Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

[Hexer]

I like an agressive, tight, but also full, massive sound.
now I had that idea of combining a rather warm wood (mahogany) with a more trebly, agressive PU. what do you think about that idea? would it work well? any experience?

and what about 7-strings???
first I thought mahogany could be to warm and make the guitar sound muddy, but when I think about it... with a bright PU, maybe a JB7 (I have never played it, just judging by the descriptions and sound-guides on the hp)
A lot of people rave about the Schecter 7-strings, and some of their better modells (C7 Blackjack/Hellraiser) have that exact combo: Mahogany body + JB7
would that combine well with a neck-thru maple-neck (should ad another bit of clarity/brightness, right?)

 

[Curly]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

well, there are plenty of examples of mahogany bodies/ bright pickups:
SGs
LP Specials
early LP Customs
LP Jrs

etc., etc

 

[Hexer]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

and what about the same with 7-strings (like those Schecters for example)?

 

[Curly]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

I'm not familiar with the Schecters, but I think that mahogany would be about the best wood for you - the pronounced mids of the wood are complimented by the highs of the pickup. This is a pretty well proven tone combination.

I'd probably go for a mahogany neck/ ebony fretboard as well, but that's just my opinion.

another consideration for the body might be basswood

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

For a solid mahogany guitar, I think the C-5/Jazz N is the winner IMO.
Since mahogany has dense mids, the neutral mids of the C-5/Jazz is perfect, plus you'll have nice tight bottom end, and clear and open highs.

In my mahogany LP Custom 57, the C-5 sounds huge, but the 59's could be a tad brighter, which is why I think the Jazz N would be perfect.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

One of my rules: If the tone isn't there in the first place, emphasizing it with the pup won't help. 10 x nothin' is still nuthin. Just loud with a lot of hiss. You'll just be emphasizing the lack of highs.

 

[DracoAran]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

I'm sorry ACE, but I don't consider mahogany to be a treble-dead tone wood.
Duncan Distortions are the tits when used on an Explorer or a flying V without maple caps.
There are also other factors, like the amount of metal mass on the bridge and tuners. Those add brightness. Even the type of nut.

Add into the equation a maple neck through or an ebony board, and then you're talking plenty of clarity.


Now, as far as the guy asking the question, you don't want to go TOO bright on the pickups. If it's a maple neck through, the pickups are mounted on that maple, the strings are vibrating on that maple. The effect of the mahogany might be a little more subtle.

 

[sac]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

Come on guy's the JB is at it's best in a mahogany axe. Thats pickup 101.

 

[Hexer]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

hm, now I got told at another forum, that I probably wouldnt have much attack with a neck-thru maple neck in a mahogany-bodied guitar. remember: I want aggressive, tight sound.... think Pantera or maybe Arch Enemy for example (I know they sound different, just to give you an idea).

another thing: I read that Michael Amott (Arch Enemy) uses ESP-custom Vs with mahogany body and set-in mahogany neck (at least thats the way his new signature "Ninja V" is constructed) and a JB at the bridge. doesnt sound bad at all it seems.... and that tuned to C, which is just half a step higher than the low end of a 7-string.

how different would the guitar be if I got a set-neck construction with maple neck / mahogany body? or maybe even with a mahogany neck?

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

I can tell you one thing.....In solid mahogany, you'll want Alnico 5 or maybe Ceramic pickups for a tight low end, and clear treble.

The C-5, Custom, 59B, JB, and similar pickups will sound great.

In solid mahogany, the CC, Seths, and other A2 PAF types will sound a little mushy on the lows and the highs will be too buttery.

I'm telling you this from experience, not just assumptions.

 

[DracoAran]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

I was just looking at the specs of the Schecter C-7 Blackjack. Mahogany body, maple set neck, rosewood fretboard, no maple cap. Duncan JB-7 and 59-7.

It sounds like that guitar is gonna be perfect right out of the box, at least on paper. Maybe a Jazz at the neck with a Distortion bridge if you don't find it tight enough.

 

[usagi]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

If you're thinking of 7 string I'd suggest Ibanez. If you can find a used 7621 or 7620 they sound and play great. I've got a 7621 and it has a Blaze II DiMarzio in the bridge that actually sounds pretty good. Trebles are a little weak but not bad.

 

[Hexer]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

If you're thinking of 7 string I'd suggest Ibanez. If you can find a used 7621 or 7620 they sound and play great. I've got a 7621 and it has a Blaze II DiMarzio in the bridge that actually sounds pretty good. Trebles are a little weak but not bad.

:smokin: I actually got myself a used RG7620 some 2 weeks ago, nice guitar.

what I'm doing here is pretty much research and long-term planning for a custom guitar

for now I'll just have to get used to the 7th string first (the RG is my first 7-string). so maybe I wont even stick with 7s, but it cant hurt to get some info early, right?

 

[Johnny Q]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

Come on guy's the JB is at it's best in a mahogany axe. Thats pickup 101.

Amen.............. I have a JB in my PRS Custom 22 and it sounds warm and crunchy, I hear none of the harshness, brightness, clankiness, lack of bass etc that others complain about. In mahogany, the JB rocks out with its **** out!!!!

 

[JHN]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

A Duncan Custom fits veeery nice in a mahogany body with maple neck and ebony fretboard.The ceramic magnet gives tight bottom and extended highs with a high frequency resonance and a gentle roll off after that,unlike alnico magnets which are softer at both ends of the spectrum especially as you go down from alnico 8 to alnico 2.It's a humbucker and for your application no matter the amount of gain noise will be of no concern.Also the Custom is HIGH output and i suppose that is something you want.Just drop one in and you'll never miss anything.
For 7 strings the JB is great.

 

[Hexer]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

does anyone have any experience with Cedro as body-wood? I had that guy at another forum telling me that it would sound pretty much the same as mahogani, but is easier to get. I think I never heard about that as a guitar-wood so far.

 

[Hexer]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

another question: I got told, that neck-thru constructions have "the worst attack" and I also got told (by someone else), that neck-thru is a better choice than set-neck, because "it gives you better resonance, sustain and effortless playability in the upper frets area" (though the set-neck also offers good access to the 24th fret).

what do you think would be best for what I want? feel free to ask questions if that helps!
I play metal btw, I think you could call it extreme, a lot of death/thrash/dark high gain, but I still want it to sound tight with direct attack(fast rythm playing) and clear (chords, some trem-picking), and with good sustain (melodies, leads)

my first concern is the construction and wood here, I can still combine 2 nice pickups (I want them splittable, too to get that nice single-coil clean-sound) for rythm, lead and so on

I know its a PU-forum here, but I dont really know of a better place to ask (seems like there are a lot of "tone-gurus" here )

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

Well, there is a reason that those all-mahogany Les Paul Juniors/Specials with P90's are so popular...

 

[Hexer]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

I asked a guy from the ENGL-forum who plays a Schecter 007 Blackjack (7 string, mahogany-body, set maple-neck, rosewood fretboard, Duncan JB/59, 26.5"-scale). he said it sounds very clear and he loves it, found it a little bright if anything.
sounds pretty much like what I want sound-wise.

now what about my other question:

another question: I got told, that neck-thru constructions have "the worst attack" and I also got told (by someone else), that neck-thru is a better choice than set-neck, because "it gives you better resonance, sustain and effortless playability in the upper frets area" (though the set-neck also offers good access to the 24th fret).

what do you think would be best for what I want? feel free to ask questions if that helps!
I play metal btw, I think you could call it extreme, a lot of death/thrash/dark high gain, but I still want it to sound tight with direct attack(fast rythm playing) and clear (chords, some trem-picking), and with good sustain (melodies, leads)

my first concern is the construction and wood here, I can still combine 2 nice pickups (I want them splittable, too to get that nice single-coil clean-sound) for rythm, lead and so on

I know its a PU-forum here, but I dont really know of a better place to ask (seems like there are a lot of "tone-gurus" here )

 

[MikeS]

Re: Mahogany-body + bright PU = great sound?

Most underrated A5 Duncan pickup in mahogany = Screamin Demon

Not available for 7 string, though.