Which type of wood???

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Which type of wood???

Poplar sounds close to alder, but it's usually a bit heavier.

There are several documented cases of original early 60's strats that have korina bodies under the paint. Using a slightly warmer wood than alder on a strat, doesn't make it a non strat, but it gets a slightly fatter, warmer, sound than average. Actually basswood or slightly warmer still makes an awesome S/S/S strat.

If you want the look of maple, and some of the sonic tastes, then a laminate maple cap over a alder or basswood core, solid or chambered, is another way to go.

If your going for a thin nitro finish, then alder will be better than swamp ash, or most others, from a perspective of how difficult or easy it is to execute this goal.

 

[Voxman]

Re: Which type of wood???

You basically just read my mind. If you ever read my previous posts you would find out that I am going to get callaham block and bridge, surfers, and I was most likely going with a Warmoth neck. Callaham has alot of prodicts that are vintage correct so I will probably get one of their kits with springs, block, tuners and so on. I dont however know what the back contour is you are talking about. Thanks!

The back countour thing was just in case you like the feel of the fender SRV strat neck. Check out warmoth.com to learn more about their neck options,it`s allways good to know what neck fit your hands best

 

[Markk]

Re: Which type of wood???

as long as it looks cool. invest in pickups and strings if you want to pinpoint your sound. Not wood.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Which type of wood???

i dont get why people say ash doesnt do rock when Halen wrote some of the best rock tones with an ash guitar.

???

It's the pickups, not the guitar. Alnico II Pro Staggered aren't supposed to be good for metal. You can get close, as Slash and others have demonstrated with "low output" pickups with Alnico II magnets, and I can get close to metal tone, but I have to use EQ and other "tricks" to get that low-resonance sound that you get with the JB, Custom, Distortion, Invader, etc.

 

[MartinSixStringCustoms]

Re: Which type of wood???

It's the pickups, not the guitar. Alnico II Pro Staggered aren't supposed to be good for metal. You can get close, as Slash and others have demonstrated with "low output" pickups with Alnico II magnets, and I can get close to metal tone, but I have to use EQ and other "tricks" to get that low-resonance sound that you get with the JB, Custom, Distortion, Invader, etc.

I have to disagree. The guitars composition, at least in my opinion, is more of the equation than anything else. Would a Les Paul sound like a Les Paul if it was made out of Alder? I highly doubt it.

Pickups do play a role as well. I think we can all agree on that.

Its about the right guitar, with the right amp and the ability to play more than anything.

 

[MartinSixStringCustoms]

Re: Which type of wood???

Alnico II Pro Staggered aren't supposed to be good for metal. You can get close, as Slash and others have demonstrated with "low output" pickups with Alnico II magnets,

Understood, but your comparing a true single coil (APS) to a true humbucker (APH) and there is a big difference there.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Which type of wood???

I have to disagree. The guitars composition, at least in my opinion, is more of the equation than anything else. Would a Les Paul sound like a Les Paul if it was made out of Alder? I highly doubt it.

Pickups do play a role as well. I think we can all agree on that.

Its about the right guitar, with the right amp and the ability to play more than anything.

I was saying that i said it can't do metal because of the pickups, not the guitar's wood itself. I've tested the Lite Ash and it can do heavy rock, but metal is practically out of its ballpark. You can do metal on Alnico II Pro Staggered pickups, but you have to do a lot of work to get there, versus my ESP I just plug in and select JB and turn on distortion.

I'm not wanting to argue. I just think this is a misunderstanding. I agree: the amp, pedals, wood, pickups, all play a role.

 

[MartinSixStringCustoms]

Re: Which type of wood???

I was saying that i said it can't do metal because of the pickups, not the guitar's wood itself. I've tested the Lite Ash and it can do heavy rock, but metal is practically out of its ballpark. You can do metal on Alnico II Pro Staggered pickups, but you have to do a lot of work to get there, versus my ESP I just plug in and select JB and turn on distortion.

I'm not wanting to argue. I just think this is a misunderstanding. I agree: the amp, pedals, wood, pickups, all play a role.

Relax. No argument here either. Just voicing an opinion. I just find it odd that some people (no one in particular) label a pickup for metal, blues etc...Sure, some have inherent characteristics that make that tone more achievable, but in the long run, its more guitar and amp.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Which type of wood???

If I was having one custom-made and wanted to choose wood, I'd want something a little different. Mahogany body with very thin ash or alder top in case you wanted a burst finish, and a rosewood board. That would give a good full tone if you wanted to use vintage output pu's.

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Which type of wood???

Relax. No argument here either. Just voicing an opinion. I just find it odd that some people (no one in particular) label a pickup for metal, blues etc...Sure, some have inherent characteristics that make that tone more achievable, but in the long run, its more guitar and amp.

I disagree: I hear a distinct difference in resonant frequency. However, while it won't do "metal" rhythm playing, I could use it for some lead work, regardless of style.

 

[fusion101]

Re: Which type of wood???

Korina wood would be awesome

 

[MartinSixStringCustoms]

Re: Which type of wood???

I disagree: I hear a distinct difference in resonant frequency. However, while it won't do "metal" rhythm playing, I could use it for some lead work, regardless of style.

Thats cool. I'm not trying to start a pissing match here. Just opinions. After all, I have probably tried a few more pickups than you over the years, but thats neither here nor there. To each is own.

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Which type of wood???

Relax. No argument here either. Just voicing an opinion. I just find it odd that some people (no one in particular) label a pickup for metal, blues etc...Sure, some have inherent characteristics that make that tone more achievable, but in the long run, its more guitar and amp.

Actualy, it's more about the pickups then the guitar IMO (unless you meant jazz boxes) - the hum of single coils drives away the guys who like gain... low output pups can turn into mush if you use too much gain...

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Which type of wood???

I am going to build a custom strat sometime and I had a few questions about types of wood that would effect the guitars tone. I wondered what a strat would sound like with a maple body with a SSS configuration. Other types of wood I was thinking of are walnut, ash, and mahogony. Thanks

Stick to lightweight alder or lightweight swamp ash. Trust me. Trust Leo Fender too...he tried all those other woods too...and then made his Strats out of swamp ash or alder.. Lew

 

[bjeans79]

Re: Which type of wood???

as long as it looks cool. invest in pickups and strings if you want to pinpoint your sound. Not wood.

Its not all about looks for me though they are important. Im not trying to pinpoint my sound I already have that, but I just wanted some ideas and info about how different woods will effect my tone.

 

[MartinSixStringCustoms]

Re: Which type of wood???

Actualy, it's more about the pickups then the guitar IMO (unless you meant jazz boxes) - the hum of single coils drives away the guys who like gain... low output pups can turn into mush if you use too much gain...

Really?

 

[bjeans79]

Re: Which type of wood???

Stick to lightweight alder or lightweight swamp ash. Trust me. Trust Leo Fender too...he tried all those other woods too...and then made his Strats out of swamp ash or alder.. Lew

Thanks. I noticed you have a TH bridge matched with your surfers. I am going to get Surfers for my strat I have now, a Highway 1. I was going with a Custom bridge surfer, and had thought about going with a custom TH bridge. I just wanted to know why you chose that pup and not a custom surfer, and also how A5 and A2 mags react with eachother. I think that sounds pretty kick ass.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Which type of wood???

Thanks. I noticed you have a TH bridge matched with your surfers. I am going to get Surfers for my strat I have now, a Highway 1. I was going with a Custom bridge surfer, and had thought about going with a custom TH bridge. I just wanted to know why you chose that pup and not a custom surfer, and also how A5 and A2 mags react with eachother. I think that sounds pretty kick ass.

I use my bridge pickup for soloing and when I solo I like to push my amp harder and get some natural singing overdrive. The alnico 2 Texas Hot Custom bridge sounds better for that kind of tone than the brighter alnico 5 Surfer.

But if you are building a custom guitar, you can have any configuartion you want. TRUST ME ON THIS: use Surfers for the neck and middle and a Duncan Custom Shop Alnico 2 Tapped Tele Hot for the bridge pickup. It's the absolute best Strat (or Tele) bridge pickup I've ever used.

Lew

 

[tone?]

Re: Which type of wood???

Stick to lightweight alder or lightweight swamp ash. Trust me. Trust Leo Fender too...he tried all those other woods too...and then made his Strats out of swamp ash or alder.. Lew

I agree and dont. Cause Leo DID make quite a few of his G&L's outta Mahogany. Especially the anniversary higher end ones. Isnt that true Lew?

 

[Robert Delahunt]

Re: Which type of wood???

Stick to lightweight alder or lightweight swamp ash. Trust me. Trust Leo Fender too...he tried all those other woods too...and then made his Strats out of swamp ash or alder.. Lew

I disagree. I mean, true, those woods are great, but so are all the others that rock & roll has been played on, such as mahogany (Les Paul), etc.