Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

[uOpt]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

I think it's closer to alder sound-wise.

But it is soft and green.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

Meh, I have two poplar guitars that don't sound anything like basswood guitars I've owned or played, even when they possess similar specs otherwise. My Kelly XLR especially seems to have more in common tone-wise with alder and maple bodied ESP's, specifically a MIJ Sunburst Tiger I used to own. Bright, balanced, strong attack.

I did some body mods on my Reactor, I didn't find it to be nearly as soft as the Destroyer or Dinky I've been working on (both basswood).

Neither are all that light either, I haven't weighed them, but pretty sure both outweigh any of my basswood guitars.

Not trying to argue with anyone, this is my experience, maybe mine are contrary to the rule.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

My experience with my Poplar guitars is that it's like Alder but has that sweetness that Basswood has. It's definitely got a good treble spike that Basswood doesn't have.

Also, I find my Poplar guitars also take a bump without as much denting as my Basswood guitars. I have a three-year-old, so all my guitars take a bump these days. LOL

 

[toneseeker74]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

Poplar culture is usually regarded as the domain of the younger generation, not the alder folks.

:laugh2:

 

[J E C]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

I agree with zenmindbeginner. I haven't used poplar in guitar building yet, but I did use it a lot when I worked in a cabinet shop in the late 80's. Did that for 4.5 years.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

I don't know if cottonwood fits with other poplars that much. Its way heavy! I took down a cottonwood tree 5 years ago and the pieces are still way heavy after years of curing. If the poplar comes from cottonwood it will be more like maple. If it comes from something like an aspen it will be light and soft. So there seems to be a very wide range of poplar properties.

 

[jtougas]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

Do you have large enough planks of cottonwood to build from?

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

I don't know. I'll have to go out in the wood pile and look. I can't begin to explain how heavy this cottonwood is.

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

Do you have large enough planks of cottonwood to build from?

A lot of poplar guitars use 2 and 3 piece bodies... my old poplar Musicmasters vary in weight but are all 3 piece.

Aspen is a beautiful wood and can get quite figured... I grew up with many different kinds of poplar species in Chicago, one of the elementary school's I went to was on Cottonwood Lane.

The Chicago are was constantly flooded and very swampy for centuries and Cottonwood trees thrived in that environment due to their aggressive "pioneer nature".

Cottonwood groves are some of the most beautiful places on earth IMHO.

 

[marcello252]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

According to my experience I completely agree with zenmindbeginner

 

[Herschel Riffs]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

so then, is my plan of putting a Jazz/JB in it for some progressive metal tones a good stepping stone or should I go with a jazz/custom?

 

[vinta9e]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

The JB is a winner in a Jackson Dinky, in my experience.

 

[Herschel Riffs]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

I love me a JB, especially since I can always swap its mag if its too loose or lacking. I've also been tempted to get a crunch lab/ liquifire or air norton. I've got time to contemplate all things but so far I think the Hot Rod Set is my go to

 

[uOpt]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

Since I'm doing OCDing on Strats I got a new routed Poplar body off ebay.

Lessee how that goes.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

Hey all, I have a Poplar jackson DR3 body that I'm looking to piece together. I've got everything I need minus the pickups. I was pretty set on a JB in the bridge and a Jazz in the neck but I'm not so certain. the views on poplar vary and I wonder if I should TREAT IT AS IF ITS ALDER. The guitar is gonna have a floyd rose, rosewood board, and this poplar body. I fear that my JB might be too bright, but I love how it screams and sings for lead work. I was planning that if my low end became an issue I would just throw a ceramic magnet in there to tighten things up. I'm looking to play a lot of progressive rock/metal, think early dream theater, early queensryche, early fates warning, coheed and cambria, cynic and so on. I tune to E standard. with all this hopefully someone will be able to point me in the right direction. keep it limited to dimarzio or duncan, preferably duncans. Magnet swapping is also something I don't mind doing so I'm open to those ideas as well. any info is appreciated guys. let me try to get some rest now, thanks peeps!

See what hiend jacksons offer stock, lots of em are poplar but considered QUITE effective and niiice

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Poplar, should I treat it as alder?

Since I'm doing OCDing on Strats I got a new routed Poplar body off ebay.

Lessee how that goes.

Been considering doing the same for my alder Strat. Just need to stop buying pickups long enough to get started on that project.


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