Billets & Drop Tops

A drop top is a thin, decorative wood slab glued to the face of a guitar body.

A single piece of wood is sliced into two thin pieces and opened like a book, so the grain mirrors itself across the centre seam. 

We carry curly maple, figured walnut, curly walnut, maple burl, and many other species. 

Thinner tops around 1/4" work for flat-bodied guitars and basses. Thicker tops, 3/4" to 13/16", allow for carving. All our drop tops are listed with their exact dimensions.

Possibly. Our drop tops are planed on their faces to expose the grain, but you may need to bring them to a specific thickness depending on your build. 

Joint the mating edges flat, apply glue, and clamp with bar clamps. Use cauls to keep the top flat while the glue cures. Once dry, run it through a drum sander to bring it to final thickness before gluing to the body.

Titebond Original is the standard choice.

Wipe mineral spirits or naphtha on the surface, it temporarily shows how the wood will look with a finish, bringing out figure and chatoyance. It evaporates completely without leaving a residue.

A billet is a thick, narrower piece of wood intended to be resawn and bookmatched into a full-width body blank or drop top set. Because both pieces come from the same board, the grain will mirror across the seam once opened up.

Yes. Just check the dimensions before ordering. Bass bodies are wider than guitar bodies, so make sure the top will cover your template.