Mahogany VS Maple neck, + pickup questions

[45below]

Hey all,

I'm drawing up plans for building a guitar and need some input.

I play all styles of rock, from hard rock to punk, and am looking for a pretty versatile guitar. (Because of the Fender Squire I already own, I'm leaning a bit towards the alternative/heavy rock with this one, but not too far )

So far, I'm looking at mahogany body with a Dimarzio Super Distortion Bridge PU and a Dimarzio PAF (Joe or Pro) neck PU. It'll also have a fixed hardtail bridge, a 3 way switch, and 1 volume, and 1 tone. (Electronics are not final either, but I like the simplicity) I haven't decided on a neck yet.

I'll be playing it through (hopefully) a marshall DSL, TSL, or JCM 2000 amp, with the possibility of an effects pedal or two.

My questions are these:

 

Mahogany or Maple neck? I'm leaning towards mahogany, but can I still get some fairly bright sounds with it? (depending on amp settings?)

 

Also, the Super Distortion pickup is rubbing me the wrong way (because of the name only) I'm not looking for a heavy metal distortion here... I'm more of a mix between distortion and overdrive. How versatile is it?

 

thanks so much

[chadd]

Maple neck, rosewood board.

[Randy80]

 

Maple neck, rosewood board.

 

 

+1

 

The super distortion is suited for rock and hard rock.

It's hot, of corse, but not so much and doesn't sound "modern" at all.

It may be a good choice.

[Cats-o-caster]

 

My questions are these: Mahogany or Maple neck? I'm leaning towards mahogany, but can I still get some fairly bright sounds with it? (depending on amp settings?) Also, the Super Distortion pickup is rubbing me the wrong way (because of the name only) I'm not looking for a heavy metal distortion here... I'm more of a mix between distortion and overdrive. How versatile is it? thanks so much

 

 

Maple + RW fingerboard is ok, but you CAN get fairly bright sounds with mahogany neck.

About SD - don't let the name fool you - one of the best bridge pups ever - actually, it's pretty bright on clean and low-gain settings

[Les Paul Lover]

Not sure about the woods - I have a Paf Pro in a walnut/maple laminate neck through neck guitar (with ash body wings) and it is quite bright and lacks warmth - but then, perhaps your mahogany body would be sufficient to compensate for that?

 

On another note: Get the Dual Sound pick up - same as super distortion, but can be coil split. They really only changed the name of the pick up, it's exactly the same one. And then you dont have to worry about the super distortion name!!!!!! :poke:

 

And the Paf Pro can be coil split too - so you could make you guitar a lot more versatile like that.

[vexed73]

I say mahagony neck with ebony fret board. Like find one of the les paul studios with an ebony fret board or one of the SGs with an ebony fretboard.

 

Or maybe this from rondo

 

http://www.rondomusic.com/al-3100boundblk.html

[robertkoa]

On a Bolt on - you will still get Fatter tones with a Maple Neck/ Mahogany Body .

 

Meaning you don't need a Mahogany Neck/ Mahogany Body to get the FATNESS on a Bolt On type.

 

Of course on a Set Neck or Neck Thru this is NOT TRUE.

 

When I was specifying woods for my Carvin Koa Bolt -I asked quite a few people including a guy from Carvin who HAS some of these and he said his C66 Bolt Ons in both Koa and Mahogany sounded more"solid" with the Maple necks compared to his others with Koa Neck/Koa Body and Mahog.Neck/Mahog Body. Other Carvin owners seemed to confirm this also.

 

Does this apply to other guitars like Fender, Suhr,Patrscasters, Warmoth etc? which are 25.5" scale Bolt Ons ? Not sure 'cuz I did not ask owners of those types...................

 

The Maple Neck/Koa body worked very well on mine for lots of resonance ,sustain and FATNESS but still in the general Strat family ( except in Humbucking modes where it tonally goes much further).

 

Hope this helps. You can guess about woods all day but when you speak to people who HAVE a certain type you can increase your chances of getting what you want.