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Fender will no longer use ash bodies for production-line guitars

brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,685
in Musicians and Gearheads
I also posted the link to this article in the AMT global warming thread but thought it would get some interest here in the Gearheads thread as it relates to the quality (or potential degrading of quality) on Fender instruments.  This is not an encouraging change and does not bode well for Fender guitars and the affordability of the ash guitars will remain in production.


“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













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    gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 22,152
    brianlux said:
    I also posted the link to this article in the AMT global warming thread but thought it would get some interest here in the Gearheads thread as it relates to the quality (or potential degrading of quality) on Fender instruments.  This is not an encouraging change and does not bode well for Fender guitars and the affordability of the ash guitars will remain in production.


    wow. i heard something about this back when we were talking about specs for the tele i had built. the builder preferred to work with ash but said it is getting harder for him to come by. i kind of wanted ash too, but my strat is ash, so i was looking at alder to have a choice between the tele and the strat. we ended up finding a blue alder body after looking for ash for several weeks, so we went with the alder.

    it sounds like they are looking at different types of ash that would be heavier and needing to be chambered. this could be interesting. can you imagine a 12 pound tele? would be like playing a 70s les paul, lol.
    There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.- Hemingway

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
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    brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,685
    gimmesometruth27 said:
    brianlux said:
    I also posted the link to this article in the AMT global warming thread but thought it would get some interest here in the Gearheads thread as it relates to the quality (or potential degrading of quality) on Fender instruments.  This is not an encouraging change and does not bode well for Fender guitars and the affordability of the ash guitars will remain in production.


    wow. i heard something about this back when we were talking about specs for the tele i had built. the builder preferred to work with ash but said it is getting harder for him to come by. i kind of wanted ash too, but my strat is ash, so i was looking at alder to have a choice between the tele and the strat. we ended up finding a blue alder body after looking for ash for several weeks, so we went with the alder.

    it sounds like they are looking at different types of ash that would be heavier and needing to be chambered. this could be interesting. can you imagine a 12 pound tele? would be like playing a 70s les paul, lol.

    Yeah, it's a shame these woods are getting scarce.  If I were younger and an arborist I would be looking into places and ways to put in some healthy ash and alders.  I just can't imagine a tele made out of pine- it's such a weak type of wood. 
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













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    tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,985
    brianlux said:
    gimmesometruth27 said:
    brianlux said:
    I also posted the link to this article in the AMT global warming thread but thought it would get some interest here in the Gearheads thread as it relates to the quality (or potential degrading of quality) on Fender instruments.  This is not an encouraging change and does not bode well for Fender guitars and the affordability of the ash guitars will remain in production.


    wow. i heard something about this back when we were talking about specs for the tele i had built. the builder preferred to work with ash but said it is getting harder for him to come by. i kind of wanted ash too, but my strat is ash, so i was looking at alder to have a choice between the tele and the strat. we ended up finding a blue alder body after looking for ash for several weeks, so we went with the alder.

    it sounds like they are looking at different types of ash that would be heavier and needing to be chambered. this could be interesting. can you imagine a 12 pound tele? would be like playing a 70s les paul, lol.

    Yeah, it's a shame these woods are getting scarce.  If I were younger and an arborist I would be looking into places and ways to put in some healthy ash and alders.  I just can't imagine a tele made out of pine- it's such a weak type of wood. 
    10 years back or so my company got to walk the Martin factory in PA.  They had joined a conservatism group to help preserve and replenish certain woods in forests so they could keep making guitars with certain woods.  Ash was a main problem years ago too.  The Asian Beetles have been feasting on them for years at that point.

    Baseball bats were always made of Ash up until a few years ago when the trees stocks were decimated.

    Find a way to abolish the invasive Beetle and you can have your ash trees back.

    A few years ago there was a cork shortage too and many wine companies went to twist off caps and synthetic corks.
  • Options
    brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,685
    tempo_n_groove said:
    brianlux said:
    gimmesometruth27 said:
    brianlux said:
    I also posted the link to this article in the AMT global warming thread but thought it would get some interest here in the Gearheads thread as it relates to the quality (or potential degrading of quality) on Fender instruments.  This is not an encouraging change and does not bode well for Fender guitars and the affordability of the ash guitars will remain in production.


    wow. i heard something about this back when we were talking about specs for the tele i had built. the builder preferred to work with ash but said it is getting harder for him to come by. i kind of wanted ash too, but my strat is ash, so i was looking at alder to have a choice between the tele and the strat. we ended up finding a blue alder body after looking for ash for several weeks, so we went with the alder.

    it sounds like they are looking at different types of ash that would be heavier and needing to be chambered. this could be interesting. can you imagine a 12 pound tele? would be like playing a 70s les paul, lol.

    Yeah, it's a shame these woods are getting scarce.  If I were younger and an arborist I would be looking into places and ways to put in some healthy ash and alders.  I just can't imagine a tele made out of pine- it's such a weak type of wood. 
    10 years back or so my company got to walk the Martin factory in PA.  They had joined a conservatism group to help preserve and replenish certain woods in forests so they could keep making guitars with certain woods.  Ash was a main problem years ago too.  The Asian Beetles have been feasting on them for years at that point.

    Baseball bats were always made of Ash up until a few years ago when the trees stocks were decimated.

    Find a way to abolish the invasive Beetle and you can have your ash trees back.

    A few years ago there was a cork shortage too and many wine companies went to twist off caps and synthetic corks.

    A different species of beetles is causing much tree death out here in the west as well, especially on some species of pine and cedars.  The question is, are beetles the problem, or are they a symptom of much larger problems?  I would venture to guess the latter and that those problems include climate change, loss of diversity of species, and human intrusion on habitat.  As long as humans continue to skew the balances in nature, and as long as we continue to focus on eradication rather than restoring natural balances, these kinds of problems will continue.  I'm a bit cynical about all this.  I don't think humans are going to do what is necessary to restore those balances.  I think nature will do that by eradication the source of the problems. 
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













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    tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,985
    brianlux said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    brianlux said:
    gimmesometruth27 said:
    brianlux said:
    I also posted the link to this article in the AMT global warming thread but thought it would get some interest here in the Gearheads thread as it relates to the quality (or potential degrading of quality) on Fender instruments.  This is not an encouraging change and does not bode well for Fender guitars and the affordability of the ash guitars will remain in production.


    wow. i heard something about this back when we were talking about specs for the tele i had built. the builder preferred to work with ash but said it is getting harder for him to come by. i kind of wanted ash too, but my strat is ash, so i was looking at alder to have a choice between the tele and the strat. we ended up finding a blue alder body after looking for ash for several weeks, so we went with the alder.

    it sounds like they are looking at different types of ash that would be heavier and needing to be chambered. this could be interesting. can you imagine a 12 pound tele? would be like playing a 70s les paul, lol.

    Yeah, it's a shame these woods are getting scarce.  If I were younger and an arborist I would be looking into places and ways to put in some healthy ash and alders.  I just can't imagine a tele made out of pine- it's such a weak type of wood. 
    10 years back or so my company got to walk the Martin factory in PA.  They had joined a conservatism group to help preserve and replenish certain woods in forests so they could keep making guitars with certain woods.  Ash was a main problem years ago too.  The Asian Beetles have been feasting on them for years at that point.

    Baseball bats were always made of Ash up until a few years ago when the trees stocks were decimated.

    Find a way to abolish the invasive Beetle and you can have your ash trees back.

    A few years ago there was a cork shortage too and many wine companies went to twist off caps and synthetic corks.

    A different species of beetles is causing much tree death out here in the west as well, especially on some species of pine and cedars.  The question is, are beetles the problem, or are they a symptom of much larger problems?  I would venture to guess the latter and that those problems include climate change, loss of diversity of species, and human intrusion on habitat.  As long as humans continue to skew the balances in nature, and as long as we continue to focus on eradication rather than restoring natural balances, these kinds of problems will continue.  I'm a bit cynical about all this.  I don't think humans are going to do what is necessary to restore those balances.  I think nature will do that by eradication the source of the problems. 
    You can research the beetle EAB, Emerald Ash Borer, and see that it came from Asia and it has decimated the ash trees.

    As far as climate change?  I absolutely agree that it doesn't help.  
  • Options
    brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,685
    edited December 2020
    tempo_n_groove said:
    brianlux said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    brianlux said:
    gimmesometruth27 said:
    brianlux said:
    I also posted the link to this article in the AMT global warming thread but thought it would get some interest here in the Gearheads thread as it relates to the quality (or potential degrading of quality) on Fender instruments.  This is not an encouraging change and does not bode well for Fender guitars and the affordability of the ash guitars will remain in production.


    wow. i heard something about this back when we were talking about specs for the tele i had built. the builder preferred to work with ash but said it is getting harder for him to come by. i kind of wanted ash too, but my strat is ash, so i was looking at alder to have a choice between the tele and the strat. we ended up finding a blue alder body after looking for ash for several weeks, so we went with the alder.

    it sounds like they are looking at different types of ash that would be heavier and needing to be chambered. this could be interesting. can you imagine a 12 pound tele? would be like playing a 70s les paul, lol.

    Yeah, it's a shame these woods are getting scarce.  If I were younger and an arborist I would be looking into places and ways to put in some healthy ash and alders.  I just can't imagine a tele made out of pine- it's such a weak type of wood. 
    10 years back or so my company got to walk the Martin factory in PA.  They had joined a conservatism group to help preserve and replenish certain woods in forests so they could keep making guitars with certain woods.  Ash was a main problem years ago too.  The Asian Beetles have been feasting on them for years at that point.

    Baseball bats were always made of Ash up until a few years ago when the trees stocks were decimated.

    Find a way to abolish the invasive Beetle and you can have your ash trees back.

    A few years ago there was a cork shortage too and many wine companies went to twist off caps and synthetic corks.

    A different species of beetles is causing much tree death out here in the west as well, especially on some species of pine and cedars.  The question is, are beetles the problem, or are they a symptom of much larger problems?  I would venture to guess the latter and that those problems include climate change, loss of diversity of species, and human intrusion on habitat.  As long as humans continue to skew the balances in nature, and as long as we continue to focus on eradication rather than restoring natural balances, these kinds of problems will continue.  I'm a bit cynical about all this.  I don't think humans are going to do what is necessary to restore those balances.  I think nature will do that by eradication the source of the problems. 
    You can research the beetle EAB, Emerald Ash Borer, and see that it came from Asia and it has decimated the ash trees.

    As far as climate change?  I absolutely agree that it doesn't help.  

    Not surprised.  So many invasive species travel around the world these days.  The south has it's kudzu to deal with.  Here in California we have water hyacinth and zebra mussels choking waterways. Many areas around the U.S. with invasive beetles in trees.  Pretty much all those kinds of problems are attributable to human activity and humans messing with nature. 
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













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    dankinddankind I am not your foot. Posts: 20,827
    brianlux said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    brianlux said:
    tempo_n_groove said:
    brianlux said:
    gimmesometruth27 said:
    brianlux said:
    I also posted the link to this article in the AMT global warming thread but thought it would get some interest here in the Gearheads thread as it relates to the quality (or potential degrading of quality) on Fender instruments.  This is not an encouraging change and does not bode well for Fender guitars and the affordability of the ash guitars will remain in production.


    wow. i heard something about this back when we were talking about specs for the tele i had built. the builder preferred to work with ash but said it is getting harder for him to come by. i kind of wanted ash too, but my strat is ash, so i was looking at alder to have a choice between the tele and the strat. we ended up finding a blue alder body after looking for ash for several weeks, so we went with the alder.

    it sounds like they are looking at different types of ash that would be heavier and needing to be chambered. this could be interesting. can you imagine a 12 pound tele? would be like playing a 70s les paul, lol.

    Yeah, it's a shame these woods are getting scarce.  If I were younger and an arborist I would be looking into places and ways to put in some healthy ash and alders.  I just can't imagine a tele made out of pine- it's such a weak type of wood. 
    10 years back or so my company got to walk the Martin factory in PA.  They had joined a conservatism group to help preserve and replenish certain woods in forests so they could keep making guitars with certain woods.  Ash was a main problem years ago too.  The Asian Beetles have been feasting on them for years at that point.

    Baseball bats were always made of Ash up until a few years ago when the trees stocks were decimated.

    Find a way to abolish the invasive Beetle and you can have your ash trees back.

    A few years ago there was a cork shortage too and many wine companies went to twist off caps and synthetic corks.

    A different species of beetles is causing much tree death out here in the west as well, especially on some species of pine and cedars.  The question is, are beetles the problem, or are they a symptom of much larger problems?  I would venture to guess the latter and that those problems include climate change, loss of diversity of species, and human intrusion on habitat.  As long as humans continue to skew the balances in nature, and as long as we continue to focus on eradication rather than restoring natural balances, these kinds of problems will continue.  I'm a bit cynical about all this.  I don't think humans are going to do what is necessary to restore those balances.  I think nature will do that by eradication the source of the problems. 
    You can research the beetle EAB, Emerald Ash Borer, and see that it came from Asia and it has decimated the ash trees.

    As far as climate change?  I absolutely agree that it doesn't help.  

    Not surprised.  So many invasive species travel around the world these days.  The south has it's kudzu to deal with.  Here in California we have water hyacinth and zebra mussels choking waterways. Many areas around the U.S. with invasive beetles in trees.  Pretty much all those kinds of problems are attributable to human activity and humans messing with nature. 
    "Oh yeah. An African swallow, maybe, but not a European swallow, that's my point."
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • Options
    Jason PJason P Posts: 19,122
    The Ash trees will take three to four decades to re-establish themselves ... and as soon as the Ash a worthy meal again, the EAB will be back to wipe it out again.  Most northern states' DNR have already declared the war against EAB lost and over (even though it was already lost over a decade ago)

    stupid bugs.
  • Options
    Jason PJason P Posts: 19,122
    Well, Fender gonna Fender ... they have a new American Ultra Luxe model with ash body and maple necks ... and stainless frets.  All for $2300.  Which is kind of tempting ... but the American Ultra is $1900 (which seems like a solid deal for a top end stratocaster).  So gotta figure if SS frets and ash are worth 30% price increase.

    probably just dreaming anywho.  ash body comes in two colors that I know of.  here is one ...


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    Jason PJason P Posts: 19,122
    color two ...


  • Options
    tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 38,985
    Jason P said:
    Well, Fender gonna Fender ... they have a new American Ultra Luxe model with ash body and maple necks ... and stainless frets.  All for $2300.  Which is kind of tempting ... but the American Ultra is $1900 (which seems like a solid deal for a top end stratocaster).  So gotta figure if SS frets and ash are worth 30% price increase.

    probably just dreaming anywho.  ash body comes in two colors that I know of.  here is one ...


    For $400 more I'd go ash and choose this one.
  • Options
    Jason PJason P Posts: 19,122
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Jason P said:
    Well, Fender gonna Fender ... they have a new American Ultra Luxe model with ash body and maple necks ... and stainless frets.  All for $2300.  Which is kind of tempting ... but the American Ultra is $1900 (which seems like a solid deal for a top end stratocaster).  So gotta figure if SS frets and ash are worth 30% price increase.

    probably just dreaming anywho.  ash body comes in two colors that I know of.  here is one ...


    For $400 more I'd go ash and choose this one.

    There is also a variant of the 2 color sunburst with rosewood frets, which I have a slight playing preference, but it could be that the majority of guitars I have have rosewood.  Also looks nice paired with the painted headstocks. 

    But yeah, with Ash being a premium along with SS frets, it should hold value well.  Seems like Fender could be charging $1000 more and they would sell just as fast in the current market. 
  • Options
    Jason PJason P Posts: 19,122
    rosewood variant with ash body ...


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