whats the best overall tone wood in your opinion

[jeremywills]

just an fyi for me. in case i ever decide to try and make my own body instead of getting precutstuff.

jeremy

[vwall]

I picked alder!

I never had an alder guitar that I knew of until I got the Jem 7 VHW!!

Wow!

i have been playing GMC's and Uv's and American Masters with mahogany tops for years!!!

After I got the Alder Jem I was massively impressed especially in recording!!

Alde all the way :-)

[jeremywills]

thanks, i know its not the prettiest wood, mainly more for solid color paint, but im just interested in the tonality, i was just wondering what you guys thought, i have read many opinions on other websites, thanks again

jeremy

[GregP]

I voted Korina (which is also called Limba).

I don't have proof.

I don't have anecdotes.

But I had a "Vote!" button.

Well, OK, a mini-anecdote. When deciding on a wood for my current (only, so far) project, I did some research, and a number of people on this forum suggested that it was one of the best-- allegedly similar to mahogany in character, but with a bit more of a sweet high end. Sounded like a winner to me. (oh, and Ed Roman swears by it if I remember right. <chuckle> )

Greg

[camcool]

walnut that is a no brainer

great tone wood

[Dr. Jabsco]

there is no 'best'

depends on what sound you want.

[skibum5545]

I like my walnut bass a lot, but even with a maple neck and ebony fretboard and EMG's, it lacks the treble I desire. My alder G&L, however, has the best clear, versatile tone I've ever heard. Go alder: cheap, and great tone wood.

[Dr. Jabsco]

[quote name='skibum5545' date='Aug 15 2004, 12:51 PM'] I like my walnut bass a lot, but even with a maple neck and ebony fretboard and EMG's, it lacks the treble I desire. My alder G&L, however, has the best clear, versatile tone I've ever heard. Go alder: cheap, and great tone wood. [/quote]
Really?? oh crap
i was hoping that on my walnut bass (using curley walnut) that the ebony and bocote would give it more trebel.
how are the mids on yours?

terribly sorry to hijack, but it is a discution on tonewood

[skibum5545]

Maybe if I throw a new set of strings on, it'll be good. A bocote neck: is that brighter than maple?

Maybe I just like a really bright tone; I'm into slap/pop styles a lot. I'd say stick with the walnut; since I've only used it once, my results surely aren't the guaranteed average. Use it, and we can compare sound clips when you finish.

[Southpa]

I voted mahogany, straightest grain possible. I have some 4 ft long pieces here that I like to "play" occasionally. Widths and depths vary a bit so I get a range of tones. I just lay them down and play like bongos and rap with knuckles. "Tooong, toooong, toooong". Its a shame to ruin those nice pieces of wood by making guitars out of them....

[litchfield]

Black Limba (korina)

Light, beautiful, mahogany like sound. Heaven with a quilt top.

[tanglewood15dlx]

ALDER ALL THE WAY BABY!!!!
it's cheap,looks preety good on bursted guitars (s-burst strat)
i love the clarity and tone of the wood.
this is just the perfect body for a strat!(as i love strats!)
but everyone has his own choice good luck!

[Dr. Jabsco]

[quote name='skibum5545' date='Aug 15 2004, 08:43 PM'] Maybe if I throw a new set of strings on, it'll be good. A bocote neck: is that brighter than maple?

Maybe I just like a really bright tone; I'm into slap/pop styles a lot. I'd say stick with the walnut; since I've only used it once, my results surely aren't the guaranteed average. Use it, and we can compare sound clips when you finish. [/quote]
Bocote is a lot like rosewood. But a bit less heavy.

I decided against the walnut, mainly because of price, and sound. im going to use alder, with a nice top.
I may even do stainless steel frets, if wes's work out nicley. I like to get a real articulate sound, SS frets will deffinatly do that.

[Dugz Ink]

Sorry, I didn't vote; I haven't built a guitar, yet.

But I remember buying a long narrow piece of Bastone Walnut (years ago) that literally had a bit of a ring to it when you tapped on it. Since I started reading about building my own guitar, I've wondered of that type of characteristic would be good or bad. What I mean is... can you have too much resonance in a piece of wood?

If not, then I would be tempted to vote for a tight-grained walnut.

D~s

[madcow]

it really depends on preference... i said alder! nice balanced wood

[bluespresence]

I voted "other" because it all depends on what "tone" you're looking for. I love my Mahogany back / Maple top Les Paul bass - it has a very clear, deep bluesy tone with just enough bite up on the high end. It also perfect (IMO) in the middle. Then again the Ric has a Maple body and I can get much deeper tone on the low end (surprised me!) and much more punch on the high end but kind of muddy in the middle (IMO).

Cedar is used on acoustic tops often. I have never seen a solid body but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

[url="http://www.garrisonguitars.com/g25.html"]Garrison Cedar Top G-25[/url]

[aeli]

You haven't put padouk, so I voted for other. It has become rather populer am I wrong?

[Jehle]

My top two choices are Alder and Ash. Alder, though more consistent from blank to blank, doesn't sound as bright and snappy as Ash to me. Ash can be really finicky though. I've played identical Ash guitars side by side before, and where one sounds like butter, the other is a turd.

My vote was for Ash, even given the problems with "bad tone" every once in a while.

[RGGR]

I voted Korina (Limba).

From multiple source (internet, small custom building luthiers, magazine articles, etc............) they all seem to agree about the great tonal qualities of Korina. Reading reviews of Korina guitars, their owners/player clearly mark their Korina guitar among the nicest sounding guitars in their collection.

Currently building Korina JS-7 and if tone lives up to expectation, I will do a Korina LP.

Swamp ash, Alder, Basswood, Mahogany, Maple....they all seem to have their place in guitarland.....but somehow they miss the mistique that hangs around Korina.

[mushy the shroom]

For the type of tone I like, Lacewood is my favorite. Not only does it look cool, it has alternating pockets of dense and very dense wood. This gives me the high(s) I need, and also some bass.