Filipe Marquez
New member
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
Hm, and what would be a non-resonant wood?
Hm, and what would be a non-resonant wood?
The real influence of wood in tone
- Thread starter Filipe Marquez
- Start date
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
Wood is everything in a complex set neck mahogany /Walnut guitar with humbuckers.
In a plinky ol modern Tele/Strat with cheap /junque wood you can use still use upgraded pickups with decent results; thats not to say a premium wood Strat or Tele wont respond to premium pickups , becasue it certainly will. Pickup upgrades on junky guitars are really fun, although sometimes overkill, if your trying to use, for example, Antiguities on a Squire..
Wood is everything in a complex set neck mahogany /Walnut guitar with humbuckers.
In a plinky ol modern Tele/Strat with cheap /junque wood you can use still use upgraded pickups with decent results; thats not to say a premium wood Strat or Tele wont respond to premium pickups , becasue it certainly will. Pickup upgrades on junky guitars are really fun, although sometimes overkill, if your trying to use, for example, Antiguities on a Squire..
Last edited:
Filipe Marquez
New member
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
Yeah, that was my main point i couldn't express right away...It's like i was wondering if you really can get professional tones in cheap construction or cheap wood guitars...
Yeah, that was my main point i couldn't express right away...It's like i was wondering if you really can get professional tones in cheap construction or cheap wood guitars...
J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
Cheap guitars are a very mixed bag -- more so, usually, than their more expensive counterparts. But upgrading pickups can give a decent specimen a real leg up, to the point where the guitar really surprises you with what you can wring out of it. Personally, I use only first-rate, name brand pickups in my guitars, even the cheapest ones I own. And I think it helps bring out the best in each of them.
Cheap guitars are a very mixed bag -- more so, usually, than their more expensive counterparts. But upgrading pickups can give a decent specimen a real leg up, to the point where the guitar really surprises you with what you can wring out of it. Personally, I use only first-rate, name brand pickups in my guitars, even the cheapest ones I own. And I think it helps bring out the best in each of them.
Filipe Marquez
New member
Petrovsk Mizinski
New member
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
Good points here.
I've played guitars with EMGs that sounded wildly different from each other.
MAYBE active pickups close that gap a little, but you'd have to be deaf to not hear the differences.
Good points here.
I've played guitars with EMGs that sounded wildly different from each other.
MAYBE active pickups close that gap a little, but you'd have to be deaf to not hear the differences.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
But listening to some of Vai's clean tones they are still relatively processed and relatively compressed. Not all cleans are created equal. The point i was trying to get across is that it all depends. Some tones it matters some tones it doesnt. I'm willing to bet if you dig around you would find that in the studio Vai doesnt use the acrylic body Jem and for good reason
But listening to some of Vai's clean tones they are still relatively processed and relatively compressed. Not all cleans are created equal. The point i was trying to get across is that it all depends. Some tones it matters some tones it doesnt. I'm willing to bet if you dig around you would find that in the studio Vai doesnt use the acrylic body Jem and for good reason
zenmindbeginner
New member
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
The answer is that it was a really well made acrylic guitar... wood isn't the only thing out there that vibrates.
The answer is that it was a really well made acrylic guitar... wood isn't the only thing out there that vibrates.
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
Totally agree! I've got some "cheap" guitars that I've done a lot of work on (fret work, new pups, new electronics,etc.) and made them into really great sounding players.
Totally agree! I've got some "cheap" guitars that I've done a lot of work on (fret work, new pups, new electronics,etc.) and made them into really great sounding players.
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
Bingo! At least, IME. I have a JS2K Crystal Planet and I think it would surprise many at how good it sounds. I also have all-wood JS's with the same neck, pickups, and hardware. So, it's pretty easy to compare. The body is so dense and hard on the 2K that it absorbs very little vibration. It makes it sound louder (through an amp) with the same p'ups, and the sustain is noticeably better. I'm not saying it sounds better than the wood body models. It doesn't, but it is different and cool. Joe agrees, but won't throw it on his shoulder for a gig...it weighs a ton!
Because of the value of the 2K, I rarely ever play it. I saw some BC Rich acrylics a while back & thought about getting one to have that vibe in something I don't worry about getting scratched. 'Tried it, it sucked, I passed. Yes, I know it was dumb to compare a $400 guitar to a $5000, but it furthers Zen's point.
Bingo! At least, IME. I have a JS2K Crystal Planet and I think it would surprise many at how good it sounds. I also have all-wood JS's with the same neck, pickups, and hardware. So, it's pretty easy to compare. The body is so dense and hard on the 2K that it absorbs very little vibration. It makes it sound louder (through an amp) with the same p'ups, and the sustain is noticeably better. I'm not saying it sounds better than the wood body models. It doesn't, but it is different and cool. Joe agrees, but won't throw it on his shoulder for a gig...it weighs a ton!
Because of the value of the 2K, I rarely ever play it. I saw some BC Rich acrylics a while back & thought about getting one to have that vibe in something I don't worry about getting scratched. 'Tried it, it sucked, I passed. Yes, I know it was dumb to compare a $400 guitar to a $5000, but it furthers Zen's point.
Filipe Marquez
New member
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
Now i'm in doubt...I can either keep my cheap Strat copy, upgrade it with pup's and electronics, and buy a VOX AC4 amp...Or save just a little more money, and get that Washburn LP type model, and keep on playing through Guitar Rig 5 and Amplitube... :scratchch
Now i'm in doubt...I can either keep my cheap Strat copy, upgrade it with pup's and electronics, and buy a VOX AC4 amp...Or save just a little more money, and get that Washburn LP type model, and keep on playing through Guitar Rig 5 and Amplitube... :scratchch
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
Record you Strat, buy some Chinese neck, record again. It is breathtakingly obvious, although it is hard to say whether particular deadness comes from truss rod or wood, or maybe heavy tuners or the like.
Anybody who really thinks like the OS should do this. It is a reasonably quick test and by the very nature of the crap neck it is cheap. It'll remove any doubts that wood and construction do count. A lot.
Record you Strat, buy some Chinese neck, record again. It is breathtakingly obvious, although it is hard to say whether particular deadness comes from truss rod or wood, or maybe heavy tuners or the like.
Anybody who really thinks like the OS should do this. It is a reasonably quick test and by the very nature of the crap neck it is cheap. It'll remove any doubts that wood and construction do count. A lot.
Filipe Marquez
New member
Filipe Marquez
New member
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
LOL. But don't distort my thoughts, my original question was if THE TYPE of woods really matter MUCH on SOLID body guitars...Like if the pickups and the construction don't matter MORE than the woods...
LOL. But don't distort my thoughts, my original question was if THE TYPE of woods really matter MUCH on SOLID body guitars...Like if the pickups and the construction don't matter MORE than the woods...
DarkMatter
Unprofessional Toneologist
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
The pickups/electronics matter most in electrics. I also think that the density, moisture content, and age of the woods (closely follows overall guitar quality) matter more than the wood type.
The neck and it's construction has more impact than the body.
Construction also matters particularly the bridge type, break angles, scale length.
The pickups/electronics matter most in electrics. I also think that the density, moisture content, and age of the woods (closely follows overall guitar quality) matter more than the wood type.
The neck and it's construction has more impact than the body.
Construction also matters particularly the bridge type, break angles, scale length.
Last edited:
Filipe Marquez
New member
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
I've read that too somewhere! Also i remember seeing somewhere that different types of wood have different forms of vibrating, so if your neck is a 3 piece for example, they will cancel each other...Just don't know if that's true though. :scratchch
I've read that too somewhere! Also i remember seeing somewhere that different types of wood have different forms of vibrating, so if your neck is a 3 piece for example, they will cancel each other...Just don't know if that's true though. :scratchch
Myaccount876
Amira-Maker
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
The wood really has soooooooooooooooooo many variables that sometimes wood will make a difference, and sometimes it means nothing. Like variables would be, but not limited to: body shape (single cutaway etc), body construction, thickness of neck, type of frets, bridge, electronics, pickups, AMP, strings, the nut, thickness of body, and more.
For example, I made a telecaster out of oak, and I'd say it sounds close to an SG/telecaster/Les Paul hybrid, with DAYS of sustain. Now that probably has a lot to do with the thinner body (1 5/8"), single cutaway, dual action truss rod (Warmoth Pro neck), Schaller Floyd Rose, shorter sustain block (cut to fit thinner body), 11-54 strings, single GFS Alnico II bridge humbucker (best pickup I've ever used btw, but I have yet to try the highly regarded Pearly Gates or Duncan Custom Custom), 500K pots with coil split, and 10-16" compound radius.
The oak would probably sound WORLDS different if it was built to be like a vintage strat, but oak. Sure the body wood plays a role, but not the biggest. It was a pretty dark and thick sounding guitar that still somehow had tele twang, but I'd say the neck and fingerboard wood (maple) would make an equal or even bigger difference as 70% of the strings is over the neck/fingerboard.
Also, an important point, it is mostly THE PLAYER. Tony Iommi could probably make a 1953 telecaster into a Vox AC30 sound dark if he wanted to, just as someone with a bright tone like Slash makes a guitar considered dark or thick like a Les Paul ear-piercingly bright at times. Though Slash does also use Marshalls, which are very bright.
The wood really has soooooooooooooooooo many variables that sometimes wood will make a difference, and sometimes it means nothing. Like variables would be, but not limited to: body shape (single cutaway etc), body construction, thickness of neck, type of frets, bridge, electronics, pickups, AMP, strings, the nut, thickness of body, and more.
For example, I made a telecaster out of oak, and I'd say it sounds close to an SG/telecaster/Les Paul hybrid, with DAYS of sustain. Now that probably has a lot to do with the thinner body (1 5/8"), single cutaway, dual action truss rod (Warmoth Pro neck), Schaller Floyd Rose, shorter sustain block (cut to fit thinner body), 11-54 strings, single GFS Alnico II bridge humbucker (best pickup I've ever used btw, but I have yet to try the highly regarded Pearly Gates or Duncan Custom Custom), 500K pots with coil split, and 10-16" compound radius.
The oak would probably sound WORLDS different if it was built to be like a vintage strat, but oak. Sure the body wood plays a role, but not the biggest. It was a pretty dark and thick sounding guitar that still somehow had tele twang, but I'd say the neck and fingerboard wood (maple) would make an equal or even bigger difference as 70% of the strings is over the neck/fingerboard.
Also, an important point, it is mostly THE PLAYER. Tony Iommi could probably make a 1953 telecaster into a Vox AC30 sound dark if he wanted to, just as someone with a bright tone like Slash makes a guitar considered dark or thick like a Les Paul ear-piercingly bright at times. Though Slash does also use Marshalls, which are very bright.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: The real influence of wood in tone
Everything effects everything. That's as far as you can take this discussion, because it's true.
There's a reason wood is selected and broken down to meet each price point a company needs to meet. There's varying wood qualities.
Then, you have the next variable. Does the body, neck, and hardware make a great, good, decent, or bad sound?
How good are the pickups, and are they the best ones for that guitar and musical style of the player?
How is the setup? High, medium, low? String gauge? What kind of pick? Fingers?
Is the guitar heavy, and using the pickups to dictate the sound? Is the guitar light and resonant, and the pickups are making that come through?
What is the amp? What is the tone?
Does the player even sound like a proficient player who can make the gear sound good, or is all the above a moot point? Because if the musician isn't even talented, then none of it really matters at all.
If the answer is yes, and the player can make anything sound good, from cheap firewood to top shelf instruments, then yes, the wood does matter. He'll hear it amongst all the other variables.
At that level, especially if the player has owned a good number of quality guitars, then wood is definitely a big part of the equation. Not just for sound, but for it's reaction against the fingers. And at this point, a player will often play a guitar unplugged for quite awhile before even plugging it in. Getting to know the acoustic properties of the guitar before even adding the other elements is how you judge the overall quality of a guitar.
Everything effects everything. That's as far as you can take this discussion, because it's true.
There's a reason wood is selected and broken down to meet each price point a company needs to meet. There's varying wood qualities.
Then, you have the next variable. Does the body, neck, and hardware make a great, good, decent, or bad sound?
How good are the pickups, and are they the best ones for that guitar and musical style of the player?
How is the setup? High, medium, low? String gauge? What kind of pick? Fingers?
Is the guitar heavy, and using the pickups to dictate the sound? Is the guitar light and resonant, and the pickups are making that come through?
What is the amp? What is the tone?
Does the player even sound like a proficient player who can make the gear sound good, or is all the above a moot point? Because if the musician isn't even talented, then none of it really matters at all.
If the answer is yes, and the player can make anything sound good, from cheap firewood to top shelf instruments, then yes, the wood does matter. He'll hear it amongst all the other variables.
At that level, especially if the player has owned a good number of quality guitars, then wood is definitely a big part of the equation. Not just for sound, but for it's reaction against the fingers. And at this point, a player will often play a guitar unplugged for quite awhile before even plugging it in. Getting to know the acoustic properties of the guitar before even adding the other elements is how you judge the overall quality of a guitar.
Last edited:
