Wood choice for extended range.

[Blue Calx]

Hello SD board! Long time, no see.

I am looking at ordering a Kiesel DCM8 sometime in the near future.
The basic specs are as follows:
- 8 strings
- Neck-thru
- Multiscale (27.5" low, 26" high)
- Kiesel Lithium pickups

Please spare me whatever low-tuned, chuggachug haterade I just know you're dying to drop here. :18:
I DO plan to play some heavy stuff, but also just some general rock/pop, acting as my own bass player.
Being wholly unfamiliar with guitars of this nature, I need some advice choosing neck and body woods.

My first choice was to go with Korina body wings and a maple neck. However, I have since read that neck thru guitars will take most of their tone from the neck wood.

So, then, why not all Korina? I have owned a Korina V in the past, and loved the gut punch it packed.
Well, I am afraid that with an all Korina guitar, the lowest two strings will lose definition. Having literally no experience with extended range guitars, this concern is coming 100% from my imagination.

What do you think? Can I go all Korina? Should I at least get a laminated neck with some maple or walnut in it? Nobody on the Kiesel board seems to have any idea.

Other factors:
From what I've heard the pickups are voiced on the thin and fizzly side.
I will be running this guitar through amp emulation software until I don't live in an apartment anymore (basically forever).

 

[AlexR]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

You can go any wood you want. For something like Korina or mahogany you would want quartersawn. Maple you could get away with flatsawn.

But if you laminate the neck then you remove a lot of the tendency to warp, and really strengthen the neck at the same time.

 

[rgand]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

Warmoth has great descriptions of the properties associated with various woods.

Body wood properties

Neck wood properties

 

[rgand]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

You can go any wood you want. For something like Korina or mahogany you would want quartersawn. Maple you could get away with flatsawn.

But if you laminate the neck then you remove a lot of the tendency to warp, and really strengthen the neck at the same time.

True. I built a mandolin with a one-piece neck. To avoid warpage, I sawed the neck wood down the middle and glued it back together prior to shaping. It never moved at all.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

much more stable but its not a one piece neck anymore since there are two pieces glued together, not that it matters. if it plays good and sounds good then it is good!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

I think korina wings would be fine. The maple neck will keep the lows nice and snappy. You can go for a cheaper, more middle-of-the road wood for the wings, but the amount of korina is still pretty small compared to the neck, and everything is connected to the neck-thru: pickups, bridge, etc...I think you will be fine.

 

[Blue Calx]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

Thanks all for the quick replies!

I guess I should mention that my main concern is that I intend to choose Korina for its tonal properties, but I am just worried that my experience with Korina guitars stops at 6 strings. Is it simply a bad choice for such a low-tuned guitar?

Would an all-maple neck dominate the tone? If so, then that's not what I was aiming for. Mincer, can I take your input as a suggestion to try a different wood altogether?

 

[Blue Calx]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

Rgand, I have read all of these over the years, but no amount of reading measures up to testimony from those who have experience with those woods, playing and building instruments like the one I describe.

Great links, though!

 

[rgand]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

Rgand, I have read all of these over the years, but no amount of reading measures up to testimony from those who have experience with those woods, playing and building instruments like the one I describe.

Great links, though!

You have a good point. Thumbsup, there.

 

[dave74]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

Walnut neck might be a happy medium.

Also, I know with their (carvin's) 6-strings anyways that any neck wood that is single-piece is standard quartersawn except for maple.
They also do 3pc of the single wood-type now with a quartersawn center. Might be an option50 though.

 

[Blue Calx]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

Walnut neck might be a happy medium.

Also, I know with their (carvin's) 6-strings anyways that any neck wood that is single-piece is standard quartersawn except for maple.
They also do 3pc of the single wood-type now with a quartersawn center. Might be an option50 though.

Nope, not an option 50! There's a wide assortment of beautiful, radio-buttons to select for such laminated options

 

[Angryman1522]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

Electric guitars take their tone from the pickups, period. "Tone wood" on an electric is a lie. That said, Kiesel offers a lot of really nice woods without bending you completely over on price. Find a combination you'll find aesthetically pleasing, and drop in the pickups from your favorite guitar...it'll sound the same.

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[vinta9e]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

Where do I send congratulations for such a sharp pair of ears?

 

[Angryman1522]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

To the pretentious audiophile conservatory of your choice.

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[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

To the pretentious audiophile conservatory of your choice.

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Show me the proof that tonewood doesn't matter.

 

[Angryman1522]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

Show me the proof that tonewood doesn't matter.

In an electric? Show me the proof that it DOES What part of the wood is sending a signal through the pickups, through the wires, to the output jack, to your TS cable, through those wires, and to your amp. Oh that's right: no part of the wood. Wood makes a difference in the sound of unplugged electrics and acoustic guitars. It's really just basic electronics. Sorry, I guess?

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[Angryman1522]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

For the record, I'm all about nice wood (lol). I have a flame koa on koa Carvin that looks incredible. It, however, sounds exactly the same as an ESP I have with the same bridge pickup.

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[Angryman1522]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

https://youtu.be/lLqIzt2_eIw

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[dave74]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

Electric guitars take their tone from the pickups, period. "Tone wood" on an electric is a lie.

You mean the strings? The pickups just sit silent by themselves. (except for any background hiss)

The size and density of the guitar's materials(whatever they be) and all added things touching (guitar-hardware&bolts,screws,ect.) directly effects the string's vibration.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Wood choice for extended range.

In an electric? Show me the proof that it DOES �� What part of the wood is sending a signal through the pickups, through the wires, to the output jack, to your TS cable, through those wires, and to your amp. Oh that's right: no part of the wood. Wood makes a difference in the sound of unplugged electrics and acoustic guitars. It's really just basic electronics. Sorry, I guess?

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Proof is called physics.
You cannot have any physical movement without the structure allowing that physical movement affecting its quality and duration.......equal and opposite reaction and the like.


So you are saying you don't believe physics affects guitars.