Wenge as a guitar neck?!

[Erlend_G]

Hey mates, i was just wondering how Wenge would work as a guitar neck, as opposed to a maple or mahagony one?

I will maybe be buliding a custom guitar (warmoth) if i get enough money for when i get confirmated, a hollow tele with ash body, 2x Alnico II Pro singles and a custom custom :32: , but im not sure of the neck. I've heard alot of good things about wenge necks, so i'm curious to hear your opinion

-Erlend

 

[rspst14]

Re: Wenge as a guitar neck?!

I just got one from Warmoth, although I'm still waiting for the body to arrive, so I can't comment on the tone. What I can tell you is that wenge is a very fast-feeling wood. It has a very dark brown color to it, and it has little grooves in the wood. It's a very stable wood, no finish is required. In terms of tone, it's supposedly a warmer sounding wood, and it works well when used with an ebony fretboard.

Ryan

 

[Erlend_G]

Re: Wenge as a guitar neck?!

Thanks Ryan, as a matter of fact i was just looking at warmoth.com the time you posted your reply.

I know from experience that when wenge is used as a bass neck, it gives that thick, fat, compressed growly sound that Warwick's are famous for. I was just wondering how it would work as a guitar neck, since i'm looking for something that has the punch, briteness of maple but a bit thicker?

Cheers,
-Erlend

 

[rspst14]

Re: Wenge as a guitar neck?!

Thanks Ryan, as a matter of fact i was just looking at warmoth.com the time you posted your reply.

I know from experience that when wenge is used as a bass neck, it gives that thick, fat, compressed growly sound that Warwick's are famous for. I was just wondering how it would work as a guitar neck, since i'm looking for something that has the punch, briteness of maple but a bit thicker?

Cheers,
-Erlend

Sounds like you're describing Goncalo Alves when you say you want something with the punch and brightness of maple, but with a bit more thickness. Goncalo feels similar to wenge, it is nice and smooth and requires no finish. Tonally, it's brighter than wenge and it works well with rosewood, pau ferro, or ebony. It's similar to maple, but with more mids, so it has a thicker tone. If that's what you want, I think you'd really like goncalo.

Ryan

 

[TheProphet]

Re: Wenge as a guitar neck?!

Wenge was something of a bass thing when Michael Tobias and Warwick were using it for bass necks (Tobias added a Maple Fretboard).

I've got a bunch of Wenge sitting around my old house (I'll be picking it up this summer) ... it's the most resonant wood that I've come across (and a b**** to work with as well). If you take a piece of stock and tap it ... it'll ring for ages.

I still need to finish my DIY with the Warmoth neck before I know for sure how the Wenge neck sounds ... finally I get some time to finish the damn project

 

[Erlend_G]

Re: Wenge as a guitar neck?!

Hey TheProphet.... you say that your wenge rings and sustains for ages when you tap on it.... what does it sound like?

 

[TheProphet]

Re: Wenge as a guitar neck?!

The tap tone or the neck? LOL

I haven't finished the body yet so I can't say anything about the neck.

The tap tone for the Wenge is really warm, and I'm guessing strong bass and mid frequencies with a little top end. Hard to say what that'll sound like in a finished guitar. Hopefully I can get back to you around October as to the Neck