To check for body wood.

[Skyhawk]

I have a hardtail f-100 in candy apple red. How would you check for what the body wood is? The easiest and safe way causing less chances for screwing up the guitar. Now, keep in mind I have taken many necks apart etc. but I really don't want to. I'm thinking of maybe just taking the screws out of the vol. control plate and seeing if I can lift it enough to see the wood. If its mahog. it will be easy to tell. Just wondering how you would do it.
LS

[Elwood]

I'd probably do the same, or maybe lift a pickup .I'm guessing if it's a stock solid color then it's maple or mahogany. It should be relatively easy to tell the difference once you peek under the hood.

You might be able to get a picture that will spur some discussion .
Do you think the CAR paint is original?
(how 'bout some pics anyway ?)

elwood

[Skyhawk]

Elwood, I don't think its maple, I think maple may be a bit heavier than this guitar. I also have an ash 84 f-100 and its cleaner and brighter than the red one. I think its mahogany from the way it sounds compared to my ash one. I know they also used some poplar back then on solid colors also. I think I may lift the control plate. Curiosity is killing the cat. lol

[Skyhawk]

I guess I won't go the control plate to check the wood. I would need to loosen more than the screws so I may go with the strap peg.
LS

[Skyhawk]

Well, its not mahogny........didn't see any reddish wood. If I had to guess, I'd say poplar.
LS

[louis cyfer]

pictures. you can not tell by weight, maple can be heavy or light.

[KenC]

What year is the F-100? The selection of woods changed over the course of the F-100 production run.

Ken

[Skyhawk]

I would say an early 81 F-100.
LS

[KenC]

I would say an early 81 F-100.

Maple is unlikely, IMO. Not impossible, but unlikely. Most of the '80-'81 production seems to have been swamp ash or mahogany. There was poplar left over from the Musicman days as well at that point, and it would have gone under a solid finish. Maple really starts showing up in the later part of '82 with the SC and SB models and then with the Nighthawk in '83.

I'd bet the F-100 pickups would be pretty shrill in a maple body.

Ken

[Skyhawk]

Ya, this don't sound like maple. Its darker than my 84 ash body f-100. It has a pretty good growl to it. But from the strap button hole it sure does not look like mahogany. I suppose it could be ash but I'm thinking more poplar. It is a solid candy apple red.
LS

[KenC]

Ya, this don't sound like maple. Its darker than my 84 ash body f-100. It has a pretty good growl to it. But from the strap button hole it sure does not look like mahogany. I suppose it could be ash but I'm thinking more poplar. It is a solid candy apple red.

My '80 swamp ash F-100 is the brightest guitar I own. The same pickups in a mahogany body have an entirely different character. Those Leo-era maple bodies can growl pretty well, though...

If it is a poplar body from '81 it would have been finished in a solid color, most likely candy apple red. It would be light, too, so it sounds like a reasonable guess for your guitar. I'm looking forward to pics of the neck pocket!

Ken