Haywire Custom Guitars Neck, Shaft And Fret Board Wood

Guitar Neck Tone Wood

From plain white maple to colorful tropical exotic wood, we offer a rainbow of musical instrument woods. There is no one “best” wood. The choice you make should be based upon your application and personal taste or preference.

Part of the beauty of wood is the uniqueness of each piece. There are wide ranges of color, striping, streaking, figure size, interval, etc. All photos are for general reference only.
Birdseye Maple / Birdseye Maple
image Maple, Birdseye
Maple, Birdseye
Standard
image Maple, Birdseye
Maple, Birdseye
High Grade		  

Maple, Birdseye (Acer saccharum):

Birdseye is a type of figure found in Hard Maple wood. It shows best in flatsawn wood. There is a wide variety of sizes and shapes in the “eyes.” Under a gloss finish, the Birdseye takes on a 3D look for a beautiful visual appeal. There seems to be a recurring rumor that Birdseye Maple is unstable and not suited to guitar necks. Having made tens of thousands of Birdseye necks, we can assure you that it is no different in stability than plain maple. AAA grade means it will be a bit more figured than our standard.
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Mahogany / Malagasy
 

Mahogany wood(Khaya ivorensis):

Commonly called African Mahogany wood. This is the wood most associated with Gibson guitars. Mahogany is known to provide the warmest, fattest guitar tones. An open grain requiring more work in finishing to fill the open pores. Usually a dark to medium brown with only subtle grain patterns.
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Padouk
 

Padouk, African (Pterocarpus soyauxii):

Bright vivid red color which oxidizes to a warm brown with use. With an open grain wood texture like Rosewood, the sound is very similar to Maple; well balanced and tight. It is very stable in use and requires no finish. Feels very natural to play on.
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Flame Maple / Flame
image Maple, Flame
Maple, Flame
  

Maple, Flame (Acer saccharum):

While there are several maple species that show the flame figure, the only one hard enough for making necks is Acer saccharum. Identical to plain Hard Maple, except for the highly prized flame figuring. For even more flame figure, AAA grade can be requested. A different species of Flame Maple is used for body laminate tops.
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 Kingwood

Kingwood (Dalbergia cearensis):

Affectionately referred to as “the wood of kings” and for good reason! From South America, this wood is very hard and dense with a fine, smooth texture to it. Sonics : you can expect great articulation, fast response and ample sustain. Often the grain is highly figured and varies in amazing ways. Truly an excellent fret board choice and a customer favorite.
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Maple / Roasted
image Roasted Maple wood
Roasted Maple wood
  

Maple, Roasted (Acer saccharum):

Roasted Maple is maple that has been heat treated to remove sugars, moisture, and other impurities that can affect its stability. The result is a neck that is slightly lighter than normal and extremely stable. Because of its enhanced stability a finish is not required, making it the maple of choice for those who prefer the smooth, quick feel of natural . The roasting process also brings out a beautiful caramel color in the wood.
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 Rosewood /
image Indian Rosewood
Indian Rosewood

Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia):

Here we have the most popular fret board! Indian Rosewood has the warm “rock-n-roll” tonality you’ve heard on many of the most famous rock albums in history. The warm wood tone is also a favorite with blues players. Rosewood contains natural oils so a finish is not required. The feel is also smooth and fast. Colors range from brown to dark purple to lighter purple with yellows and sometimes hues of orange and green.
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Pau Ferro
 

Pau Ferro (Machaerium villosum):

An excellent dense, hard wood with a very tight pore structure. This means it’s fast, smooth and extremely durable. An excellent choice for fret less fret boards. Not only is it resistant to wear, but often the wood figuring is striking with variations in color from light tan to a dark coffee. The tone is brighter than Rosewood yet warmer than Ebony with plenty of articulation and attack. One of our favorite woods for fret boards! No finish required!
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Ebony
image Ebony guitar wood
Ebony guitar wood
Standard
Ebony guitar wood
Ebony guitar wood
Ebony (Black)
At additional cost, and subject to availability		  

Ebony (Diospyros melanoxylon):

Ebony  has a smooth, fast feel, a bright tone, and fantastic sustain. Its inherent hardness has made it a preferred choice for fingerboards for centuries. It is especially well-suited to fret less necks. The pure black color most often associated with this species has become exceedingly rare. Today’s Ebony is usually black with light brown or gray streaks, or dark mineral spots – beautiful in its own right, and still highly-prized by instrument makers the world over.
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Ordering From Haywire Custom Guitars

If you would like to order this or any other custom guitar, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your guitar needs.