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Wood Recommendation: Mahogany+?


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This is for my King V project. I am thinking of making it all-Mahogany. However, I would like the fullness and low end of Mahogany that I get with my Les Paul with maybe a touch more high end; I still want a smooth/round/non-shrill high end, but maybe a bit more treble. A few factors:

1) I am using some Sheptone custom hand-wound pickups. They are a set of his BK pickups which are hotter with more low/mid/body in the bridge and the BK neck will be clearer and brighter than his vintage PAF-style.

2) I am using a 25.5" scale.

3) I will probably get the wood from Gilmer woods. I had a great experience buying from Marc at Gilmer so I trust him to get me what I need.

4) I am planning on a Mahogany neck with Maple stripes in a set-neck design.

5) I am installing a Floyd Rose

6) I am thinking of going with a golden-brown color

As such, I think my options are to either go with all-Mahogany (maybe ask for a blank that is likely to have nice low end and a good amount of top end sparkle), Mahogany body with a Maple cap (for a vaguely LP-in-a-V setup), Alder body, or just tell Mark what I am looking for and see what he comes up with. My first option is to go all-Mahogany and then the hotter/brighter BK pickups should add some high-end, but I am open to other ideas. Any votes of confidence or better ideas?

-Cheers

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I've built a couple guitars with mahogany bodies and 1/4" walnut caps, as well as an all mahogany guitar. They where all of similar construction methods (all mahogany necks with CF rods, set neck, etc.) The thin walnut cap didn't seem to make much difference, but on one of the guitars with walnut caps I used a longer (fender) scale length and the other had a shorter (gibson) scale length. The longer scale length really did a lot to brighten up the sound of the instrument, and a little more definition and snap to the lower registers. I think your choice of a longer scale length, coupled with some appropriate pickups should get you to the sound you're looking for, regardless of wood type. It won't sound like a tele, but I don't think that's quite what you're going for anyway.

This is just my opinion, I'm sure more versed builders here can add their own input...

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The longer scale length really did a lot to brighten up the sound of the instrument, and a little more definition and snap to the lower registers. I think your choice of a longer scale length, coupled with some appropriate pickups should get you to the sound you're looking for, regardless of wood type.

Thanks for the input. That is what I was kind of hoping. I think a nice, understated-looking V could be nice with a nice finish in Mahogany.

It won't sound like a tele, but I don't think that's quite what you're going for anyway.

No. However, I am getting it coil-tapped for diversity. I am going with a V-shape for ease of upper-fret playability (the lower horn seems to bother me more than anything else when I play high on the guitar) and I find the geometric symmetry kind of nice. And I have never had one. But I am not doing it just so it screams high-distorted metal, at least not all the time.

Anyway, thank you a million.

-Cheers

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Out of curiosity, would using Gibson LP specs as far as body thickness on a King V design (Mahogany or Limba body, either with or without the maple cap) be too heavy/massive, or pure overkill in any regard? And any thoughts on what the 25.5" scale would do with a King V built with those dimensions and material(s)? I am guessing it would not be any more extreme in weight, size, etc. than an Explorer.

-Cheers

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Out of curiosity, would using Gibson LP specs as far as body thickness on a King V design (Mahogany or Limba body, either with or without the maple cap) be too heavy/massive, or pure overkill in any regard? And any thoughts on what the 25.5" scale would do with a King V built with those dimensions and material(s)? I am guessing it would not be any more extreme in weight, size, etc. than an Explorer.

-Cheers

It depends. The added length of the scale will serve to tip the balance more in favor of the headstock. Strap button placement is key. You'd want the two strap buttons to be parallel in line with the centerline of the body, if at all possible, to counteract this.

However, all mahogany wouldn't be as heavy as mahog with a maple cap. And with the maple cap, are you adding that on top of the 1-3/4" thick body, or using a thinner cap to make up the difference, with a thinner mahogany body? These all make a difference, as well. If you're using a cap, you have the opportunity to chamber out the mahog, if you're concerned about weight.

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And with the maple cap, are you adding that on top of the 1-3/4" thick body, or using a thinner cap to make up the difference, with a thinner mahogany body? These all make a difference, as well. If you're using a cap, you have the opportunity to chamber out the mahog, if you're concerned about weight.

If I add a cap it would be on top of a 1.75" thick body. I am not concerned about the weight unless it is ridiculously heavy (>12 lbs.). I am comfortable with my ~10 lb. Heritage H-150 (basically a Les Paul); if it is around that weight, maybe with some LP-characteristics with the obvious differences due to scale and design, I would be pleased. Just looking for a bit of that LP sort of mass/thickness/low-end in the sound with some nice not-shrill sparkle in the top end.

-Cheers

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