Fraxinus americana, more commonly known to the guitar community as swamp ash, has been a coveted material for electric guitars since Fender began using it over 70 years ago on the original 1950 Broadcaster. However, with North American ash species at risk, limited availability has put its future as a wood for guitars in limbo.
Swamp ash grows in swampy areas around the Mississippi river in the south central United States. While seasonal flooding is not unusual in these areas, local flooding has become more frequent and severe over the past 150 years, with 2018 and 2019 the wettest on record. The U.S. National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration reported that spring flooding along the Mississippi in 2019 was also among the most damaging in modern history.