Members bluesrock70's Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 Popular, agathis, alder, ash and other on strat or tele,which do you prefer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pillimees Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 That's poplar, not popular. And ash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted September 25, 2007 Moderators Share Posted September 25, 2007 They're all fine woods apart from agathis, also add pine. For me, nothing quite comes up to swamp ash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GarysBlues Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 Alder and Ash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mfergel Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 Agreed......swamp ash number 1, after that I'd say alder. I'm a bit partial to swamp ash though. Had an ash Washburn N4 and still have a Gibson Swamp Ash LP and an Agile AL2800dlx in swamp ash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GRANKOR Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 not a Strat but I have a rather lovely ash Jazz Bass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steverino Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 I've got two mutt strats with agathis bodies. I've got a MIA strat (alder) You can't hear the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted September 25, 2007 Moderators Share Posted September 25, 2007 I've got two mutt strats with agathis bodies. I've got a MIA strat (alder)You can't hear the difference. There are a few duff MIA's around:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GarysBlues Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 I'll tell, you may not believe this. But I had a Agathis body I used a few years back for a Partscaster for my son. The Tele sounded very good. I was very surprized by it. I didn't really like the looks of the grain pattern. And it had a sort of GRAY look on parts. But I didn't think it sounded to bad. And yes you could here the difference. But Agathis is suppose to retain tonal characteristics of Mahagany? Any my favorite wood is ALDER, then after that Ash. As far as looks? I prefer the look of Ash over Alder. But the Alder just isn't as bright. I like that. But strickly an OPINION. And I would NOT go anywhere out of my way for Agathis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Minitruth Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 I'm starting to wonder if wood is importatant at all. Frets can make acardboard guitar sound good somehow, perhaps it really is more in the fingers and amp settings. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 The type of wood used to make an electric guitar is virtually irrelevant. Different woods make so very little difference to the sound that you might as well ignore it. It's the PU's and amplifier that count (and of course the different Volume, tone, effects, settings). The only time type of wood matters is on a natural finish guitar when you might prefer the appearance of one wood compared to another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted September 25, 2007 Moderators Share Posted September 25, 2007 The type of wood used to make an electric guitar is virtually irrelevant. Not true, some woods absorb sound and some reflect sound, which is why you'll get few electric guitars made from Oak, which in engineering circles is recognised as a great sound absorption material, ditto beech, go and make a guitar out of either of those and come back and make that statement:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GRANKOR Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 Brian May's Red Special is made from oak (at least parts) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted September 25, 2007 Moderators Share Posted September 25, 2007 Brian May's Red Special is made from oak (at least parts) Yup, but not all of it, and the Burn's Tri-Sonics and electronics make that guitar too unique to call.ADDITION:It's also not really a solid body Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members charlie13033 Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 I really like balsa wood guitars. Oh, yes, and nothing beats a guitar made from the scrap wood you can get for free at construction sites! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Save The Pine Weasel Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 Basswood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 How about those plexiglass guitars? Are we going to have a discussion on "toneplastics" soon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Leisure Lee Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 I made a double cutaway from Red Elm. And I would have to say it sounds pretty good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steverino Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 There are a few duff MIA's around:thu: Hey, whatever it takes to justify all that $$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tom B. Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 My Tele is made of Poplar, so i'm going for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted September 25, 2007 Moderators Share Posted September 25, 2007 My Tele is made of Poplar, so i'm going for that. Lombardy Poplar is particular is much beloved of luthiers, specially some dude called Stradi summat:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tom B. Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 Mine's made of Eastern Poplar, i'm not really sure if thats much good but i love the tone from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zuzuman Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 All mass-produced poplar guitars are made from tulip poplar, which is really a kind of magnolia. It is a great all-purpose wood, and you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between poplar and alder. Many MIM strats used to be made of poplar, and they sound just fine. The main thing is, poplar is an ugly greenish color, so it works best with opaque finishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 Lombardy Poplar is particular is much beloved of luthiers, specially some dude called Stradi summat:confused: Didn't Stradi summat make acoustic summats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ajcoholic Posted September 25, 2007 Members Share Posted September 25, 2007 The type of wood used to make an electric guitar is virtually irrelevant. Different woods make so very little difference to the sound that you might as well ignore it. It's the PU's and amplifier that count (and of course the different Volume, tone, effects, settings). The only time type of wood matters is on a natural finish guitar when you might prefer the appearance of one wood compared to another. Well, I have screwed around with making guitars enough in the last 22 years to know thats not quite so. Having made quite a few Telecaster's with the same neck and all hardware (only thing changed was the body wood) they did sound quite different using a variety of woods. ALso, I have taken pickups from one guitar to the next more than once to again notice a completely different tone. The body wood has to have some contribution to this. I will agree playing clean or mildy OD'n will show the most contrast while cranking the gain will probably show none or very little. And some woods just are so close it probably doesnt matter at all (like poplar & alder, Ash & elm to name a few). But to eliminate the body wood from the "whole" sound generating thing that is the guitar, is incorrect in my experience and opinion. AJC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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