Aluminium

A light, soft metal used for necks, bodies and hardware, valued for stiffness without mass.

Aluminium is light, stiff for its weight and completely unaffected by humidity, and makers have used it since the mid twentieth century for cast and machined necks, for complete body frames and for bridge plates and hardware. A cast aluminium neck needs no conventional truss rod and cannot warp with damp, which is why it appeals to touring players. It is commonly described as sounding bright and glassy with a fast, percussive attack and a strong upper midrange, quite unlike any wood. It is a poor choice for anything intended to look traditional, it feels cold and slick under the hand, and bare aluminium dents and oxidises.

Example: A guitar with an aluminium neck stays in tune through weather that would move a wooden one, and it sounds noticeably harder and brighter.

typical use: Cast and machined necks, body frames, bridges and hardware.

Aluminium

See also