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A number of years ago I took a trip to Certainly Wood south of Buffalo NY to buy a good amount of veneer for some projects (table top, skateboard deck and other things) and found the rolls recently in a big garage cleanout.

I'd like to use some of the red and black veneers I bought to accent some electric solid body guitar projects and wonder if it's wise given the fact that these veneers are most likely dyed poplar or basswood or some other soft hardwood. I'd like to use it under a fretboard, as a laminate between top and back body pieces and between neck laminations in a three or five-piece neck.

My question is: Does the fact that the wood itself is soft make it a liability in the longevity of a guitar? I'd hate to have a neck delaminate or a fingerboard peel up because the veneer is weak. Will the glue (most likely Titebond I) soak through the veneer giving it strength? I could use West Systems epoxy if that's a better idea.

Any thoughts or experiences?

How about looking at it this way: Would you insist on using a veneer made of a harder wood (for example dyed maple) in your laminates or is it not much to worry about. I'm not so worried about being under a fingerboard or between solid body plates, but in a three-piece neck with veneer between the three neck pieces, would it be a risk?

I think whether it delaminates will be entirely dependent on the glue you use, how well you apply it, and how well you clamp it. I am not aware of anything in poplar or basswood that would make a veneer delaminate. They are, after all, specifically intended for that application.


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Thanks for the perspective. I'll go ahead and use them. I'm pretty careful with my glue ups and will continue to be with these upcoming projects.

I found out the hard way that it’s important to scrape both sides of the veneer, dyed or not, to a fresh surface before gluing.

Thanks for that tip. I have often gone back to solid wood surfaces that sit for a long time between milling and glue up and give them a light sanding which is supposed to help with glue penetration and adhesion. I'll do the same with my veneer.

That’s what dyed veneer is. I use it all the time.




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