Members Angry Tele Posted October 17, 2009 Members Share Posted October 17, 2009 alder, ash, or even basswood should work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SFW Posted October 17, 2009 Members Share Posted October 17, 2009 I have found that the swimming pool route that Fender used during the 90s is the largest factor in tone suckage for those guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cold Gin Posted October 17, 2009 Members Share Posted October 17, 2009 I like ash. It has a better attack and note definition, it sounds more lively to me. AWESOME OD/distortion tones too. It cuts. Ash FTW! But alder is also nice. Not a fan of basswood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cold Gin Posted October 17, 2009 Members Share Posted October 17, 2009 I have found that the swimming pool route that Fender used during the 90s is the largest factor in tone suckage for those guitars. BS. I had a 96 american standard that was one of the best sounding and most resonant strats I've ever owned and I've owned a few...I'm a fan of the swimming pool route, it acts almost like a resonance chamber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted October 17, 2009 Members Share Posted October 17, 2009 FWIW, Jeff Beck's #1 Strat is basswood (at 3:05) I've got to admit that is an interesting little factoid. In my first comment I really wasn't even giving basswood much consideration and was thinking more "alder vs ash". I guess I can see where basswood would be an interesting departure. My new Duo Sonic (not to compare with Jeff's or anybody's strat) has a bit of a hollow tone in it compared to alder or ash. My first experience with basswood is my Ibanez JS100 and we've never been able to bond despite the p'up upgrade I gave it. But that could be from the "licensed Floyd". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Darkstorm Posted October 17, 2009 Members Share Posted October 17, 2009 Alder would be my pick out of those 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LaXu Posted October 17, 2009 Members Share Posted October 17, 2009 Used to have an ash bodied strat and compared to my alder bodied one the midrange is noticeably different - more pronounced on the alder guitar. An ash tele by comparison has a different tonality to an ash strat in my experience. It really comes down to preferences. I prefer alder on a strat, ash on a tele. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members prolog Posted October 17, 2009 Members Share Posted October 17, 2009 My Strat-alike is basswood. It sounds wonderful. I'm sure ash or alder would sound great, also, but the basswood and the slightly strong ('62-ish) pickups give it a wonderfully warm sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Tele Posted October 18, 2009 Members Share Posted October 18, 2009 I wouldn't consider what Jeff Beck's Strat had more than I would what type quiver Shakespear wrote with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members volvo1800 Posted October 18, 2009 Members Share Posted October 18, 2009 alder and maple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FineLine Posted October 18, 2009 Members Share Posted October 18, 2009 I like ash. It has a better attack and note definition, it sounds more lively to me. AWESOME OD/distortion tones too. It cuts. Ash FTW! But alder is also nice. Not a fan of basswood. ...I concur, based on my (stock) ash body 2000 AM Fender Strat Dlxe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members axegrinder Posted October 18, 2009 Members Share Posted October 18, 2009 I wouldn't consider what Jeff Beck's Strat had more than I would what type quiver Shakespear wrote with.He was just making a point to those who poopoo basswood because it is cheap and readily available. Many boutique strat-like guitars are made with basswood. Having said that, based on the original post I recommend alder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RUExp? Posted October 18, 2009 Members Share Posted October 18, 2009 Two Strats made of the same type of wood can sound different being that wood is an organic substance. Weight/density will make a big difference. The neck has a big effect on the tone too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members captainultimus Posted October 18, 2009 Members Share Posted October 18, 2009 i greatly dislike bass wood mainly because of how soft it is had a rg5ex1 it was leaning up against my amp it tip over took a big ass chunk out of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PlectrumPete Posted October 18, 2009 Members Share Posted October 18, 2009 There are 30 species of tree called Alder, at least 250 species called Ash and 30 called Basswood. Each individual tree is then different depending on where and when it grew. Each individual piece of wood from the tree is then different depending on how it was cut and treated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nanobug Posted October 18, 2009 Members Share Posted October 18, 2009 There are 30 species of tree called Alder, at least 250 species called Ash and 30 called Basswood.Each individual tree is then different depending on where and when it grew.Each individual piece of wood from the tree is then different depending on how it was cut and treated. ^^^ Surprised it took 2 pages for someone to mention this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimytheassassin Posted October 18, 2009 Members Share Posted October 18, 2009 BS. I had a 96 american standard that was one of the best sounding and most resonant strats I've ever owned and I've owned a few...I'm a fan of the swimming pool route, it acts almost like a resonance chamber.agree. 1996 Lonestar Strat here.. tonez for milez. Just picked up a 94 mexi "squier series" with HSS route, and it has a similar resonance. If there's one thing that will ruin any guitar, it's green wood. Unless it's dried properly, and the quality is decent, the species is secondary IMO. I like em all, even basswood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fabstrat Posted October 18, 2009 Members Share Posted October 18, 2009 ash has a very scooped sound that "technically" will give you the most traditional strat sounds especially in the 2&4 positions. ash also tends to stand out in a bedroom situation when played clean, being that our ears tend to favor a scooped sound when played alone, but this quickly turns bad live when your guitar gets buried in the mix unless your running a mid-heavy overdrive like a tube-screamer. secondly many will note that ash "farts out" with high volumes/overdrive sounds which isent always the case but can be. alder is more of a "taste like chicken" sound that has a very even eq and sits very well in a mix, hence its seeming dominance with known players and session musicians alike. but, ash to me gives the most traditional sounds and can do amazing things in a studio setting, so it most definitely has its place it all comes down to your goals and the sound thats in your head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 ^^^Surprised it took 2 pages for someone to mention this. Yes...but none of that changes the fact that ash doesn't sound like alder and alder or basswood. So what's your point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mahuska Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 Indian Red ceder (Cedro) it's what the Squier vm series is made out of. And it actually doesn't sound that bad either. Got one with a single /single/mini hum neck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LARRY L Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 Used to have an ash bodied strat and compared to my alder bodied one the midrange is noticeably different - more pronounced on the alder guitar. An ash tele by comparison has a different tonality to an ash strat in my experience. It really comes down to preferences. I prefer alder on a strat, ash on a tele. That is how I hear it also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LARRY L Posted October 19, 2009 Members Share Posted October 19, 2009 don't let anyone fuck with your mind. alder is the way to go. unless you're a country player. Nothing like giving simple direct advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PlectrumPete Posted October 21, 2009 Members Share Posted October 21, 2009 Yes...but none of that changes the fact that ash doesn't sound like alder and alder or basswood. So what's your point? That Ash doesn't have a sound. Nor Alder. Nor Basswood. Nor any other "tone wood". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Krashpad Posted October 21, 2009 Members Share Posted October 21, 2009 Alder or ash. Not basswood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bdegrande Posted October 21, 2009 Members Share Posted October 21, 2009 That Ash doesn't have a sound. Nor Alder. Nor Basswood. Nor any other "tone wood". As I have just finished playing my Ministar Lestar, with no body wood whatsoever, I find this argument pretty convincing. On an acoustic guitar, it matters. On an electric, the pickups and amp are the sound. The size, material, and thickness of the pick, even the angle it is held at, or whether you use fingers, makes a much bigger difference than body wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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