Many of the 50's Fenders were made of Swamp Ash. 1 piece bodies; 2 piece bodies; 3 piece bodies; 4 piece bodies; Shop By Price. This wood is a very nice choice for clear finishes. Many American guitar factories use Swamp Ash because the wood is lightweight, pretty, and has a pleasant timbre. Other popular guitar woods include Korina, which was made popular by Gibson in the late 1950s. It then announced that it would be phasing out the wood in most cases, reserving it only for special occasions – historical models and the highest-end offerings.. Now, Scientific American has taken a deep look as to what problems swamp ash supply is faced with. Swamp ash, up until earlier this year, was a staple of Fender guitars. The wood is strong, dense, straight-grained and light in color. Ash guitar bodies. Save your money and buy with choices, not hopes. A Strat® body will normally weigh under 5 lbs. There are many kinds of ash trees. It is a fairly light weight wood which makes it easily distinguishable from Hard Ash. For use in electric guitar bodies, the American ash species – Fraxinus Americana – is the one in prominent use. American Ash is a native North American hardwood found on the eastern half of the continent. Flooding is common there but global warming is causing these areas to now be underwater two-thirds of the year, effectively eliminating Southern Ash lumber from the market. It is lighter weight than the Ash lumber produced by trees growing around less moisture. We kiln dry, mill, grade, weigh, and quality check all of our bodies to ensure what you want is what you get. The grain is open and the color is creamy. Swamp Ash has good sustain, firm bass tones, bite in the midrange, and airy highs. Swamp Ash is our second most popular wood. Like alder, swamp ash is a classic solid body guitar wood. Swamp Ash is a prized wood for many reasons. 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