Body, neck, fretboard woods

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Steinmetzify

Steinmetzify

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Hey guys, is there a thread on here that details different combinations of wood for bodies, tops, necks and conjunctions of all?
I'm trying to spec something out, and I'm running into a bunch of combinations I didn't know existed, and I'm getting a little confused.

I dig mahogany bodies with maple tops, ala LPs, but the Blackmachines and their clones look awesome, and sound incredible with the ebony tops and swamp ash bodies and what not; the idea I have wouldn't really make an ebony top cost effective AT ALL.

Is there a resource/thread on here or somewhere you could recommend that would detail what combinations of wood used for different things would sound like, as a general rule?

Finally, what do you guys like as far as body wood, neck woods and fretboards, with regards to how they work together? Basically, tell me what your guitar is made out of (body, neck, board material) and what you like or don't, if you'd like to participate.

Thanks,

Scott
 
Suhr's website used to have a good run down of this stuff. Not sure if it ported over to the new one. Warmoth's website has some info too, but it looks at just the differen components in isolation.

In practice, if you're going custom, I'd tell the luither what you want out of the guitar and try to work with him. There's a lot of variability even with a species of wood (I had an all mahogany guitar with a rosewood board that was the lightest, brightest guitar ever, though mahogany and rosewood is supposed to be a warm combination). A builder can't guarantee the wood will work out exactly as planned, but they should know their stock well enough to make a recommendation based in what you want and make sure the finished guitar at least is in the ballpark.
 
cardinal":eoi9cubj said:
Suhr's website used to have a good run down of this stuff. Not sure if it ported over to the new one. Warmoth's website has some info too, but it looks at just the differen components in isolation.

In practice, if you're going custom, I'd tell the luither what you want out of the guitar and try to work with him. There's a lot of variability even with a species of wood (I had an all mahogany guitar with a rosewood board that was the lightest, brightest guitar ever, though mahogany and rosewood is supposed to be a warm combination). A builder can't guarantee the wood will work out exactly as planned, but they should know their stock well enough to make a recommendation based in what you want and make sure the finished guitar at least is in the ballpark.

Hit my guy up with what I was thinking, and he agreed it'd sound good...sound advice, thanks.


Dimebag11":eoi9cubj said:
Warmoth has that info I believe.

Wanted to say thanks...that's where I got the info I settled on. Appreciate it.

So fuckin hyped for this build....it's gonna slay.
 
IMO you hear the wood more with a fixed Bridge or a Blocked Trem compared to a floating Trem.
 
Be aware that on a neck through body guitar the predominant tone will be the neck wood. I have a mahogony body guitar but I like maple fretboards so I got an all maple neck and it is neck through. It is a bright snappy machine.
 
threadkiller":3bjlgs1f said:
Be aware that on a neck through body guitar the predominant tone will be the neck wood. I have a mahogony body guitar but I like maple fretboards so I got an all maple neck and it is neck through. It is a bright snappy machine.

Noted man, but this one is gonna be a bolt-on....first time I've ever had one. :rock:
 
Most guitars I have owned have been Alder body, Maple neck, Ebony fretboard. I find it to be a brighter combo and I love the feel of Rock Maple for the neck in my hand. I do have a custom being built in a run though that has Tasmanian Blackwood body, Rock Maple neck, Claro Walnut top, and Ziricote fretboard. I am anxious to see how that sounds unplugged and plugged of course.
 
Carvin has some good info about this on their page as well.

My favorite guitar is maple body, maple neck and ebony board. Snappy!
 
Fretboard makes a huge difference too, on any guitar. Maybe one of the most influential aspects of wood affecting tone. Outside of this, I'm with you, maple top on slab mahogany; rosewood fingerboard, ebony on a mahogany top. Lester wood menu all the way.

In the nouveau arena, neck thru ESPs are IIRC maple post through, alder wings. I've got a couple and they're sizzly sounding axes. My Lesters, even the ebony boards, still sound warmer, richer and fuller.

Good wood is wood good!!
 
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