Guitar Tonewood

[sdelac2]

Does anyone have experience or know the difference between alder vs bassewood with maple top. Is the EQ alder lighter or is the bassewood lighter with a maple top.

Is it Basswood with maple top brighter and different vs only bassewood tonewood.

 

[jeremy]

yes, the maple top changes the tone. at least if its a real top, not just a thin veneer. the maple will add a bit of top end and might tighten up the bottom.

 

[Mincer]

I think it comes down to the particular piece of wood, too. Blanket statements about guitar tone don't work half of the time. Are there 2 particular guitars you are comparing?

 

[Masta' C]

I think it comes down to the particular piece of wood

This. All other arguments are just that...arguments, not facts, LOL! :laughing:

 

[sdelac2]

Dont want compare some particular guitar.
I only want to know if I buy a guitar in alder if I will get a brighter sound or not very much different.​
How similar is the tone of a guitar with alder to Basswood with maple top. I know what the difference is and I have listened to alder vs bassewood many times, but not alder vs bassewood with maple top.

 

[Mincer]

In that case, I will go with 'not much different', as there is no way to know this for sure. I've heard basswood and maple sound the same as alder, and I've heard it sound slightly brighter than alder. You can't predict this sort of thing, as it is down to the individual pieces of wood.

 

[Chistopher]

I'll say this, by far my darkest sounding guitar is a Charvel San Dimas with an single coils in an alder body and a baked maple neck. Even my ES-175 with Classic 57's with the tone rolled back is bright by comparison.

Full disclosure, the Charvel is a bass

 

[sdelac2]

Well Chistopher its very interesting.I think that alder brighter.Why is that.Which amp you have

 

[Mincer]

My alder Music Man is brighter than my poplar one. I have also played a basswood Ibanez that was super bright to me.

 

[sdelac2]

Have maybe Ibanez some tonewood on top.
Which freetboard and neck.