it down so it doesn't float away.

At that weight if he has neck dive issues, a couple well placed helium balloons could probably solve it.

[devastone]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

It's not maple or poplar, it's that paulo_wth stuff. I don't have any experience with it so I can't speak to it's tone or strength, but poplar is generally about the same weight as alder, usually just a bit more. At 1lb 13oz I'd almost vote balsa wood.

Missed page 2, looks like it turned out pretty nice, probably have to tie it down so it doesn't float away.

[AlexR]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

Looks great......how does it sound??

[TimBo266]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

In case anyone is wondering how it turned out.... the completed project ready to play weighs 5 pounds, 13 ounces

[AlexR]

Re: When is a raw guitar body just too light?

Yep. No hardware at all except the fret wires. All the hardware was ordered from the Fender corporation or Fender distributors. I'm just guessing but I think this project will weigh around 6.5 pounds when done. It definitely will be a lightweight unless I find a heavier body at a decent price.

I have a Paulownia Strat......hardtail. The neck is bulky so maybe some more weight than yours, but the whole guitar is under 6lbs.
For a wood so light, tonally it is not scooped but full.....go figure.