astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
For some reason I can't shake this idea. Have any of you heard it before? I think natural finished guitars have the best quality wood since it's so damn visible.
Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
- Thread starter astrozombie
- Start date
treyhaislip
Well-known member
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
I don't know about quality but a guy I know who worked at Fender said that the best looking grains were reserved for natural and transparent finishes and that the not so great looking wood was painted solid colors.
I don't know about quality but a guy I know who worked at Fender said that the best looking grains were reserved for natural and transparent finishes and that the not so great looking wood was painted solid colors.
Brandenburg
New member
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
i would so yes..an example is poplar which is very similar to alder in weight and tonal quality but is a pretty ugly wood w/ green streaks..used by guitar mfg'ers because its a bit cheaper and is used only for solid colors because of the ugly streaks. in saying that,my dk2 is poplar and sounds and resonates better than all my guitars.. only guitar i have that comes close is an alder bodied neck-thru
also,
yesterday I was looking at the musikraft site and they had a drop down menu that specified certain grades for clear
so.. yep..
i would so yes..an example is poplar which is very similar to alder in weight and tonal quality but is a pretty ugly wood w/ green streaks..used by guitar mfg'ers because its a bit cheaper and is used only for solid colors because of the ugly streaks. in saying that,my dk2 is poplar and sounds and resonates better than all my guitars.. only guitar i have that comes close is an alder bodied neck-thru
also,
yesterday I was looking at the musikraft site and they had a drop down menu that specified certain grades for clear
so.. yep..
Last edited:
treyhaislip
Well-known member
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
I had a Poplar Strat that sounded awesome! Some call it the "poor man's alder" but I think its a great alternative to save some dough with
I really like the Ash that Musikraft carries–great grain and they do excellent work...but yeah, they charge more for the clear grade stuff.
I had a Poplar Strat that sounded awesome! Some call it the "poor man's alder" but I think its a great alternative to save some dough with
I really like the Ash that Musikraft carries–great grain and they do excellent work...but yeah, they charge more for the clear grade stuff.
St_Genesius
New member
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
Yeah, define "quality."
Yeah, define "quality."
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
O_0 Had a Tokai Tele once with a black neck, removed the paint and there was birdseye maple underneath!
But it does not matter what colour, as long as the wood is dried and not totally dead!
O_0 Had a Tokai Tele once with a black neck, removed the paint and there was birdseye maple underneath!
But it does not matter what colour, as long as the wood is dried and not totally dead!
dystrust
Well-known member
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
Poplar was standard for body wings on neck-thru USA Jacksons in the 80s and early 90s.
I had a Poplar Strat that sounded awesome! Some call it the "poor man's alder" but I think its a great alternative to save some dough with
I really like the Ash that Musikraft carries–great grain and they do excellent work...but yeah, they charge more for the clear grade stuff.
Poplar was standard for body wings on neck-thru USA Jacksons in the 80s and early 90s.
treyhaislip
Well-known member
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
What was the grain like? I've seen some maple that was better covered up...
lol
I did not know that
What was the grain like? I've seen some maple that was better covered up...
lol I did not know that
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
It was nice and even...looked great!
Anyways in the old days flames and birdseye where considered flaws!
It was nice and even...looked great!
Anyways in the old days flames and birdseye where considered flaws!
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
It makes sense. There's no reason to paint over a great looking piece of wood when you also offer natural/ transparent finishes.
It makes sense. There's no reason to paint over a great looking piece of wood when you also offer natural/ transparent finishes.
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
It is not how it looks that make a piece of wood good!!
It is not how it looks that make a piece of wood good!!
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
If you equal "quality" with better looking...
Seriously, WTF?
If you equal "quality" with better looking...
Seriously, WTF?
elelpe
Well-known member
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
I guess guitar manufacturers borrow standard of quality from timber industry such as how the wood is sawn and dried properly, grades of grain, one piece/multipieces etc. Whether wood of choice would sound good as a guitar material, let us just hope.
I guess guitar manufacturers borrow standard of quality from timber industry such as how the wood is sawn and dried properly, grades of grain, one piece/multipieces etc. Whether wood of choice would sound good as a guitar material, let us just hope.
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
No, but the manufacturers are going to pick choice sounding woods no matter what they look like. If you have your pick from a variety of pieces of Alder, then given that this particular guitar will be covered with paint, you're not going to pick the piece with the best looking grain or figuring and instead use a more plain looking piece. This is why the Les Paul Customs have a plain maple cap, where as the transparent LP's will often have some kind of figured piece.
No, but the manufacturers are going to pick choice sounding woods no matter what they look like. If you have your pick from a variety of pieces of Alder, then given that this particular guitar will be covered with paint, you're not going to pick the piece with the best looking grain or figuring and instead use a more plain looking piece. This is why the Les Paul Customs have a plain maple cap, where as the transparent LP's will often have some kind of figured piece.
crusty philtrum
Vintageologist
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
Nice looking natural front/ back with black edges is something that always makes me suspicious, or impressive looking natural tops with black back and sides.
(I say black, but it could be any solid colour ... often does seem to be black though).
Any solid finish on the sides of an otherwise nice-looking instrument may very well be there to conceal how many pieces of timber the body is made from, and/ or whether the top and back may be veneers.
Nice looking natural front/ back with black edges is something that always makes me suspicious, or impressive looking natural tops with black back and sides.
(I say black, but it could be any solid colour ... often does seem to be black though).
Any solid finish on the sides of an otherwise nice-looking instrument may very well be there to conceal how many pieces of timber the body is made from, and/ or whether the top and back may be veneers.
treyhaislip
Well-known member
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
Same goes for the sunbursts styles–the solid colors cover up mutiple pieces or ugly looking wood.
Same goes for the sunbursts styles–the solid colors cover up mutiple pieces or ugly looking wood.
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
+1
Also, define "lesser".
This sounds like another attack of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and/or listening with your eyes.
+1
Also, define "lesser".
This sounds like another attack of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and/or listening with your eyes.
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
Yeah for all those I need a good looking furniture guitar for my hardcore rock'n'roll
It still does not make up for a good sounding wood.
Well dried and resonant wood is not cheap, not unlike meat from the ribs
Yeah for all those I need a good looking furniture guitar for my hardcore rock'n'roll
It still does not make up for a good sounding wood.
Well dried and resonant wood is not cheap, not unlike meat from the ribs
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
Manufacturers buy a lot of wood, mainly due to its price and a certain standard of size.
Nowhere does the 'tone' of the bought blanks come into it.
And there is not a test that can ever or will ever be devised to tell the precise tone of an electric or acoustic guitar by examining a slab of wood. There are WAY too many variables involved. Not the least is that it gets attached to many other bits of wood in the process.
The big guys will sort for weight for those with a 'custom shop' or reissues, and also there is a visual grading for flamed timber.
Solid colours may well get (more) multipiece bodies, or less attractive wood. But as we cannot infer any tonal outcome until the whole is complete, it becomes utterly ridiculous to assume anything about 'quality' by any metric.
Manufacturers buy a lot of wood, mainly due to its price and a certain standard of size.
Nowhere does the 'tone' of the bought blanks come into it.
And there is not a test that can ever or will ever be devised to tell the precise tone of an electric or acoustic guitar by examining a slab of wood. There are WAY too many variables involved. Not the least is that it gets attached to many other bits of wood in the process.
The big guys will sort for weight for those with a 'custom shop' or reissues, and also there is a visual grading for flamed timber.
Solid colours may well get (more) multipiece bodies, or less attractive wood. But as we cannot infer any tonal outcome until the whole is complete, it becomes utterly ridiculous to assume anything about 'quality' by any metric.
astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
Re: Do guitar manufactures use lesser quality wood for guitars finished in black?
What the **** you guys? I make a thread asking if you think they use ****ty wood on guitars where you can't see the grain and you up and asume I've some sort of mental disorder.
Quality: knots in the wood, discoloration of any kind etc.
What the **** did you think I meant?
What the **** you guys? I make a thread asking if you think they use ****ty wood on guitars where you can't see the grain and you up and asume I've some sort of mental disorder.
Quality: knots in the wood, discoloration of any kind etc.
What the **** did you think I meant?
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