Veneer and Bridged

Hey guitar guru,
I need to know if there is any tone changes in the wood for the headstock veneer, also any tone change for bridge (does the grain have to be straight or can it be twisted like mesquite).

I want to sue mesquite as a bridge and headstock veneer. I know how tough it is but I have been playing with it lately and man is it beautiful. Would make a nice fret board also.

Thanks,
Mike

I have never used Mesquite. I am sure that there is no down side to using it for a peghead overlay. Kasha, in the 1950s showed that you can improve the sound of any guitar by putting a C clamp on the peghead. String vibrations, being unable to move the peghead will turn back down the neck and vibrate the bridge. So, the heavier the peghead is the better. Enclosed gears like Grover Rotomatics should make a guitar sound better than Waverlys. The weight difference between any two hardwood headstock veneers would be slight. So go with whatever you think is pretty.

I use Brazilian Rosewood for my bridges. It is light and very hard and carries vibrations faster than other woods. That being said, I have heard great sounding guitars with a wide variety of hardwood bridges. I would consult the wood books to see how Mesquite's characteristics compare to the more traditional bridge woods. If you find Mesquite's hardness to be in the range of ebony or rosewood or even maple, give it a try.

Steve Mason