I remember rants from people talking about the decline of quality with Fender materials and exaggerate by saying something like "what's next plywood?" I also put a big general "or" in my original post as a safety net.

My post wasn't intended to focus on what other people said or didn't say regarding plywood Fenders- it was intended to show a new guitar that was made from inferior body wood (in my opinion).

Birch plywood, although sturdy and often used for marine grade applications, is still plywood. It is good for high end amps because of dampening properties. However, amps and guitars thrive on completely different wood properties. In my experience with wood, plywood is not ideal material for building a guitar.

If anybody comes across one, please tell us of the over all feel and give the body a little knock like someone is gonna open a door behind the pickup and invite you in for a beer. Will it sound "right"?

Yes but that Gibson is not a plywood guitar. Plywood is when you take sheets of wood or wood veneers and layer them on top of each other. That thing is made like a laminated board and strips of wood are press together on edge. More like a pressed laminated beam in small scale.
I will say its a ugly color combination though.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Martin Guitars now make their X Series with a "Stratabond" neck joined to a body made from High Pressure Laminated (HPL) "mahogany pattern" wood with a solid spruce front:



Currently that construction is on their lower-priced ($500 - 600) models, but supposedly they have plans to introduce it higher up the catalog too.

I haven't met one yet: I'd sure be interested to see how they sound. When Martin do something you at least give it serious consideration...

***

A while ago cvilleira posted a very interesting YouTube clip of a gentleman playing a Tele-style guitar made from a bamboo composite "timber". I can't find any of that material to try. If I could I'd build a Strat out of it just for the sheer heck of it - and I'd do it right here on the Forum so's everyone could have an opinion!

(Sounds like a challenge...?)

Cheers - C

I would love to see you do a build of some kind here on the forum Ceri! Lord knows we need something like that NOW!!

a 1/2' x 4' x 8' sheet of bamboo sell for 138.00 each

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Hi Hop: It would be a mighty foolish thing to have said if I wasn't prepared to follow through! If you, CV or anyone else can find me some of that bamboo material in a form big enough to make a body blank from (and not too ludicrously expensive, please) then I'd be delighted to run that thread!

Cheers - C

Oh. That does kinda sound a bit "ludicrously expensive", to quote my previous post, doesn't it? Even so, where are you seeing it, please?

Cheers - C

I'm just wishing someone would do a build and post it in the fashion as you did on your blue strat. I had something to look forward to every day! Need to break up the monotony of the same old subjects.

Here you go I look at this stuff a while back then I looked at Bamboo cutting boards.
http://amazuluinc.com/flattened-bamboo- ... -board.htm

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Oh, hold on. I misread your previous post. That's feet, not inches - d'oh!

So it's not expensive after all. But it looks like crap! Surely that can't be what the guy built that Tele out of? This stuff - you might as well build a guitar out of wrapping paper!

Now where are these bamboo cutting boards you're talking about? I'm not seeing them on that page. I'll have a bit of a Google...

Cheers CV - C

Don't worry, there's stuff in the pipeline - but be patient, because it's a long pipeline!

Meantime, when Niki's finished his cold turkey we'll see if he still wants to do something with that "burnt offering", if you remember what I mean. Don't want to hassle him about it, and I've been busy, but that could be fun. Or a total disaster!

Mind you, if we did these things too often they'd become the "monotonous same old subjects" themselves, wouldn't they...?

Cheers - C

Do I sence a project?

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

The bamboo? Absolutely - I'm all for trying out weird materials if they make sense. Why should bass players have all the interesting timbers and stuff? Guitarists need to be more adventurous.

Far as the rest is concerned - well, you remember the trees I was chopping up? We're not quite ready to go with that - but it won't be long.

And in the meantime the Ninjacaster would make a fun little rescue thread, wouldn't it? Got an idea about that, but I don't know if it could be pulled off...

- C

EDIT: Later - ha, I see what you mean about chopping boards. This would be big enough for a body blank, for instance. Clever...!

http://www.totallybamboo.com/index.cfm? ... duct_ID=52

i kindda like the rainbow sg. im not in the market for an electric right now, tho. i really want a nice martin but anyway back to the sg...if i had all the money in the world i would certinly buy one

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Paddle faster! I hear banjo music!

+1

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"There is more to life than increasing its speed." Mahatma Gandhi

Owner of:
-2008 American Standard Strat in Candy Cola Red
-Vibro-Champ XD
-Fender CD-60 Acoustic (Sunburst)