Official Luthiers Forum!

(That’s right "moot" not "zoot". The polar opposite of zoot is what I’m looking for.)

Greetings all,
I have lurked for a long while and have decided that I really should participate.

I’ve started planning for my second instrument and have decided that while I will purchase a decent top I want a somewhat inexpensive set of back & sides. I really don’t even care if they're matched as this is a prototype instrument and I’m not really sure how it will work out. The real question here is:

Does anyone know of anyone that sells mismatched/fugly sides and backs?

Thanks in advance,
Jeremy

Allied has a low grade of rosewood that is very inexpensive, and there are always lots of cheap sets on ebay to be found.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I bet one of the wood sponsors here will have something for ya ---

Welcome Jeremy..

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Cheapest I've seen is the African mahoganies Maderas Barber over in Spain has, with low grade rosewoods for not much more.

Sapele sets (no grading, so I'm assuming plainly quartered, simple sets) for 12-13 euros, Khaya for about the same, Padauk and honduran in there, all under the 25 mark. Don't think it gets any cheaper than that.Mattia Valente38405.571724537

Hi, Jeremy... I mean, Howdy!

Talk to the "Moot" man, our own BobC. (Or should that be CocB, following your logic?)
He cuts what he finds, so if you tell him you want something plain, he might welcome the chance to buy some inexpensive wood for a change. What say, Bob?

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

some plain mahogany should be cheap enough. Check with Euphonon...he sometimes has mahogany sets for $15 or so.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Jeremy I do have some plain mahogany sets pretty cheap. I also have mismatched sets. However I wouldn't waste my time building a guitar with mismatched wood that is cheap. Labor is still the same no matter what wood you build with.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Jeremy,
I'm with Bob on this one. What's the price difference between a cheap mismatched set and an inexpensive set of matched mahogany? If Bob can't fix you up, AC Woods (another forum sponsor)has sapeli for $32 a set. Once you've invested all that time and find that your experiment turned out great, you'll kick yourself for "saving" $15. This is one lesson I've learned the lesson the hard way.
BruceH

Bob is right. The wood is secondary to what you do. But if you want to make something that doesn't match it's okay as a learning and cost saving effort.

That said, let me say this: Most people who build a guitar, that have good basic skills, often amaze themselves at how good a guitar they build with no experience. So, back to Bob's point, get some good wood, and good wood and expensive needn't be synonymous.

Mahogany and Sapele prices are absolutely a bargain.

Bob is right, and for the record......not all sets on ebay is cheap . If bob doesn't have something for you give me a call on my wood line...757 392 0130 ...Bob's mahogany should do you well though.

Sure not ALL sets are cheap... and you guys do a very good job supplying us, but if you know going in that the wood is likely to be throw away I understand the urge to go really cheap.

I just saw a decent set of walnut, nothing special, but not flawed either go for $25 today. That is pretty cheap in my book.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I was just playin around BP...You are right on all points. I do think that the tendency to build with more care and patience is there when the "investment" is made, be it on a smaller or larger scale.

Hey Jeremy, I see you are new, welcome to the OLF. Old Luthier Farts (an "f" word for sure, and synonymous with curmudgeons)

Hey, and you know that plain mahogany will still make a great sounding guitar!

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

[QUOTE=Colin S] Hey, and you know that plain mahogany will still make a great sounding guitar!

Colin[/QUOTE]

Easy to work and easy on your tools also!

But.... someday you might be crying the blues (or in Colin's case singing the blues... ) if you waste a good set of Hondo on an experiment.

You know that stuff is going to shoot up in price when African becomes the only commercially available mahogany.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

That is why I stash a set for every few that I cut.

Thanks for your advice. I have limited internet access and was absolutely dumbfounded as to the expedient responses from everyone. Thanks again.