Swamp Ash Or Alder;

[takis]

hi!i wanted to ask what wood is better for a fender stratocaster to have a sound like stevie ray vaughan...swamp ash or alder.and if i wanted to put lindy fralin blues special to a fender how it ll be the sound to the swamp ash and how to the alder;thanks

[Drak]

Honestly, you'd be safe with either one.

Alder is easier to get a level finish on, Swamp Ash has more grain character tho.

And no piece of wood will buy you a SRV tone, but you already knew that.

Wood tone varies from piece to piece, even from the same tree, and a lot of things characterize the overall tone of the guitar more than the body wood, so just buy something that is suitable for YOU, that's what counts most.

[nomusicnolife555]

if ya want more descriptions, Warmoth has all kinds of descriptions for almost any kinda wood you need. it also says what the tone is like, and how easy/difficult it is to finish.

[javacody]

Stevie used Alder Strats, but traditionally, strats were/are made out of both (there have been lots of other offshoots made out of poplar, walnut, mahagony, rosewood, etc, etc).

I prefer Alder personally, plus it is way easier to finish (generally speaking).

[willliam_q]

The guitar I've built which will be entirely finished once the paint dries is designed around stevie's sound, well that was my aim n e way.

I was originally gonna try a replica of stevie's number one but I changed my mind so much. The main thing was the sound. I got rio grande tallboy's in neck and middle position and the Muy Grande in the bridge for a little bit more umph! I haven't heard them yet but after reading a magazine review they sound like they'll do the job, especially when the magazine specifically said "for stevie ray fans!"

The body is ash, with a maple neck and fingerboard. I know stevie used another type of fingerboard. Can't just remember the name now.

since the guitar is my first project it will probably end up being unplayable n e way, which is what stevies number one almost was!! it'll probly sound nothin like stevie as well but another 3 weeks will tell!!

[spirit]

I know stevie used another type of fingerboard. Can't just remember the name now.

Rosewood is what you're thinking of. And, unless I'm mistaken, Fender use alder for paint finishes and ash for transparent finishes. It may have been different back then, but it's what they do now.

[willliam_q]

Yea it was rosewood. i was actually thinkin of Pao Ferro but i done 5 mins research and learnt that number one had a rosewood fingerboard but on the fender signature they decided to go with Pao Ferro cause it's fender thay can do wat they want!!

i think the later signature ones came with rosewood fingerboards though.

I'd love to have a go on the brand new limited edition replicas of the number one. it is exactly the same as number one cause the fender custom shop guys went down and took number one out of it's vault and broke it apart to measure everything exactly. there's only 100 of them being made. It's a rich, lucky person who gets one of those!!