Favorite Maple Body Guitars

[braintheory]

What are your guys favorite guitars that have maple bodies? I've never tried one, but would really like to since I hear they're supposed to sound very tight, punchy and defined. I know some of the popular choices are the George Lynch ESP's and the old Kramer Barreta's. I don't know if I'd want those though because I'm not into Floyd Roses or how they look either (but that's not too important to me). How would you guys compare a Maple guitar to Ash? I find Ash guitars to have a lot of tightness, punch and definition. Sometimes they can be a bit scooped sounding though, which I hear Maple is not

 

[cecilbag]

I've only had ESPs that were all maple but I love them. They sound super punchy and the tight. I find them to have perfect mids. They're usually heavy but I love the tone. I don't have any ash guitars as reference but I prefer maple over alder. I like alder but find the maple sounds thicker. It could just be the guitars but I find my maple guitars all share that special punch

 

[JackTripper]

GMW make awesome maple bodied guitars. The ones have owned were as described, tight and punchy with screaming harmonics. I always preferred the lead tones of maple over rhythm.

 

[Rock Bodom]

I've had a couple of the Music Zoo Jackson RR 1.5's (non-Floyded versions), they had really fat tone and great necks, preferred them tonewise to the Kamikaze's I've had (I even A/B'd them with the same pickups). I only let them go because of the weight (same reason all maple body guitars seem to eventually make their way out of my collection).

 

[braintheory]

I've only had ESPs that were all maple but I love them. They sound super punchy and the tight. I find them to have perfect mids. They're usually heavy but I love the tone. I don't have any ash guitars as reference but I prefer maple over alder. I like alder but find the maple sounds thicker. It could just be the guitars but I find my maple guitars all share that special punch

Were these ESP's all George Lynch models?

 

[cardinal]

G&L Rampage should be maple bodied. I use all-maple basses (maple neck through with maple wings). They can get heavy, but the sustain and oomph are better than basses made of ash IME.

 

[GOHOINC]

Gibson rd.
G and l rampage.

 

[rstites]

I own a 1984 Charvel with a solid flame maple body. It's gorgeous and it sounds great.......and plays great. It is very punchy, but not shrill or thin. It's like having presence but not treble in a certain respect.

I did put a SD Screamin' Demon in the bridge of it. That pickup does sound really nice with the solid maple guitar. It has the original SD 59 in the neck.

 

[cecilbag]

I've only had ESPs that were all maple but I love them. They sound super punchy and the tight. I find them to have perfect mids. They're usually heavy but I love the tone. I don't have any ash guitars as reference but I prefer maple over alder. I like alder but find the maple sounds thicker. It could just be the guitars but I find my maple guitars all share that special punch

Were these ESP's all George Lynch models?

No. I've had two all maple m1 customs (3pc maple neck through rosewood board and maple wings) and a strat copy with a 2 piece maple body. They all have had the same basic foundation of tone. There is a thickness that just sounds great to my ears. It might not be for everyone but I would think it would make for a great recorded tone but I have little experience with that

 

[mooncobra]

LOVE maple bodies, they sound really tight and punchy. I have had a couple Lynch models, and they were great. Like the others say, quite a bit more heavy than other bodies.