Suhr Modern Body Wood - Basswood or Mahogany?

[Moshaholic]

Suhr Modern owners who have played or owned both basswood and or mahogany...

What was the biggest difference that you noticed and which one did you like the best???

 

[tripstan]

What wood is the neck made of in each one?
John Suhr loves the basswood/maple top combo.

 

[Moshaholic]

What wood is the neck made of in each one?
John Suhr loves the basswood/maple top combo.

I want to buy a mahogany, maple top and maple neck with PAO Ferro board or what ever it is called.

I just don't know much about these guitars...

Mahogany
•Flame Maple Top
•Maple Neck with Pau Ferro
•Modern Elliptical .800 - .850"
•10"-14" Radius
•1.65" Nut Width
•Jumbo SS 24 Frets
•Chrome Hardware
•Gotoh Floyd
•Suhr Locking Tuners
•Floyd
•JST SSV Humbucker in Neck, JST ML single coil in Middle, JST SSH+ Humbucker in bridge
•1 Volume, 1 Tone, 5-Way, p/p to split both HB's
•Gold Logo
•Abalone Side and Face Dots

 

[Vede]

I have played both and own a basswood-body Suhr Modern. Basswood is typically a much lighter wood than mahogany, so a maple-neck basswood-body guitar will usually be a pound or two lighter than a mahogany-neck mahogany-body guitar. That's probably the biggest objective difference. But even then, some pieces of mahogany can be pretty light. The rest comes down to preference, opinion and the specific two guitars being compared. That said, mahogany typically sounds big and bold, with an emphasis in the mids (Les Paul-ish), while basswood is a bit scooped in the mids and highs and generally produces a "smoother" sound with good bass response.

The only way to know for sure what you'll like is to play a bunch of guitars.

 

[Metlupass2]

John Suhr's best recommendation is a basswood body with a maple top FWIW. Both my Moderns are Mahogany so my next one will be basswood and possibly a maple top. It's going to be a plain top.

 

[Anonymous]

Basswood with a maple top is highly regarded for a reason, but if you are going solid mahogany or solid basswood with no top on either might I suggest solid alder. Its a classic that I like better than solid mahogany or basswood.

 

[Moshaholic]

Basswood with a maple top is highly regarded for a reason, but if you are going solid mahogany or solid basswood with no top on either might I suggest solid alder. Its a classic that I like better than solid mahogany or basswood.

The guitar im buying is the one in the thread... just trying to get an idea on the differences between mahogany and basswood on those guitars... Every guitar can be different and tone woods that you like might not sound as good as one might think on a different guitar...

I have never played these modern guitars.... only a pro standard, it was basswood and kind of balnd sounding but that coud have been the pickups...

I really like the specs and features on this guitar... love the bridge.

The freeboard wood is something I am not familiar with either... don't know if it is good or bad?

I like maple and rosewood, but I do not care for ebony

 

[InFlames235]

Great question and something I was considering quite heavily! I was lucky enough to go to a store nearby and test out, like, 10 different Suhr modern guitars. I tried Alder w/ maple neck, all Mahogany, Basswood/Maple and, for me, I preferred the Basswood/Maple combo. It's tight, very even tone that's super smooth and has a lot of versatility to it. I put in my order for a custom shop Suhr this week on Monday and ended up going with Basswod/Maple Top w/ roasted maple neck and pau ferro fretboard. I can't WAIT!

 

[chunktone]

Basswood with a maple top is highly regarded for a reason, but if you are going solid mahogany or solid basswood with no top on either might I suggest solid alder. Its a classic that I like better than solid mahogany or basswood.

The guitar im buying is the one in the thread... just trying to get an idea on the differences between mahogany and basswood on those guitars... Every guitar can be different and tone woods that you like might not sound as good as one might think on a different guitar...

I have never played these modern guitars.... only a pro standard, it was basswood and kind of balnd sounding but that coud have been the pickups...

I really like the specs and features on this guitar... love the bridge.

The freeboard wood is something I am not familiar with either... don't know if it is good or bad?

I like maple and rosewood, but I do not care for ebony

Great looking guitar! I've never noticed a big tonal difference between Pau Ferro and Rosewood fingerboards.

I'd just change pickups to taste, if needed. Congrats!

 

[InFlames235]

Basswood with a maple top is highly regarded for a reason, but if you are going solid mahogany or solid basswood with no top on either might I suggest solid alder. Its a classic that I like better than solid mahogany or basswood.

The guitar im buying is the one in the thread... just trying to get an idea on the differences between mahogany and basswood on those guitars... Every guitar can be different and tone woods that you like might not sound as good as one might think on a different guitar...

I have never played these modern guitars.... only a pro standard, it was basswood and kind of balnd sounding but that coud have been the pickups...

I really like the specs and features on this guitar... love the bridge.

The freeboard wood is something I am not familiar with either... don't know if it is good or bad?

I like maple and rosewood, but I do not care for ebony

Great looking guitar! I've never noticed a big tonal difference between Pau Ferro and Rosewood fingerboards.

I'd just change pickups to taste, if needed. Congrats!

Although the tonal difference isn't much between pau ferro and rosewood, I like the playability a bit more on Pau Ferro

 

[thiswaythatway]

Basswood with a maple top is highly regarded for a reason, but if you are going solid mahogany or solid basswood with no top on either might I suggest solid alder. Its a classic that I like better than solid mahogany or basswood.

The guitar im buying is the one in the thread... just trying to get an idea on the differences between mahogany and basswood on those guitars... Every guitar can be different and tone woods that you like might not sound as good as one might think on a different guitar...

I have never played these modern guitars.... only a pro standard, it was basswood and kind of balnd sounding but that coud have been the pickups...

I really like the specs and features on this guitar... love the bridge.

The freeboard wood is something I am not familiar with either... don't know if it is good or bad?

I like maple and rosewood, but I do not care for ebony

I had a modern pro, it was very weak sounding in the neck position. Almost sounded like a bland single coil but i think it was Alder. I also had a Pro S4 that sounded ok but it didn't sound any better than your average CHarvel or Ibanez really. The Suhr's sure do play great and are made well though. Anderson also likes the Basswood/maple combo. Me personally though, I'd never touch a 24 fret guitar again.

 

[Moshaholic]

Basswood with a maple top is highly regarded for a reason, but if you are going solid mahogany or solid basswood with no top on either might I suggest solid alder. Its a classic that I like better than solid mahogany or basswood.

The guitar im buying is the one in the thread... just trying to get an idea on the differences between mahogany and basswood on those guitars... Every guitar can be different and tone woods that you like might not sound as good as one might think on a different guitar...

I have never played these modern guitars.... only a pro standard, it was basswood and kind of balnd sounding but that coud have been the pickups...

I really like the specs and features on this guitar... love the bridge.

The freeboard wood is something I am not familiar with either... don't know if it is good or bad?

I like maple and rosewood, but I do not care for ebony

I had a pro s4 that I got from a friend to sell it played great but the pickups were boring.

I'm all about 22 fret guitars for the most part these days (strats & les pauls) but this guitar looks really cool...

I had a modern pro, it was very weak sounding in the neck position. Almost sounded like a bland single coil but i think it was Alder. I also had a Pro S4 that sounded ok but it didn't sound any better than your average CHarvel or Ibanez really. The Suhr's sure do play great and are made well though. Anderson also likes the Basswood/maple combo. Me personally though, I'd never touch a 24 fret guitar again.

 

[yngzaklynch]

All i know is mine is alder with a carved quilt top and maple neck and i could not be happier

 

[cardinal]

Tell Suhr what you're hoping to get out of it and let him make the recommendation.

 

[JimmyBlind]

I had a modern pro, it was very weak sounding in the neck position. Almost sounded like a bland single coil but i think it was Alder.

Was this a Suhr neck pickup? I have a similar experience with the Aldrich neck pickup in my modern. Despite them being a high-output set, the neck plays like a medium output pickup. It doesn't have that full-bodied, creamy quality I expected from a high-output neck pickup.
I've not switched pickups out of the guitar yet, so I hope it's not the honky mahogany & construction that's accentuated by the pickup.
The Aldrich set aren't the greatest match in my opinion. The bridge pup is wicked though.

 

[Moshaholic]

This is my first real Suhr and I hope I will actually like it.

I play mostly Hot-Rodded fender Strats and Charvel guitars these days.

Some with rosewood necks and some with maple necks

I have a Gibson R8 that just slays too...

 

[thegame]

On a Suhr, if you're going w/mahogany body, you'll have to commit to a mahogany neck as well. John Suhr does not like the mahogany body/maple neck (regardless of fingerboard wood) combination.

 

[Moshaholic]

On a Suhr, if you're going w/mahogany body, you'll have to commit to a mahogany neck as well. John Suhr does not like the mahogany body/maple neck (regardless of fingerboard wood) combination.

This guitar has appears to have a maple neck... does it mean that it will sound like crap?

 

[thegame]

On a Suhr, if you're going w/mahogany body, you'll have to commit to a mahogany neck as well. John Suhr does not like the mahogany body/maple neck (regardless of fingerboard wood) combination.

This guitar has appears to have a maple neck... does it mean that it will sound like crap?

No not at all. Personally I like that combination. The guitar you posted is definitely mahogany body/maple neck ? I just remember for years he stated he doesn't like that combo but he could have changed his mind.

 

[se7en]

I have a Modern with John's 'holy grail' combination of basswood w/ a maple top. It also has a one-piece roasted maple neck/fingerboard. The guitar is very even sounding and a great tonal starting point to work from. I love it. It also has the GG .800-.850 neck with 16" radius which is super comfy. The cleans have plenty of sparkle, but man...when you hit it with some gain it just compresses so nicely. Fat and juicy. John says that this wood combination is closer to a LP than mahogany/maple.