Wood Choice for Strat

[Frogman]

I am going to build a strat here in the next couple of months and I am trying to decide on a body wood.

The guitar will be used in my cover band (REM --> Duran Duran --> INXS --> No Doubt --> Third Eye Blind --> Cake --> Led Zeppelin)

Neck:

-Maple shaft
-Pau Ferro fretboard
-25.5"

Pickups:

-P90's

Bridge:

-Top/flush mounted OFR


Body:

-Will have pickguard


Ash, Alder, Maple?

I want to finish it in a sunburst fashion like below, so that kinda throws mahogany out the window.
I'm mainly looking for what tonal characteristics I should expect from P90's in each wood.

Thanks

[lovewoodgtrs-123]

Re: Wood Choice for Strat

Can't go wrong with Swamp Ash

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: Wood Choice for Strat

I prefer swamp ash in strats.

Swamp ash is a little brighter with more snap.

Alder has a little broader frequency spread, with a tad less snap.

Poplar is similar to alder.

[AlexR]

Re: Wood Choice for Strat

I'd go ash too. Its more crisp, and the grain is much more pretty for burst finishes. Plus the p90's will benefit by having a wood that emphasises the rudeness they are famed for.

Edit - personally I'd go a standard trem, or failing that a Super-vee locking version. I think the floyd style will be bad for the tone.

[Quencho092]

Re: Wood Choice for Strat

Personally, go with the best looking wood, and the one with the right weight (less than 8lbs make for a great strat!!)

You wont be hearing differences worth writing home about, and most people who comment on differences between alder/swamp ash are just coincidences reflecting their experiences with particular guitars, and nothing to do with the woods' actual tonal impact IMO

Not saying that anybody's experiences are untrue, but these woods are so alike in tone that bias plays a huge role in choosing which wood is better. I vote swamp ash for looks and weight.

[darthphineas]

Re: Wood Choice for Strat

one of the best resources I've found for information on wood in terms that make a little more sense than most: http://www.suhrguitars.com/wood.aspx


but for me, I'd go with a mahogany back with a maple top. that would also look awesome for your choice of finishes, especially if you find a sweet piece of maple.

[MetalManiac]

Re: Wood Choice for Strat

As a Strat guy , all things being equal, ya gotta go with Alder. Ash is for Teles.
Ash always comes across too thin and brittle in a Strat .IMO...granted, we aint talking a 50's Ash or Custom Shop range Strat here..thats a different story . A 57 Strat ( alaClaptons "Blackie") is the most coveted Strat not only cause of the neck profile, but because the old Alder bodies are more tonally desirable..more balanced.. than the older early 50's Ash bodied guitars.
Most of the stuff called "Ash" is actually Hard Ash..bright and very hard sounding, like the atrocious 70's boat anchor Ash Strats that were aweful across the baord.. but you can get Swamp Ash from places like warmoth. I don't want an Ash Strat..you can keep em.

[MetalManiac]

Re: Wood Choice for Strat

one of the best resources I've found for information on wood in terms that make a little more sense than most: http://www.suhrguitars.com/wood.aspx


but for me, I'd go with a mahogany back with a maple top. that would also look awesome for your choice of finishes, especially if you find a sweet piece of maple.

Nothing wrong with a Mahogany Strat, I have one and its a cool guitar but it will behave much differently than a Alder or Ash bodied guitar and needs some different pickups than stock Start pickups and a Brass tremolo block too IMO..

[nepalnt21]

Re: Wood Choice for Strat

i prefer alder

[darthphineas]

Re: Wood Choice for Strat

Nothing wrong with a Mahogany Strat, I have one and its a cool guitar but it will behave much differently than a Alder or Ash bodied guitar and needs some different pickups than stock Start pickups and a Brass tremolo block too IMO..

mahogany with a maple top was my suggestion. the original posts indicated choosing p-90s for the pups, so stock Strat pups don't come in to play.

as with all things, there are so many variables that come in to play... fingers, strings, amps, speakers, etc. that there's always something that's going to work for someone.

[MetalManiac]

Re: Wood Choice for Strat

there's always something that's going to work for someone.

nOW SEE HERE..nothing works for anyone unless its fIrst approved by me..the KING OF tONE.