Supplier for Swamp Ash and Alder

Phil Mailloux · #1 05-15-2009, 04:27 PM

With Larry being on vacation until July, I'm looking for a supplier for both Swamp Ash and Alder body blanks. I'd prefer if the blanks were priced under the $80 mark each. Over that, I might as well get it from Stewmac.

So, anyone knows a reliable supplier of both of these woods?

mikeyswood · #2 05-15-2009, 04:55 PM

Is there anything special that you need? Is there a reason you are not buying the rough lumber?

Phil Mailloux · #3 05-15-2009, 04:58 PM

I'm in Australia, shipping a body blank costs me about $60-70 each. If I ship two bodies at a time it goes down to $80-90. Size restrictions for shipping are 40" length so that takes the lumber out of the equation.

mikeyswood · #4 05-15-2009, 05:16 PM

Alder is a piece of cake. What are you calling Swamp Ash - fraxinus caroliniana, or fraxinus nigra?

Phil Mailloux · #5 05-15-2009, 05:58 PM

Lite Ash, like Larry, Stewmac, LMII, Warmoth etc... sells. No idea what the botanical name is, I'm not too worried about it.

Are you a wood dealer or do you know of one that sells them both?

eleonn · #6 05-15-2009, 08:04 PM

Send a PM to Harry asking about the latin name of the Ash he sells, he'll tell you.

Gone · #7 05-15-2009, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Mailloux

I'm in Australia, shipping a body blank costs me about $60-70 each. If I ship two bodies at a time it goes down to $80-90. Size restrictions for shipping are 40" length so that takes the lumber out of the equation.

Can't you source these woods locally?

Phil Mailloux · #8 05-15-2009, 09:37 PM

No, these woods are all "exotics" here

There might be a supplier or two in the whole country of "Guitar Tonewoods" that might supply it but at a greatly inflated price. One of them, Gilet Guitars in Sydney has an ebay account, he was one of the rare links that came up for Swamp Ash blanks. His are $250AUD for a blank, translates to $200US at this time.

eleonn · #9 05-16-2009, 03:47 AM

Thanks god mahogany is cheap stuff here!!!

erikbojerik · #10 05-16-2009, 09:17 AM

Gilmer

http://www.gilmerwood.com/instrument...lid_bodies.htm

vbasscustom · #11 05-16-2009, 09:05 PM

oh man, im so gald that ash is like 7 bucks a BF here in nova scotia.

erikbojerik · #12 05-17-2009, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vbasscustom

oh man, im so gald that ash is like 7 bucks a BF here in nova scotia.

Yeah but that's not swamp ash - that's northern ash which is almost twice as heavy as good swamp ash.

Ol'Bass'ead · #13 05-19-2009, 12:58 AM

What I hate is that I cant seem to find any SA in the 1" -1 1/4" thickness and/or a decent price. I hate wasting half a board when i only need that much. Plus its way over priced everywhere I've looked. Maybe if I could find a source for Paulownia, it would be a good substitute. Actually, Phil, you should look into Paulownia. Its a Asian wood that looks a lot like SA, and is pretty light. My son had a Dean guitar that was made from it. We shaved the top and put a figured maple top on it and it turned out great.

Phil Mailloux · #14 05-19-2009, 02:11 AM

Thanks for the tip, I'll have a look and see if my local exotics wood dealer has some in stock.

pilotjones · #15 05-19-2009, 11:13 AM

I thought paulownia was being grown in the southeastern US. Brubaker used to use it.

Ol'Bass'ead · #16 05-19-2009, 11:58 AM

I believe you're right Jones, but it was imported from China, I think. It looks a lot like SA in its figuring, and all the info I have been able to come up with makes it sound like a pretty good alternative.

Ol'Bass'ead · #17 05-19-2009, 12:23 PM

I just found this;

http://www.paulowniawood.com/

Yvarg · #18 05-19-2009, 02:41 PM

LOL, that website makes it sound like this paulownia is some kind of super-wood.

Ol'Bass'ead · #19 05-19-2009, 10:45 PM

Yes, it does. And other sources I have read sound a lot like this one.

WarriorJoe7 · #20 05-19-2009, 10:50 PM

this makes it sound like a super tree

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulownia