Poplar, Alder, Ash body comparison

[robert(original)]

once again, my 2 cents, it doesn't matter, its a solid bolt on electric guitar, more tonal difference lays in the player than the instrument itself(picking style, string gauge blah blah blah blah)
my opinion, it doesn't fucking matter.

[Crunch Berries]

OK, I put this to the ultimate test. I took the neck off of the good-sounding poplar guitar and put it on the subpar-sounding ash body to see what difference it made. The electronics and hardware are pretty close to equal on these bodies, except for a different bridge pickup- same bridge, same pots, same cap, same everything. Folks, the sound was in the neck. I do hear a slight difference between the two bodies, but it is negligible- the sound improved hugely by swapping the vintage neck. I’d say the two body woods make about a 5% difference and the neck accounts for the rest. So I guess I have found the answer I was searching for- I need a vintage neck for that guitar. I’m really not a fan of 7.5� radius fingerboards but for this sound, I will put up with it.

[robert(original)]

personally, i think you are really high. but, if you found an answer that works for you, then, it works for you and my opinion can get fuct.
there was a fellow i was in school with who was also convinced that the "tone" came from the the neck and made all of his necks a minimum(im not joking) of an inch thick.
most of the necks he made were literally just rounded off two by fours. there was one in particular that he had to cut in for the neck pocket and the headstock since it was so thick the neck sat up way too high and the headstock was too thick to support normal tuners.
he even talked about how he was was going to market his guitars to basketball players.....
im sure he is doing great with his business ideals.

[Crunch Berries]

Trust me- if you played this guitar before and after, you would hear the difference- it is more than just a subtle difference. The neck that was on it really did suck in comparison. Also, I do think thicker necks do sound better- to a point. Skinny shredder necks always seem to be lacking, and I think the modern Fender C is too thin. But I wouldn't want a 1" neck either unless I had huge hands and that was comfortable or something. There seems a point of maximum return, and any thicker than that, the neck is just clubby for no advantage.

[cur]

I love it that this guy is loaded and has nothing better to do with his day then make these videos. Well, actually he makes money for making these videos.
[youtube][/youtube]

[Crunch Berries]

I’ve seen a couple of that guy’s videos, but a lot of his conclusions are based on some pretty flawed logic, like he doesn’t really grasp how guitars actually produce sound. The fretboard inlay example is really out of left field. I do believe he really cannot hear differences that are apparent to a lot of us- like there is no difference between the tone of an SG and a Les Paul- come on are you kidding me? I feel sorry for people who cannot hear subtleties in music, because I’m sure their phrasing and interpretation suffers along with their tone. I guess if you have 5 distortion boxes plugged into a triple rectifier amp, then it makes no difference if you play and Ibanez or a Telecaster at that point, let alone what woods are involved.

[robert(original)]

that guy has it right.
acoustically the guitars wood will affect the sound.
BUT! once its plugged in the sound will change from guitar to guitar based more upon the electronic, then the bridge, scale, string size, and probably most inportantly the player, obviosly im forgetting the amp and pedal setup.
and in reality if you believe that the wood on a solid body guitar affects the "tone" then you would have to accept the idea that the size/amount of inlays on the fretboard, paint, binding, etc would also affect the sound of the guitar. you may not be able to really tell with you own ears, but, if you could somehow hook it up ACOUSTICALLY to a sort of oscilliscope then i truly believe you would notice, something. tho i don't think your ears would be able to tell, and i definitly do not think that it matters once its plugged in.

[weeping_moon]

Really like alder the most. At least those are the guitars i choose. Can be my playing tec, how nows? But my tone is best with alder and good sounding pickups. I use mustang and strat bridges. Really regret that i sold my 2 acoustic guitars, 1 6 string 1 12 string because 95% of my songs came from an acoustic.

[cur]

Of course, there may be reasons why a different neck may make your guitar sound better. The nut could be one of those cheap-o waxy plastic things. The nut could be loose and wiggling (nut likely with string tension, but if trem is used maybe). Nut slots cut too tight for strings and causing binding/out of tune problems. There may be a loose fretboard. Weird truss rod issues-someone, maybe pens, had a problem where the truss rod moved around inside the channel. Neck crack. Changing strings to new/different brand/fresh strings.

Also, the neck could have been loose in the pocket. When I change necks around, I like to string them up and tune the guitar. Then take a screwdriver and loosen the neck screws a couple of turn. The sting tension will set the neck as tight as it is going to get in the pocket. Then tighten the neck screws and re-tune.

[Crunch Berries]

Inlay or not- which fret one puts their finger on makes no difference in the transfer of vibrations up and down the neck. Having inlays could affect tone a microscopic bit, but it would be for every note, not just the fret that is being played. Vibrations in the string stop where the note is fretted- vibrations in the guitar wood do not stop on that fret like the string does, they travel all the way up and all the way down no matter what note is played. The transfer of these vibrations is affected by everything along the way that transfers sound (or deadens it). The idea that a note with an inlay should sound different because the vibrations stop at that note is false- they do not. Don’t believe me? Play a note on the 7th fret, hold it, then while it rings put your finger of your right hand on the back of the neck at the first fret. Feel it vibrate? That’s because the sound doesn’t stop at the note you played on the 7th fret.

[Doug]

... there may be reasons why a different neck may make your guitar sound better...the neck could have been loose in the pocket. When I change necks around, I like to string them up and tune the guitar. Then take a screwdriver and loosen the neck screws a couple of turn. The sting tension will set the neck as tight as it is going to get in the pocket. Then tighten the neck screws and re-tune.

Good tip...thanks!

[cur]

... there may be reasons why a different neck may make your guitar sound better...the neck could have been loose in the pocket. When I change necks around, I like to string them up and tune the guitar. Then take a screwdriver and loosen the neck screws a couple of turn. The sting tension will set the neck as tight as it is going to get in the pocket. Then tighten the neck screws and re-tune.

Good tip...thanks!

If you have never done this to your guitar before you should try it. Factories will bolt the neck down then toss on the strings. The neck might be as tight as it is going to be, but with every guitar I have tried this with I have heard a little creak when the neck was loosened; meaning th neck got snugged up tight. This can make a noticible difference in sustain.

[cobascis]

... there may be reasons why a different neck may make your guitar sound better...the neck could have been loose in the pocket. When I change necks around, I like to string them up and tune the guitar. Then take a screwdriver and loosen the neck screws a couple of turn. The sting tension will set the neck as tight as it is going to get in the pocket. Then tighten the neck screws and re-tune.

Good tip...thanks!

If you have never done this to your guitar before you should try it. Factories will bolt the neck down then toss on the strings. The neck might be as tight as it is going to be, but with every guitar I have tried this with I have heard a little creak when the neck was loosened; meaning th neck got snugged up tight. This can make a noticible difference in sustain.

Careful if you have at all loose or almost stripped screw holes... i just stripped my neck out doing this. But to be fair I had doweled and redrilled previously so it was softer wood. But yeah.

[cur]

Good tip...thanks!

If you have never done this to your guitar before you should try it. Factories will bolt the neck down then toss on the strings. The neck might be as tight as it is going to be, but with every guitar I have tried this with I have heard a little creak when the neck was loosened; meaning th neck got snugged up tight. This can make a noticible difference in sustain.

Careful if you have at all loose or almost stripped screw holes... i just stripped my neck out doing this. But to be fair I had doweled and redrilled previously so it was softer wood. But yeah.

How much did you loosen. You only have to go a bit on each screw. You don't have to back them out.

[dots]

Here is link from Taylor Guitar's website.

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/ac ... ures/woods

I know this for acoustics, but it helps explain where each wood sits in terms of tone and frequency ranges.

There are differences in solid electric guitar tones, but as stated there are so many factors that influence your tone and then the amp is a huge part of the equation as well.

If a guitar maker could reproduce the exact guitar in every way except for the tone wood with no finish then you might be able to decipher a more audible difference.

rob beck from Beginner Guitar HQ wanted me to update this thread with an article he created regarding the subject quoted above. here is that link.

[Doug]

Here is link from Taylor Guitar's website.

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/ac ... ures/woods

I know this for acoustics, but it helps explain where each wood sits in terms of tone and frequency ranges.

There are differences in solid electric guitar tones, but as stated there are so many factors that influence your tone and then the amp is a huge part of the equation as well.

If a guitar maker could reproduce the exact guitar in every way except for the tone wood with no finish then you might be able to decipher a more audible difference.

rob beck from Beginner Guitar HQ wanted me to update this thread with an article he created regarding the subject quoted above. here is that link.

Helpful, forwarded to a friend. I'm helping to buy his 1st acoustic.

Doug

[Doug]

Can no one else hear a change in sound when he moves the guitar off of his body?

Are you saying this means you can hear the difference between solid body electric guitars made of different woods?

[brainfur]

I dont believe in tonewoods at all (for electric guitars)

[robroe]

Here is link from Taylor Guitar's website.

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/ac ... ures/woods

I know this for acoustics, but it helps explain where each wood sits in terms of tone and frequency ranges.

There are differences in solid electric guitar tones, but as stated there are so many factors that influence your tone and then the amp is a huge part of the equation as well.

If a guitar maker could reproduce the exact guitar in every way except for the tone wood with no finish then you might be able to decipher a more audible difference.

rob beck from Beginner Guitar HQ wanted me to update this thread with an article he created regarding the subject quoted above. here is that link.

hey asshole never follow my name with becks name. that guy fuckin sucks ass