Basswood Vs. Mahogany

[Kam]

Can anyone give me a direct comparison of these two woods?

And yes, I've already looked at the Warmoth page of wood descriptions and had a look at thon wee tone chart thingy.

Realistically (key word there) what are the differences (apart from the weight, that's really a non-issue for me) and how dramatic are they really?

Also, which would you prefer for either a H-H or a dual P-90 set up?

Apologies for the ambiguity, by the way. I know questions like these suck.

All opinions appreciated. :beerchug:

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

Can anyone give me a direct comparison of these two woods?

And yes, I've already looked at the Warmoth page of wood descriptions and had a look at thon wee tone chart thingy.

Realistically (key word there) what are the differences (apart from the weight, that's really a non-issue for me) and how dramatic are they really?

Also, which would you prefer for either a H-H or a dual P-90 set up?

Apologies for the ambiguity, by the way. I know questions like these suck.

All opinions appreciated. :beerchug:

**** you Kam. Your questions suck.

H-H- Basswood or Mahoghany (preferece)
P90-P90 - Mahoghany

IME, Mahoghany tends to be a bit thicker sounding, warmer version of basswood.

 

[Maynardo]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

Basswood... well tonally it's definetly NOT a wood with a lot bass... it's flat eq no edges, not very resonant wood... really light though. Improves with a maple top.

Mahoghany that's where the balls are, kind of heavy.

maybe this chart will help you:

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

it's flat eq no edges

Yup, pretty flat EQ.

 

[Kam]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

H-H- Basswood or Mahoghany (preferece)
P90-P90 - Mahoghany

Why this? I mean, I know you're an SG classic fiend and I get that mahogany and P90s are a classic combination but is there any reason why basswood is particularly ill-suited to playing host to a nice set of P90s?

By the way, if I go P90, they'll be hum-sized...either Phat Cats or maybe something from Bare Knuckle.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

Why this? I mean, I know you're an SG classic fiend and I get that mahogany and P90s are a classic combination but is there any reason why basswood is particularly ill-suited to playing host to a nice set of P90s?

By the way, if I go P90, they'll be hum-sized...either Phat Cats or maybe something from Bare Knuckle.

I tried a set of Phat Cats in a basswood strat and it did sound good. I just love mahoghany.

 

[Kam]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

I tried a set of Phat Cats in a basswood strat and it did sound good. I just love mahoghany.

That's good to know. Thanks, man.

I ****ing hate decisions...

 

[SamusChief]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

That's why you're letting the internet make them for you

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

mahogany sounds better.

the only guitars i like that are made of basswood have super-hot pickups that cover a lot of the wood's natural tone. if you want to hear your guitar more than your pickups you want mahogany.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

I agree with what Pockets said. basswood is great for guitars with EMGs and stuff like that... but if we're talking passive humbucker tones with lots of low mids and girth it's definetely mahogany.

 

[oilpit]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

+1 to mahogany being better than basswood in basically every single way imaginable...

 

[zakk_speed]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

Real tough one...my top 4 are 2 mahohany and two basswood so I'll give you what I got

Basswood - as long as its not 50% wood 25% glue 25% filler, this is a blank tonal slate. With warm hot pickups I get Les Paul, with cool lower output pickups I get strat/prs. Trouble is its usually painted then covered in 50mm of inpenetreble poly as its soft and the grain doesnt look good unpainted, so you've no idea what your dealing with. Especially kind to floating trems.

Mahogany - predicatable rock tones, more expensive to buy and machine than basswood but can make certain pickups that you may love (59n JB step up) sound like 1 dimensional car horns.

If I was sure of what I was getting I'd likely choose american basswood because of its weight and versatility.

If I had to take one guitar to prison sight unseen I'd choose mahogany.

HTH

 

[dominus]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

Any idea of what pickups you want to use? That could be a deciding factor.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

This thick finish basswood SG sounds nice with P90. P90s are forgiving.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

Mahogany w/ a maple top

 

[Diego]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

Mahogany - predicatable rock tones, more expensive to buy and machine than basswood but can make certain pickups that you may love (59n JB step up) sound like 1 dimensional car horns.

HAHAHA man that's a funny way to put it, I nearly spit my coffee.
But you're right.
Just like Basswood seems to love higher output pickups,
Mahogany seems to be right on the money with lower output pickups.

I imagine that would sort of go straight out the window with maple caps thrown in the equation though...

And I can't see why Basswood wouldn't work with P90's, particularly if maple capped.
It's not a common combination, but it should work nicely IMO as long as it's not a super thin piece of wood with a Floyd Rose in it.

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

Mahogany has been used often for making musical instruments due to it's musical nature and timberous timbre.

The other material mentioned is a) barely wood at all, b) used to make weird pointy looking things that make shreiky sounds and c) barely even passable as firewood.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

Basswood, mahogany, eh, I've heard good and bad, might be pickups or the necks too though, who knows? The only real consistancies I know of are maple bodies, ash bodies, and maple caps on just about anything. Oh, and necks, maple necks do not sound like mahogany necks (mahogany bodies) for sure, and maple/ebony vs. rosewood boards.

No one ever talks about it, but I'm gonna say that my poplar body/maple board tele is my best sounding guitar unplugged. Soon we will find out how it compares plugged in to mahogany/rosewood with the exact same pickups.

 

[Maynardo]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

HAHAHA man that's a funny way to put it, I nearly spit my coffee.
But you're right.
Just like Basswood seems to love higher output pickups,
Mahogany seems to be right on the money with lower output pickups.

I imagine that would sort of go straight out the window with maple caps thrown in the equation though...

And I can't see why Basswood wouldn't work with P90's, particularly if maple capped.
It's not a common combination, but it should work nicely IMO as long as it's not a super thin piece of wood with a Floyd Rose in it.

Basswood needs a pickup that "sounds" or a cap on top, 'cause the wood just doesn't resonate...

 

[Maynardo]

Re: Basswood Vs. Mahogany

The other material mentioned is a) barely wood at all, b) used to make weird pointy looking things that make shreiky sounds and c) barely even passable as firewood.

+1