Botanical Name: Fraxinus spp. (Lightweight wetland varieties)

Average Dried Weight: 32 lbs/ft³ (515 kg/m³)

Acoustic Properties & Overview:
Swamp Ash is a legendary tonewood, most famous for its use in classic 1950s solid-body electric guitars. It is highly prized for its lightweight nature and incredibly resonant, musical tone. It offers a wide frequency response with sparkling, bell-like highs, firm, well-defined lows, and a slightly scooped midrange. This creates a highly articulate and dynamic sound that is exceptionally responsive to a player's picking attack.

Workability & Appearance:
Visually, Swamp Ash is characterized by its pale, creamy color and striking, bold grain patterns. Unlike Alder, it has a very open grain structure, which means it requires a grain filler if a perfectly smooth, glass-like finish is desired. However, this prominent grain makes it the absolute ultimate choice for translucent finishes (like the iconic Butterscotch Blonde) or stained finishes that highlight the wood's beautiful natural figuring. It machines, sands, and glues exceptionally well.