Crusader Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 A while ago I commented to someone that my guitar sounds "woody" in the bass notes and I thought why did I use that term? What is it that made me think it sounded woody? Then I changed the strings and realised its just that the strings were dead It wasn't exactly a bad sound, sort of sounded like a Glockenspiel or Xylophone. Like the "clomp clomp clomp" of someone wearing clogs - as opposed to a Vibraphone which sounds more metallic Tonight I Googled the topic and no-one made the same observation as I did. So what do other people on this forum think "woody" means? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 As long as i have been around guitar building i have never heard that term. Sounds made up to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim37 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 At one time there was a thread on hear about strings and there are guys that prefer old wore out strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader Posted March 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 ...prefer old worn out strings Thats interesting because I think it has appeal. Its a different sound, a variation, has character There are discussions around the net where people describe what they mean by "woody" and I can't follow what they mean. If you pick up a piece of wood (e.g. a length of 2x1) and hold it (in the right place) with one hand and tap with the other - that's the sound that I'm talking about, simple as that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader Posted March 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 .... Sounds made up to me. Thats what people do don't they? When you describe something you just "make it up" as you talk.....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 The wonders of using adjectives to describe sound. One man's "airy and detailed" is another's "harsh and icy"... C'mon, we guitarists are some of the worst (best?) users of adjectives to describe the aural characteristics of our electric banjos. Second perhaps to audiophiles who look down their noses at anyone not willing to spend $10K on a power lead for their $300K Hifi system. "Aggressive", "bright", "warm", "lively", "alive", "snappy", "dull", "dark", "3D", "deep", "metallic", "spanky", "twangy", "brittle"... "Woody" at a guess could mean a sound with an emphasis in the upper-bass or low-mids, with a relatively rapid decay after the note is played. As I understand it...IMHO...For me anyways...etc... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 You're right in that these terms mean different things to different people, whilst simultaneously describing nothing specific. If I had to ascribe "woody" as a sound, it would be the growl of low mid detail. The thing is, that mostly comes from the strings (as in new bass strings) and solidity of the instrument. A fat neck, maybe stainless frets and a longer scale/higher tension. Equally you could term that as "piano-like" tone for obvious reasons. Last summer I went to an audiophile's house over in Yyteri. Every single room in the house (I am not joking) had at least one sound system with granite/marble slabs, cones, treatment, valve amps, isolated drives and all manner of crazy expensive pointless stuff. I made a point of listening to a few pieces of music I enjoy rather than the huge collections of pointless reference CDs audiophiles collect. If anything, I think it sounded worse. The exact same analogy applies to instruments. They gather character and individuality through the flaws in their construction (not screwups, but things like "bolt-on" or cheap vintage bent plate bridges) rather than efforts made to push them towards some arbitrary sense of perfection. My Carl Thompson-style 5-string has a weird individual tone to it that no other instrument I have played possesses. Very tight and cutting, but with tight definition in the low end thanks to the MM pickup. Twangy acoustically, but I put that down to the super-thin but large body. Woods DO NOT have a specific sound, however they do have an effect on the whole instrument as a system. Those contributions/effects could be construed as a "sound" however a 100% Mahogany Telecaster would sound different to a 100% Mahogany Firebird. Build type, hardware, pickups, geometry, tension, etc. all play just as much of (or perhaps a greater) role than the wood. Ultimately, whatever you feel or believe is irrelevant. If your end product does what you want it to do for whatever reason, cool. Like I don't advocate filling a neck laminate with Ebony if you want a lively lower end. Examples exist to the contrary. What works for one person might not do so for another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 Yet another opportunity to dust off one of my favorite OrgMorg quotes: What does that guitar built with butternut (black gum, cassab, tupelo, barn wood et al) sound like? "It sounds like a guitar." SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader Posted March 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 "Woody" at a guess could mean a sound with an emphasis in the upper-bass or low-mids, with a relatively rapid decay.... Yes exactly, with a relatively rapid decay However I think some people just use adjectives or a phrase they've heard and it doesn't accurately describe what they're talking about. Here's one of the discussions I found on the topic. Half way down there's a video clip someone has given as an example of what they think "woody pickups" sound like. I'm not sure I agree but I really dig the clip! http://www.tdpri.com/forum/just-pickups/369327-ok-what-does-mean-pickups-sound-woody.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 Being a single malt drinker, I hear all kinds of descriptors in tasting notes. Generally ones that one wouldn't even associate with nice things! Sticking plasters/Band aids for example. "This pickup sounds like fresh cut apple with a smoky low end and a phenolic sustain". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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