Wood types

Izzy · Post by **Izzy** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 9:33 pm

Is there really that much of a difference in sound quality among different types of wood? Especially when playing heavy/distorted guitar?

I'm in the market for a new a guitar and I've narrowed my choices down to two. The main difference between the two (outside of the pickups, which I'd likely replace down the line) is one is mahogany, the other is basswood. Unfortunately, I can't find the one made of mahogany anywhere to actually pick it up and play it to see what kind of difference there is between the basswood. Is the difference even noticeable?

CFH Eternal · Post by **CFH Eternal** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 10:52 pm

Mahogany is a very dark and dense wood, kind of a fat sound. Basswood is a light wood, balanced sound for the most part.

Under heavy distortion? Depends, but I kind of doubt it if you have the distortion all the way to ten.

Izzy · Post by **Izzy** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:09 am

I don't know why I included the distorted comment considering I'm sure I'll be playing clean plenty of times, too. I'm leaning towards the mahogany, I always liked the warmer tones.

croninburg · Post by **croninburg** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 1:46 pm

What are the guitars?

Izzy · Post by **Izzy** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 5:29 pm

http://www.ibanez.com/ElectricGuitars/model-RG321MH

and

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez-RG-R ... 1400085.gc (this one doesn't have a page on Ibanez' site for some reason).

They're both $300 and I'm just looking for something on the cheaper end to get back into playing.

croninburg · Post by **croninburg** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 6:45 pm

I'm sure you won't be disappointed with either one. As long as an electric guitar isn't made of balsa wood you aren't going to have problems, mahogany and basswood are relatively similar anyway. I would just get whichever you can buy in natural finish, or whichever is cheaper

Izzy · Post by **Izzy** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 6:52 pm

The mahogany one has a natural finish; I didn't realize that made a difference?

croninburg · Post by **croninburg** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 6:52 pm

It looks better.

Edit: some people say that certain wood treatment/painting affects the resonance, but I don't really think that's something that normal people need to take into consideration.

Izzy · Post by **Izzy** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:10 pm

Ah okay, just checking. I also imagine with a natural finish, it's easier to have a guitar repainted down the line, should I ever decide to do so. A lot of reviews of that RG321 say it's a good "project" guitar to have.

Thanks for the input, croninbuddy

croninburg · Post by **croninburg** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:14 pm

Guitars

Bar Rat · Post by **Bar Rat** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 1:13 pm

I have some hard wood for you for you to run your fingers over.....in my pants.

Muffin · Post by **Muffin** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 4:16 pm

thats not a good place to keep guitar wood bar rat

Izzy · Post by **Izzy** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 9:32 pm

Izzy wrote:http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez-RG-R ... 1400085.gc (this one doesn't have a page on Ibanez' site for some reason).

I got this one

I went back to GC and played another Ibanez that had the same neck and pickups as the other one I was looking at, but a basswood body. It didn't sound very good at all. I've read that a lot of people weren't satisfied with the pickups of the RG3EX but when I tried it out at the store they sounded pretty damn good to me, very nice tone both clean and distorted. I figured I wouldn't necessarily need to replace these pickups (but could do so if I chose anyway), but would definitely need to eventually replace the pickups of the 321, so I got this one. Although I might already have to take it back because the sound cuts out when flipping the selector switch sometimes

exact same problem I had with my Jackson, I'm not going through that shit again.

Brandon · Post by **Brandon** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 2:23 am

Gnarkiller · Post by **Gnarkiller** » Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:01 pm

pickups should be the least of anyones concern when purchasing a guitar. all you have to do is... change them. only shitty thing is when you buy a guitar that has active pickups and you want passive the bridge probably isnt grounded. anyone run into that? ive been looking for the right guitar forever. want a classic v shapped body with a really slim neck and 24.75 scale. oh and 1 5/8" nut width. those specs arent even produced. might look into a custom made edwards fuck i dont know

maceek · Post by **maceek** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:27 pm

croninburg wrote:I'm sure you won't be disappointed with either one. As long as an electric guitar isn't made of balsa wood you aren't going to have problems, mahogany and basswood are relatively similar anyway. I would just get whichever you can buy in natural finish, or whichever is cheaper

mahogany and basswood are nothing alike tonally.

maceek · Post by **maceek** » Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:39 pm

Not only does the type of wood have bearing on the desired tone, but also the way the guitar is manufactured. Neck-thru is best, of course, but even guitars w/ set necks can give you pretty damn nice tone. Bolt-on is shit for metal, IMHO. You can get by w/ it, but it's not the same. Add the electronics factor too.
I have a bolt-on ML and am happy w/ it solely because it's a Dean ML. It sounds pretty good for what it is, but I have my eyes set on a Dean VMNT or a Razorback.

ron c nigbur · Post by **ron c nigbur** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 12:59 pm

Well, neither are particularly bright just like you

Jebodiah · Post by **Jebodiah** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 2:17 pm

Is maple wood a good type to have for a guitar?

EvilisthenewGood · Post by **EvilisthenewGood** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:20 pm

maceek · Post by **maceek** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:30 pm

Jebodiah wrote:Is maple wood a good type to have for a guitar?

If you play rhythm, mahogany is the way to go--including a mahogany neck. You'll get nice, fat low-end tone. Maple is better for lead guitar. They achieve better mid and high range tone.

ron c nigbur · Post by **ron c nigbur** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:35 pm

I have a bass made out of maple

maceek · Post by **maceek** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 7:39 pm

ron c nigbur wrote:I have a bass made out of maple

Awesome. I miss playing bass. I actually cut my teeth on bass before I picked up guitar.

Jebodiah · Post by **Jebodiah** » Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:58 pm

maceek wrote:
Jebodiah wrote:Is maple wood a good type to have for a guitar?
If you play rhythm, mahogany is the way to go--including a mahogany neck. You'll get nice, fat low-end tone. Maple is better for lead guitar. They achieve better mid and high range tone.

I wanna get into lead now so I'll go for maple.

croninburg · Post by **croninburg** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 11:08 pm

Wood type doesn't matter, unless you're buying a guitar made of balsa wood.

ihsahn_disciple10 · Post by **ihsahn_disciple10** » Fri Nov 26, 2010 11:22 pm

gimme a fuckin name brand, reasonably priced and we're good. I ain't no studio or live muso, I do the shit for me.

I think it's in the pickups for the electric anyways. I got a BC Rich KK Warbird knockoff but the pickups kick ass. Ready to go to a Schecter but only cause it's the most reasonable mid price for an 8-str.

Never went wrong with a Yamaha or Takamine for acoustic. But if you ARE a player, I'd like to try those guitars made from graphite, the Rainsong. It just SOUNDS interesting to play.

JesseJames · Post by **JesseJames** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 3:00 pm

Mahogany gives you warmer tones, maple gives you brighter tones.
Pretty much you have to look at the porosity of the wood to determine the sound it will produce, the tighter the pores (maple) the brighter the sound it will produce.
Pickups and shit, that's all your own preference. I hate EMG's personally. I love the PRS HFS pickups, and also the uncovered seymour duncan Jeff Beck and SH 59'.

ihsahn_disciple10 · Post by **ihsahn_disciple10** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 6:28 pm

never got all scientific with it, but I guess the mahogany would work for blues and maybe rock players, the other for the jazz types. But thanks for the advice.

Panterachat

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