Members Saturday Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 For example, what will sound better: a) a plywood epiphone special with boutique pickups and high quality cables and pots. b) a gibson standard with the electronics removed, and with el-cheapo electronics and pickups. (both plugged straight to the same amp) uhm? i think it would be an interesting experiment. of course, the answer is The Amp, but i Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Treborklow Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 My gut says that your sound will only be as good as your weakest link, so crap pickups will sound like crap in even the best wood. I don't know if this answers your question however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Joranges Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 But if you looked at it the other way, I'd guess that crap wood would make your guitar "sing" less. (ie lifeless-like) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jim_Soloway Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 I'd guess that they'll both suck. At that point I stop making fine distinctions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave_Mc_2 Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 ^ haha, i agree. I'd go with the one with better wood from the point of view that you're talking about unrealistic variables. Who's going to put crap electronics and pickups in a nice guitar? And more's to the point, even if someone does, you can swap them for something nicer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bowlingshirt Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 a) a plywood epiphone special with boutique pickups and high quality cables and pots.b) a gibson standard with the electronics removed, and with el-cheapo electronics and pickups.(both plugged straight to the same amp) Given the choice, I would pick "a" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rock-lobster Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 in general they're both very important to the way a guitar will sound, but i think you can make more of an overall difference with different pickups. the woods set the base, but you could make an all mahogany guitar sound bright by changing electronics if you set your heart to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AndersonTech Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 I wouldn't want either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rock-lobster Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 I wouldn't want either. loser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members roygbiv Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 Pups are more important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jrockbridge Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 The player is the most important! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metalheadUK Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 I'd go with the first one. I've heard some fine sounding plywood guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brett Valentine Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 Both. If the wood is dead, good pickups aren't going to help (it's that "buffing a cow pie with beeswax" thing). If the wood is even halfway decent, cheap p/u's and electronics will cover up what could be a great sounding guitar. The right electronics in a slightly quirky but decently resonant piece of wood could actually surprise you. Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 I'd go with B myself. Unless the pickups themselves are absolute crap that squeal, bad electronics manifest themselves more with maintenance and attenuator range issues IMO. You have also neglected to mention the hardware issue which is also very important to tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members leakyfaucet Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 Cheap pickups can often sound amazing. Plywood guitars can sound good, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with cheap pickups and wire. It's just a preference thing. More expensive wire doesn't work better than cheap wire. And the expensive bobbins and alnico magnets don't necessarily sound better than cheap ceramic magnets. That's just preference. Wood is far more important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members book_of_lies777 Posted July 25, 2007 Members Share Posted July 25, 2007 considering they can slap a pair of EMGs in an acrylic-bodied guitar and rock out, my vote goes towards electronics being THE key. by the way, my cheap Epi LP Special rocks like a mofo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Saturday Posted July 26, 2007 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2007 well, of course wouldn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ebidis Posted July 26, 2007 Members Share Posted July 26, 2007 How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop? The world may never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave_Mc_2 Posted July 26, 2007 Members Share Posted July 26, 2007 You have also neglected to mention the hardware issue which is also very important to tone. I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crazyeddie Posted July 26, 2007 Members Share Posted July 26, 2007 Ain't gonna matter if it's plugged into Fender Bullet.......Probably won't matter if it was plugged into a Mesa Road King either....Or a JCM 800.....or a {censored}box Supertube 2000....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Daniel Libuy Posted July 26, 2007 Members Share Posted July 26, 2007 For example, what will sound better: a) a plywood epiphone special with boutique pickups and high quality cables and pots. b) a gibson standard with the electronics removed, and with el-cheapo electronics and pickups. (both plugged straight to the same amp) uhm? i think it would be an interesting experiment. of course, the answer is The Amp, but i Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Heliogabalus Posted July 26, 2007 Members Share Posted July 26, 2007 I am now dumber for replying to this thread...WTF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted July 26, 2007 Members Share Posted July 26, 2007 My gut says that your sound will only be as good as your weakest link... ...which is almost always the *player*! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave_Mc_2 Posted July 26, 2007 Members Share Posted July 26, 2007 ...which is almost always the *player*! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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