ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: Does a guitar's "body shape" affect it's sound?
Everything makes a difference.
Everything makes a difference.
Does a guitar's "body shape" affect it's sound?
- Thread starter Phantasmagoria
- Start date
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: Does a guitar's "body shape" affect it's sound?
Still quick and easy to test:
take two similar body blanks. Make a big rectangle with a neck pocket and pickup routes. Put on strings and pickups and verify that they sound the same. Shape one into a tele and one into a V. Play again. Do they still sound the same?
Still quick and easy to test:
take two similar body blanks. Make a big rectangle with a neck pocket and pickup routes. Put on strings and pickups and verify that they sound the same. Shape one into a tele and one into a V. Play again. Do they still sound the same?
H
H8Red442
Guest
Re: Does a guitar's "body shape" affect it's sound?
I don't know that the shape does. Thickness definitely. There are a lot more variables though than just shape. Call it black magic.
I have two USA BC Rich Bich Supremes that are different thicknesses and one has a OFR, one doesn't. They don't sound the same. The fatter one is much darker. But they're both made of the same material and equipped identically as far as electronics. And though I threw 1M pots in the fatter one, its still considerably fatter sounding than the thinner guitar.
I have two KV2s that are identical except one has a flamed top and one doesn't. The one without is brighter and tighter than the one with. Other than that, they are twins.
I have two RR1s, one with an OFR one without. The one without is fatter sounding than the one with.
I also have three SL2Hs, two with OFRs. One has a flamed top and one with a TOM bridge and string through. They are the closest sounding of all my similar shaped/equipped guitars. But they still don't dont the same. The flame top is brighter, opposite the comparison of my KV2s. My other SL2H has flamed top with TOM/string through and tonally is in the middle of the two with OFRs.
I don't know that the shape does. Thickness definitely. There are a lot more variables though than just shape. Call it black magic.
I have two USA BC Rich Bich Supremes that are different thicknesses and one has a OFR, one doesn't. They don't sound the same. The fatter one is much darker. But they're both made of the same material and equipped identically as far as electronics. And though I threw 1M pots in the fatter one, its still considerably fatter sounding than the thinner guitar.
I have two KV2s that are identical except one has a flamed top and one doesn't. The one without is brighter and tighter than the one with. Other than that, they are twins.
I have two RR1s, one with an OFR one without. The one without is fatter sounding than the one with.
I also have three SL2Hs, two with OFRs. One has a flamed top and one with a TOM bridge and string through. They are the closest sounding of all my similar shaped/equipped guitars. But they still don't dont the same. The flame top is brighter, opposite the comparison of my KV2s. My other SL2H has flamed top with TOM/string through and tonally is in the middle of the two with OFRs.
Phantasmagoria
watch where you point that sabre
Re: Does a guitar's "body shape" affect it's sound?
True, many things make a difference... Wood type, thickness/mass, FR/fixed bridges, pu's etc..I'm just wondering whether body shape makes as significant a difference as some of those other variables...and I think it does ...and that it's a pretty significant/huge difference too.
True, many things make a difference... Wood type, thickness/mass, FR/fixed bridges, pu's etc..I'm just wondering whether body shape makes as significant a difference as some of those other variables...and I think it does ...and that it's a pretty significant/huge difference too.
Quencho092
New member
Re: Does a guitar's "body shape" affect it's sound?
I wonder. Perhaps the only real way to find out would be to build 5 different guitars from the same exact blocks of wood, with the same neck/bridge/pickup config, all different body types but the same mass.
Something tells me that all those elements being equal, the guitars will probably sound the same. It's difficult to make a generalization about a guitar type, I've played many quacky/snappy gibsons and fat fenders with subdued attack. To me, like H8Red pointed out, bridge type, weight, and just manufacturer tolerances and variations can make a huge difference, so it's likely impossible to find an answer unless you chop a bunch of different shapes from the same chunk of wood.
I also loathe companies that prey on our curiosity and desire to try different sounds or understand principles that affect tone. It's a vicious cycle that can quickly turn a guitar player/musician into an expensive guitar collector/snake oil buyer.
I wonder. Perhaps the only real way to find out would be to build 5 different guitars from the same exact blocks of wood, with the same neck/bridge/pickup config, all different body types but the same mass.
Something tells me that all those elements being equal, the guitars will probably sound the same. It's difficult to make a generalization about a guitar type, I've played many quacky/snappy gibsons and fat fenders with subdued attack. To me, like H8Red pointed out, bridge type, weight, and just manufacturer tolerances and variations can make a huge difference, so it's likely impossible to find an answer unless you chop a bunch of different shapes from the same chunk of wood.
I also loathe companies that prey on our curiosity and desire to try different sounds or understand principles that affect tone. It's a vicious cycle that can quickly turn a guitar player/musician into an expensive guitar collector/snake oil buyer.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Does a guitar's "body shape" affect it's sound?
True, but some things aren't discernable to the average ear. And it's hard to tell what's causing the differences, as individual parts are rarely identical; which variable made the difference, or was it a combination of them? The sonic qualities purported to be come from a small selection of pointy guitars (if the differences even exist, which is unlikely) could probably be tracked down to other variables (PU's magnets, wood type and mass, hardware, etc). I've played a few '58 V's, and they all seem to have nice full tones, but that's more likely from the type of wood, the string-thru design, and that they are a large guitar with a lot of mass. I don't think that the points themselves are a major player in the tone. They just add to the overall bulk.
The 'magic' of LP's tone is mainly from the mix of mahogany, maple, and rosewood, the arched top, and the single cutaway that makes for a heavier body and a short rigid neck. You have 10 lbs of wood and metal in a compact size. The fact that there's a point on the cutaway isn't a key part.
True, but some things aren't discernable to the average ear. And it's hard to tell what's causing the differences, as individual parts are rarely identical; which variable made the difference, or was it a combination of them? The sonic qualities purported to be come from a small selection of pointy guitars (if the differences even exist, which is unlikely) could probably be tracked down to other variables (PU's magnets, wood type and mass, hardware, etc). I've played a few '58 V's, and they all seem to have nice full tones, but that's more likely from the type of wood, the string-thru design, and that they are a large guitar with a lot of mass. I don't think that the points themselves are a major player in the tone. They just add to the overall bulk.
The 'magic' of LP's tone is mainly from the mix of mahogany, maple, and rosewood, the arched top, and the single cutaway that makes for a heavier body and a short rigid neck. You have 10 lbs of wood and metal in a compact size. The fact that there's a point on the cutaway isn't a key part.
voggin
Well-known member
Re: Does a guitar's "body shape" affect it's sound?
I'm actually very interested in this thread, largely because there are always cheap to be had used les paul dc's for sale around here (like, $800) v. the almost new prices of standards. I'm always tempted, but then think "it's not a real lp".
I wonder if the mechanics of playing certain shapes doesn't affect how they sound. The classic thumb planted upper fret access of a single cut v. how you can grab a double cut like a strat, with the different finger angles, vibrato style might be part of what makes a les paul sound les-paulish, rather than the mass or vibrations through the wood specific to a single cut design.
I'm actually very interested in this thread, largely because there are always cheap to be had used les paul dc's for sale around here (like, $800) v. the almost new prices of standards. I'm always tempted, but then think "it's not a real lp".
I wonder if the mechanics of playing certain shapes doesn't affect how they sound. The classic thumb planted upper fret access of a single cut v. how you can grab a double cut like a strat, with the different finger angles, vibrato style might be part of what makes a les paul sound les-paulish, rather than the mass or vibrations through the wood specific to a single cut design.
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