Any Mahogany Strat players here?

[Mr 9finger]

What are your specs, pickups that work well in them, etc...

I'm half way into another Strat project and thinking about switching gears. If I'm going to do it, now is the time I need to before I lose too much money otherwise.

I've went from wanting another vintage Strat with some modern appointments to something way off that.

Now I'm thinking Mahogany body/neck and an ebony fingerboard with either a Gibson or PRS scale.

I'm thinking a nice versatile H/S/H setup with Prails and a standard vintage single in the middle with those cool little rings.

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

Damn, I already want this guitar with 24 3/4, those are all my specs. If I were you, I'd make it chambered mahogany with a trapeze ebony bridge. THAT would be a wailing machine of death.

I have a seth in my strat and dig it more than any other strat's sound, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt in an even more suitable gibson scale/materials.

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVw7gyPbXvA&feature=related It would sound something like this. WOW!

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

Does this count?

If so then heck yeah, Mahogany body, maple cap, maple neck, rosewood fretboard. 25-1/2 scale. Not exactly the specs you described but as a whole it works beautifully!!!

I guess you could take out the maple cap and replace the rosewood board with Ebony with no much difference. However Maple neck is an integral part of the tone.

It has the '59 in the neck which I don't really care for (but then again, I generally don't care for the '59, always liked the Jazz more) and the JB in the bridge which is a perfect match IMO.

I also have a Mahogany body/Mahogany neck-through guitar but again with rosewood fretboard and 25-1/2 scale. IMO the first combo is more tonally balanced...

 

[Brow]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

I have a 70s Japanese Strat of some description (it was being thrown away so I rescued it in parts) that has a slab mahogany body with a small laminate of ash on the front and back with a really fat (thicker than the 50s carve on my LP) maple neck and fretboard.

It started out with a JB Jr/Quarter Pound/Lil 59' combo but I always found the neck Lil 59 far too woofy sounding, so I changed the set for a set of AII Antiquity Texas Hots with the Overwound bridge pickup.

I lived with the Ants for a few years but eventually decided I wanted something brighter and more traditionally 'Stratty', so I took the Ants out and replaced them with a set of AV BKP Mothers Milks, their 60s styel Strat pickups.

It's had the BKPs for the last few years and apart from the electronics needing a good clean, I couldn't be happier with the guitar and how it currently sounds.

 

[DTrane]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

sounds like youre building something similar to jim root strat

 

[FretFire]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

Andy Timmons' old sig model has a mahogany body, that's enough for me :laugh2:

 

[Gamera]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

Musician's Friend had a limited run mahogany HSS Strat with noiseless pickups. DH-1 pickup and samarium cobalt noiseless singles I believe. I don't own one but I was told they were dark sounding.

Although speaking of dark sounding, I do have an alder Strat with a maple cap, noiseless pickups and ebony fretboard. I'm not sure how I feel about the ebony. It's very smooth but doesn't feel as responsive somehow as maple or rosewood. I'm not sure how to describe it other than saying it just doesn't feel as "connected" or "immediate" as maple or rosewood. Especially compared to my maple neck Strat which just feels more responsive. In some ways it's almost as if the ebony adds a layer of insulation that is one step removed and adds a hard layer between my fingers and the wood the vibrations needs to travel through. Having experienced that, if I were to get another ebony Strat I think I would investigate a set neck vs bolt-on.

 

[dominus]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

For the bridge, the Custom, Custom 8, and Full Shred all work well. Dimarzio's D-Activator line works just fine, and I heard the Norton should too.

I've got a Mahogany H-H Strat body here that I need to figure out what to do with one of these days.

 

[84camarofreak]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

I have a squier deluxe double fat that's a two piece mahogany body maple/rosewod neck. Came with covered hb-102's. Put a demon bridge and jazz neck. Absolutley kick a**!!

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

It's had the BKPs for the last few years and apart from the electronics needing a good clean, I couldn't be happier with the guitar and how it currently sounds.

Never had any luck with normal wound Strat pickups and Mahogany Strats.
Mahogany can vary some depending on quality, weight, density., so maybe yours respnoded well. On the average, Id say a hot overwound strat single or or one with a propensity to sound PAF'ish or is best suited to a mahogany Strat.
Not sure about Humbukers, but a PAf or hot PAf style pup for classic tones would be my first guess.

 

[Crane]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

Musician's Friend had a limited run mahogany HSS Strat with noiseless pickups. DH-1 pickup and samarium cobalt noiseless singles I believe. I don't own one but I was told they were dark sounding.

Although speaking of dark sounding, I do have an alder Strat with a maple cap, noiseless pickups and ebony fretboard. I'm not sure how I feel about the ebony. It's very smooth but doesn't feel as responsive somehow as maple or rosewood. I'm not sure how to describe it other than saying it just doesn't feel as "connected" or "immediate" as maple or rosewood. Especially compared to my maple neck Strat which just feels more responsive. In some ways it's almost as if the ebony adds a layer of insulation that is one step removed and adds a hard layer between my fingers and the wood the vibrations needs to travel through. Having experienced that, if I were to get another ebony Strat I think I would investigate a set neck vs bolt-on.

I have the Deluxe mahogany strat (in my sig). I did not find it dark sounding at all. In fact I changed out the pups for Fender CS 50s !

I also have a Deluxe alder strat with maple cap and ebony fretboard (QMT), is that what you have ?
In my experience you are correct about the ebony fretboard. It does seem to feel? less responsive, but it is so slick and solid, I am currently pricing necks with ebony boards for my other strats.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

I have the Deluxe mahogany strat (in my sig). I did not find it dark sounding at all. In fact I changed out the pups for Fender CS 50s !

I also have a Deluxe alder strat with maple cap and ebony fretboard (QMT), is that what you have ?
In my experience you are correct about the ebony fretboard. It does seem to feel? less responsive, but it is so slick and solid, I am currently pricing necks with ebony boards for my other strats.

Now see..that is totally alien to everything in my tone manifesto. Alder Strat and and ebony neck ( board)? Nah.
Mahogany Strat with underwound 50's Strat pickups? Nah. can you tell me more about the Deluxe mahogany model? MIM? If so, its probably a pretty generic plank of wood and I could see the 50's pickups working fairly well.

 

[Crane]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

The mahogany strat is a US Deluxe Select Strat.
Mahogany body, rosewood board and originally with HSS config. Tex-mex neck and middle, Diamondback humbucker.
Tem - Mex were too bright for my tastes, so I tried SNCs which were a tad better but still not what I wanted. Next, I tried the CS50s and they are staying.

Right now I have it apart - I am putting the complete pickguard into my 2011 alder strat and see how she sounds.

ohh and remember the alder strat has a maple cap

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

The mahogany strat is a US Deluxe Select Strat.
Mahogany body, rosewood board and originally with HSS config. Tex-mex neck and middle, Diamondback humbucker.
Tem - Mex were too bright for my tastes, so I tried SNCs which were a tad better but still not what I wanted. Next, I tried the CS50s and they are staying.

Right now I have it apart - I am putting the complete pickguard into my 2011 alder strat and see how she sounds.

ohh and remember the alder strat has a maple cap

Oooh! Sweet! If it were mine id put the hot Tex Mex and Diamndback back in it instantly! I couldnt get into I'm sure , with regular CS50's. Those pickups are for Alder guitars and a more balanced tone.

 

[Brow]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

Never had any luck with normal wound Strat pickups and Mahogany Strats.
Mahogany can vary some depending on quality, weight, density., so maybe yours respnoded well. On the average, Id say a hot overwound strat single or or one with a propensity to sound PAF'ish or is best suited to a mahogany Strat.
Not sure about Humbukers, but a PAf or hot PAf style pup for classic tones would be my first guess.

Well, I had the hot overwound Antiquity Texas Hot Custom bridge single coil and I found it too dark for my guitar. I found I prefer a brighter, less hot wind in this guitar and it works for me.

Each to their own eh

 

[AudioWonderland]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

Warmoth mahaogany body, maple neck with rosewood board. Top routed with a Wilkinson Trem and Sperzel locking tuners

Original setup was a Breed bridge and a Cruiser neck. Rarely used the neck pickup but the Breed was great with plenty of shredder vibe.

Recently went to a strat setup with an Area 61 bridge and Area 58 neck/middle with 250k pots. I wanted singles because I have a lot of humbucker guitars already. This setup is probably a little too warm and smooth for my taste in strat sounds. Not enough top end to really get the signature strat tones. Still working on the dirty tones with it to get some different sounds than standard humbuckers.

The third pickguard has a 59b / ssl1 / PGn setup. This is a setup have have exerience with for the last 20+ years and just seems to work for my needs in almost any guitar. I first used a 59b/SSL1/59n in a lower end Ibanez back in the 90s and it was just magic. I ended up selling it as I moved up the gear food chain but have never caught lightning in a bottle quite the same since. I started using the PGn later to clean up the boom in the neck slot on some guitars that needed it. It would seem thats just a setup that fits me which is not surprising since I lean towards the more vintage gear in other aspects as well

 

[Gamera]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

I also have a Deluxe alder strat with maple cap and ebony fretboard (QMT), is that what you have ?
In my experience you are correct about the ebony fretboard. It does seem to feel? less responsive, but it is so slick and solid, I am currently pricing necks with ebony boards for my other strats.

Yes, it sounds like we have the same guitar. It's beautiful and a joy to play but it can sometimes be difficult to coax mojo out of her. I think the ebony may be part of the issue but that guitar deviates from the traditional Strat formula so much I'm not sure where the issue is. It may be the ebony, it may be the maple cap on a body that feels fairly heavy and dense, and it may be the pickups.

Do you still have the stock pickups in yours? I've been tempted to swap them out with Duncans to see if I can liven it up but that damn S-1 switching seems daunting. My latest thought is to ditch the S-1 altogether, replace the pickups and use a regular 5-way switch. Not sure what pickups would be suitable though. I like the noiseless idea but I think something more aggressive and punchy than the SCNs would be needed. And I've never been real keen on that DH-1.

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

I have one these parker p42s, lefty of course, mahogony body, maple neck with ebony board and two humbuckers....plays awesome!!!

 

[PRSfan nym 1985]

Re: Any Mahogany Strat players here?

What are your specs, pickups that work well in them, etc...

I'm half way into another Strat project and thinking about switching gears. If I'm going to do it, now is the time I need to before I lose too much money otherwise.

I've went from wanting another vintage Strat with some modern appointments to something way off that.

Now I'm thinking Mahogany body/neck and an ebony fingerboard with either a Gibson or PRS scale.

I'm thinking a nice versatile H/S/H setup with Prails and a standard vintage single in the middle with those cool little rings.

every piece of wood is different it's hard to say what exactly t will sound like without examining it up close. Regardless of the species of wood every guitar will sound different acoustically.

I really think you will be happy with the pickup setup you're planning btw.