tone wood question

[Mojoe01]

I saw a guitar I liked, LP style, but it was swampash with a maple top. How would that combination sound together, and what neck material/pickup combination would complement it? I don't really know (hence, I'm asking everybody else) but I'd guess that combination of woods could make for an overly bright guitar, especially if going for an LP sound.

 

[aleclee]

Re: tone wood question

You might be underestimating the effect of body shape/size/construction on tone. After all, PRS and Gibson use the same woods but come out sounding quite different from each other.

 

[Mojoe01]

Re: tone wood question

Thats very true, I hadn't thought about that.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: tone wood question

Ash is bright, and maple is bright.
Bright + Bright = very brittle guitar sound!!

 

[ChrisB]

Re: tone wood question

Ash is bright, and maple is bright.
Bright + Bright = very brittle guitar sound!!

Not sure about the brittle comment. The guitar in my avatar is ash/maple and is sweet and punchy and the JB pops in any mids that the guitar may lack. This makes for a very lively sounding guitar that really screams when pushed or chimes when held back. Never going to sound like a mahogany Les Paul though, with its full sound and smooth slow attack.

From John Suhrs' website
"Ash Back / Quilt Maple Top
I used to think that the Alder Body / Pau Ferro fingerboard was one of the best overdrive tones.... Hmmmm , the Ash Back has that open ring with good clarity, The Maple top seems to add another dimension, Not harsh at all but very alive sounding both clean and dirty. Also an excellent look for transparent colors both on the back and front. Makes for a light guitar as well. I'm getting the itch to build myself one real bad! Nice punch, scooped mids. 1 piece Maple neck also a killer tone for this combo."

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: tone wood question

ChrisB, I agree that maple has a better tone than ash, as I have 2 solid maple guitars, and one ash guitar ... Tho, in general, this wood combo might have too much bite, if not tried out before hand.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: tone wood question

Les Paul was a genious!

In the bridge position the mahogany would not be that bright, so he has the thickest section of the cap in there. Whereas the neck is there for the round sweet deep tones, thus the thinnest section of the maple cap. Instant dual tones!

With ash that could be lost, since ash is already producing defined tones with more eq separation. Thus, I don't see the point of ash maple cap guitars. But ash with a mahogany cap would make the bridge rounder and the neck more defined. Certainly the two positions would sound more similar than those from a real LP, yet I think it's not a bad idea. Wonder why nobody is doing that? Maybe it's silly and I don't see it.

B

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: tone wood question

ChrisB, I agree that maple has a better tone than ash, as I have 2 solid maple guitars, and one ash guitar ... Tho, in general, this wood combo might have too much bite, if not tried out before hand.

Most certainly.

I owned a solid maple guitar. It was so bright, but not thin! Weird, very solid yet razor sharp tones. I sold it!

I love my hard ash tele with a maple neck. It sounds great and is not icepicky at all. JD sounds great in it.

B

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: tone wood question

Most certainly.
I owned a solid maple guitar. It was so bright, but not thin! Weird, very solid yet razor sharp tones. I sold it!
I love my hard ash tele with a maple neck. It sounds great and is not icepicky at all. JD sounds great in it.
B

Dr B: My Strat is ash, and I think the pup has a lot to do with the fact that I like the sound. If it had a full sized HD in the bridge, I don't think I would dig it that much. But with the Barden in there, it's amazing! Your hard ash Tele must weigh a ton!! That's a serious slab of wood ...

My maple guitars are Lynch models, and your tonal observation is right on. I just roll the treble down one notch when playing them, and am perfectly happy with them!!

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: tone wood question

Dr B: My Strat is ash, and I think the pup has a lot to do with the fact that I like the sound. If it had a full sized HD in the bridge, I don't think I would dig it that much. But with the Barden in there, it's amazing! Your hard ash Tele must weigh a ton!! That's a serious slab of wood ...

My maple guitars are Lynch models, and your tonal observation is right on. I just roll the treble down one notch when playing them, and am perfectly happy with them!!

Cool!

The wood definitely makes a difference, for example the difference I heard when I swapped the pickguard of my 90 alder strat to 01 ash (both have rosewood necks) was almost like the difference between a5 vs a2. Like you I am not particularly fond of HB's in the bridge of ash guitars. However, in the neck with a soft a2 PAF HB the tone is really something! On that hard ash tele I have an antiquity hb neck which measures 7.50K. And that is definitely a tone I could not get from any of my pauls.

BTW that 1 piece hard ash tele (the neck is from my 95 US tele, and the body is from warmoth) weighs not more than any of my LPs. Being accustomed to LPs I don't mind the extra weight of that tele. But still it is heavy!

B