mjmclane Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 I'm looking to build a good "all-round" guitar. I'm thinking of dropping EMG 89's (dual sound pup's)in a Strat or Tele body that I will build. Problem is that when I've tried humbuckers in standard ash bodies the 'bucker sounds like mush. So I'm looking for something that resonates a little brighter, but perhaps not as "brittle" as the mahogany/maple combi of the Les Paul. Any recommendations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dak Lander Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 KOA! Our Joint "When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolead Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 I can tell you from my experience that an all mahogany body produces are very rich, dark sound that is abosolutely beautiful, thats with 100% mahogany body with humbuckers. I don't know anything about Koa, but I will tell you that my current guitar an alder witha flame top, doesn't resonate or sound as rich as the all-mahagony one, but I love the way it feels, and it has a much brighter tone for scorching leads and solid rhtyhms, but I eventually wish to get an LP anyways. Hopefully I helped you, maybe just wasting bandwidth. LOL. Rev Shut up and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamsa2000 Posted September 1, 2003 Share Posted September 1, 2003 Here in Australia guitar makers have been getting good results with native timbers such as Mulga and Queensland Maple, also Bunya and Blackwood. I posted a link to Maton Guitars a little while back that has lots of info and photos etc about these and other native australian timbers. My Maton accoustic has Queensland maple back and sides - the tone is fantastic. If you're looking for something a bit different, check out these timbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Strat Posted September 2, 2003 Share Posted September 2, 2003 I like poplar. BlueStrat a.k.a. "El Guapo" ...Better fuzz through science... http://geocities.com/teleman28056/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 I'm not so sure EMG's are viewed as the ultimate "all around" pickups... The tend to be a bit on the "clear, almost sharp" clean and have plenty of ability to be a bit crispy and edgy for overdriven or heavy sounds... Perhaps that's a sound you like... some certainly do. I'd have to second the "all mahogany" body. It would tend to "balance" the pickups. I'd probably also suggest rosewood fretboard, especially on a strat or tele clone. Some people like the sound of mounting the pickups directly on the body versus suspending them on a pickguard. That might factor into your build plans. Also the type of bridge and nut you select will be a factor in the sound... There are SO MANY recipies that might be appealing, and you can make cases for many of them... Besides the woods indicated, you might consider walnut, or perhaps a mahogany body with a koa or walnut top? If you're interested companies like Carvin, Warmoth, and others offer all sorts of parts and kits... I've seen some nice guitars made with Carvin's kit, though the necks have ebony fretboards... which are actually very nice, but are a bit brighter than rosewood imho. guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolead Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 I'd have to second not getting the EMGs. If you do like the traditional hard, sharp metal sound, which produces some crushing lead tones, they're great, but for a balanced clean, thats a little bit warmer I would recommend some SDs. What kind of music do you play? Shut up and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmclane Posted September 3, 2003 Author Share Posted September 3, 2003 I play a lot of R&B and classic rock/pop. I got the EMG (at the suggeestion of a guitar tech) because of its "dual sound" capability and because of the tonal shaping "add-ons" that could help in the versatility department. I'm bascially a Strat guy, but occasionally want a warm jazzy sound a'la Robben Ford (luv his clean tone). I've had pretty good luck in the past with a humbucker wired for coil splitting, but that gives you a humbucker w/ a reasonable facsimile of a Strat sound. I'd rather it be the other way around. So I'm asking around looking for suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roy d Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 Check out www.warmoth.com/common/frames/guitarbodies.htm for info on a variety of woods and how they influence the tone of your guitar. They have a great selection of bodies and necks. Also Carvin will supply their kit bodies in alder, ash, mahogany, or koa. The rear routed body is also available although it doesn't appear in the catalog. I put together one of the Carvin kits... it was simple and I came out with a nice guitar. have fun Roy http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/alexisdmusic.htm "once it stops bein' a mystery it stops bein' true" David Mowaljarlai - Ngarinyin Aboriginal Elder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 I got a Warmoth carved top body, flame maple over mahogany. I used a pair of humbucking Duncan Classic 57 pickups. Warmoth neck, solid birdseye maple, with ebony board. I'm a fan of Les Pauls, but I wanted something a little different. The layout is simple, with one 'trick'... a swicth that bypasses all of the electronics. Pickups really sing when you get the passive pots and caps out of the circuit. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolead Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 Originally posted by mjmclane: I play a lot of R&B and classic rock/pop. I got the EMG (at the suggeestion of a guitar tech) because of its "dual sound" capability and because of the tonal shaping "add-ons" that could help in the versatility department. I'm bascially a Strat guy, but occasionally want a warm jazzy sound a'la Robben Ford (luv his clean tone). I've had pretty good luck in the past with a humbucker wired for coil splitting, but that gives you a humbucker w/ a reasonable facsimile of a Strat sound. I'd rather it be the other way around. So I'm asking around looking for suggestions.I hear you here. My all mahogany guitar is similar to that. Weak output humbuckers that split. They sound absolutely beautiful for clean sounds, but for metal tones, which I play a lot of they were awfully weak, but nonetheless I refuse to switch them out. I haven't heard a guitar with a better acoustic impersonation than that one. Unfortunately its at home right now, and I'm at college. I already miss her. Shut up and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djinn1973 Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 I really like Basswood bodies. Guitars made of this kind of wood sound bright with out being brittle, but will also produce a really nice low end. So those calluses are supposed to be there; right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave da Dude Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 More sites for opinions on wood; http://www.melanconguitars.com/index.shtml http://www.edromanguitars.com Both good sources of OPINIONS, but you need to form your OWN opinion. IMHO, Mahagony body & neck w/ebony fretboard, Seymour Duncan pups (maybe JB , Alnico II Pro [n]). I imagine the EMG's will be okay though, since the mahogany is "not bright". Dave Gotta' geetar... got the amp. There must be SOMEthing else I... "need". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolead Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 IMHO, Mahagony body & neck w/ebony fretboard, Seymour Duncan pups (maybe JB , Alnico II Pro [n]). Drool... I have a guitar with a JB and an Alnico II Pro[n], but the body is alder. Still beautiful tones, both agressive and sweet. Good taste, Dave. Shut up and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baronedo Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 Mahagony bodies do have a rich tone but are also very heavy. You may want to try some of these new "solid" body design which really have resonance pockets removed underneath with an overlay wood top then glued in place to look like a fully solid body (like a honeycomb underneath). This is suppose to not only reduce the weight of the guitar but also improve tone and sustain. Check out some guitar parts providers like Warmouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gato Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 Try Cocobolo wood ... http://www.cocobolo.net/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Strat Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 I'd stay away from the EMG Hz pickups, unless you like mud. More mud than a monster truck rally!! BlueStrat a.k.a. "El Guapo" ...Better fuzz through science... http://geocities.com/teleman28056/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropy Posted September 3, 2003 Share Posted September 3, 2003 I recently had some luck building a strat out of sycamore. Sycamore is a member of the maple family, but tonewise it sounds (to me) more like mahogany. A very warm midrange sound. I got it fairly cheap, not sure about "normal" prices. Music is therapy for control freaks. If my world is gonna be rocked, I wanna be the one thats doin' the rockin'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolead Posted September 4, 2003 Share Posted September 4, 2003 Originally posted by apg: Try Cocobolo wood ... http://www.cocobolo.net/ Thats almost as beautiful as burled walnut. I'm gonna cry now. http://www.rockymountainusa.com/samples.htm Here's an example fo the burled walnut. Shut up and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gato Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 Originally posted by revolead: I'm gonna cry now. Don´t cry, it´s better if you dream about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psychotronic Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 If you're finding mahogany/maple (a la Les Paul) "brittle", maybe the wood isn't your biggest problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave da Dude Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 If you're finding mahogany/maple (a la Les Paul) "brittle", maybe the wood isn't your biggest problem. REAL good point. Mahogany is one of the LEAST "brittle" sounding woods. Look elswhere for the solution (pups?). Dave Gotta' geetar... got the amp. There must be SOMEthing else I... "need". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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