Opinion on Daytona Body wood

[captjc]

The picture below is the body of the '95 trans-blue Daytona I have for sale. The wood grain appears to be ash, but I just weighed it, and it comes in at 7.85 lbs on a postal scale. This seems contrary to most peoples experience and comments on this board with ash Daytonas.

I would like to get your opinion of what the body wood is, ash or alder? Thanks, James

[G Man]

The grain definitely looks ash, and my ash bodied daytona comes in at just over 7 lb.s, so makes sense to me.

[cmatthes]

I have an Ash body Daytona that is just around 6lbs, if not a hair under. Wood varies greatly, just like people!

[RCM78]

Thats ash...

[captjc]

Thanks, I always thought it was ash, but I read so many comments about super heavy Daytonas. So, I wasn't sure.

Is alder more consistent, with the greater variance in weight with ash bodies?

[zenmindbeginner]

Ash has uniform grain like oak... alder has KNOTS and chaotic grain.

Like CMatthes said about wood... it varies a lot as far as density and weight (even within the same species).

But Ash grown in two different climates and soils can vary greatly in density and weight.

Northern Ash becomes much more dense than it's Southern counterparts.

Ash found in the swamps of Louisiana and Mississippi can be extremely light and porous

And yes, alder is a bit more consistent since it is distributed along more consistent climates and soil types.

[kanegon]

My ash T51 tips in at 8.5 lbs., about that same as my basswood MIJ Strat. All my other Hamers were/are under 8, so ash does not = light. Duotone is the only one anywhere near 7, it's mahogany and spruce.

[conorb]

Looks like ash to me. Both of my Daytonas are ash bodied and they weigh about the same as yours.

conorb

[BTMN]

I had a Black one that wieghed about 10lbs but my Natural finished one is a lil over 7lbs.

Looks cool, GLWTS!

[Bennyboy-UK]

I reckon Ash as well, very tasty it is as well.

I've got an mm silhouette that is trans ash, and somewhat light, dinky though the thing is.

I might need to get some scales as I have no quantitative evidence to share at this point!

[BTMN]

I bought a scale similar to this....

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Berkley-Scale-with-Tape/16637411

[kanegon]

Actually, I'm not sure I have an ash bodied T51 after all. Some claim Hamer switched Daytonas and T51s to alder in 96. Mine has a 96 neck now, but I saw it with a 95 neck in an older HC ad. There's also mixed claims as to whether the bodies were one or two piece. The dating matters because I'm considering an NOS pickguard and they apparently used two different patterns for the T51.

Questions:

1. are there any clues in the neck pocket? Looks like ash in the PUP cavity, but....

2. can the bolt-on bodies be dated? Is pot dating accurate for mid 90s CTS pots? (Forgot how it works, but I've done it with 60s and 70s guitars...)

What I can say is that it weigh 8.5 lbs -- heavier than anything else I have.