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I've gradually evolved into buying mine in plank form. It's cheapest!
But, for the odd blank, there's always someone selling something on eBay, and it's easy then to return it if it arrives as something completely different (or unsuitable).
Some of the sellers are timber yards who've spotted an opportunity to cut a plank into smaller bits, run it through their thicknesser, and suddenly a £10 piece of plank is FS at £50. Some are more focused on luthier supplies. You shouldn't need to go all the way to Portugal to find it, but it you are going to buy from there, do it before year-end!
OK, you're not going to be able to "tap test" it first, but, tbh, I'm not sure that's really - really - important for electrics anyway.
Or, if you look at some of the build threads, almost any of piece of scrap wood, Ikea table, or bunch of offcuts can be turned into a guitar body ...
I've also recently bought wood from a well-known UK supplier and had to send it back as the body blank was both cupped and split.
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thanks for the name check - I'm a complete rank amateur compared with these guys ( but learning fast ( err, nicking ideas ! ) from watching their builds). Also check out @Andyjr1515 build stuff.
The commercial guys understandably don't post much building ( though a few do , @GSPBASSES for example ) - but there have been some amazingly well documented builds - like Neil's @IvisonGuitars junior thread which was what got me hooked.
As for wood sources - its a bit of a broad choice. The serious builders will get their stuff from high quality, reputable and established suppliers like David Dyke's ( others are available ).
Some wood can be expensive though - so its definitely worth searching around as Tony says.
My recent stock of Limba/Idigbo was bought in 8" x 2" 8 foot rough sawn planks from Arnold Lavers in Leeds ( well they moved it from Sheffield which is where they have a lot of hardwood stock ). Lavers might seem an unlikely choice but they stock some pretty nice hardwoods - you just have to get talking on the phone to the staff in the offices to see what they have.
So far my mahogany has come from reclaimed timber places, some from a wood recycling charity place in Leeds, and the other stuff from an architectural salvage place.
I'm still convinced that some of the mahogany neck blanks you see on eBay are just construction grade sapele dimensioned and resold as luthier stock.
If you're buying from any unusual sources then watch out for water content. A moisture meter is a good investment and pretty cheap.
Meanwhile - go for it - I don't think you have "false hope". You can do it.
It's an extremely rewarding thing. I am a player really rather than a builder but my self-builds already get more playing time than my other guitars.
What do you fancy making ?
Let us know how you get on, or if you have any questions - someone here will know the answer ( though probably not me ! )
I find it hard to believe the any one in the UK has to buy their wood from Portugal, I'm sure the wood that comes from G&W is very good, but I'm also sure you can buy the same wood in the UK.
I purchased most of my wood from David Dyke, I would think David has the largest supply of Tone Woods in the country. Followed very closely by Timber Line in Tonbridge, who have now got a specialist tone wood shop within the warehouse. I'm also sure there are many other suppliers within the UK.
I figure the Mahogany and Maple that David Dyke sells was good enough for the late Terry Morgan then it should be good enough for anybody else.
David has just cut up a Sycamore tree that has produced some of the most beautiful Les Paul caps I have ever seen, unfortunately it won't be ready to use for at least a year.
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Agree on timberline, very good stuff from them so far. Nice you can now pick some pieces of wood online too.
I have used G&W for some body blanks as the prices were too good to ignore, even with postage. A short trip across Europe isn't that much compared to the journey the tree has been on already. They also are getting close to being a real rival for Stew mac, so adding a few wood blanks onto an order of tools isn't that daft really.
I just ordered some wood from exotic hardwoods uk then realised they are actually fairly local. I haven't had a good local supplier since craft supplies closed down. Fingers crossed its alright
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