Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 I have a bunck of cherry tops and I need a dark sounding other wood to pair then with. Also, will hollowing the body give a darker sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 i would pair cherry with basswood,believe it or not.... i think basswood has a one dimensional tone which pairs well with brighter woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 We need many more details. What kind of tops, what are you building with it, what types of guitars. Typically, a quartersawn softer tonewood is used for the top of an archtop or acoustic, Spruce, Redwood, Koa, Cedar...with the harder wood used on the bottom/sides...Maple typically, Mahogony, Walnut, Cherry, Myrtle, etc...so when you say you have Cherry tops, I think you will be putting softer woods on the back(?), but I don't know what kind of guitars you're building...are you doing solidbodies? The top of an acoustically-oriented guitar is really the sound and tone producer, with the back and sides and bracing adding the 'coloring' to what the top produces initially...they are the 'coloring' agents. Yes, hollowing it out does make a difference, but you have to hollow out a substantial bit before you really notice anything tonewise...if your tops are 1/4" or thicker, no bracing is usually needed. Any thinner, you might think about bracing. But it's all about what you're building, what type of tone you're trying to achieve, what characteristics you're shooting for... Just to say you have some Cherry tops doesn't give me very much to go on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 Solid body...just like the DCs I have listed here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 For solidbodies, like Wes said, Basswood would work, or Mahogony, or Western Quilted Maple, Lacewood, Poplar, or any of the woods I already listed...Redwood, Koa, Cedar, Pine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 By DC I meant double cuts. The cherry is about 1/2" at thickest point. Carved tops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 much like my avatar or this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 I've found, the heavier the mahogany the darker it sounds. If you want to take that into consideration my $.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_ed Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 And my $.03 is..... Consider that Gibson uses mahogany under maple to get their sound. Maple being very bright, in relative terms. Just a thought. Guitar Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 again, relying on ramparts,.... they say korina has a bassy sound, i've been trying to get my hands on some for a while actually to try it out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 Well, I have a V made from it, and it isnt bassy per se, more like balanced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 I have read from a few (relatively) reliable sources that black walnut (not claro but black) is supposed to have a very dark tone. There is a 2x12x10ft board that's been in my garage for the last 25 yrs or so, and It will become (in part) a bass hopefully by summer, but its tap tone is really... well, dark! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_ed Posted January 24, 2004 Report Share Posted January 24, 2004 Hey SkiBum, That wood plank will be stable. And pretty. I am doing a project using black walnut also, but I am going to slice it thin and laminate it other bodies. Take care, Guitar Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted February 8, 2004 Report Share Posted February 8, 2004 would poplar be a good choice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 i've read quite a bit that poplar is basicly the eastern version of alder in terms of sound.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 I have one poplar bodied guitar (84/85(?) Kramer Pacer.) It's the one I cuss at , had the most problems with and complained about here (floyd posts tear out, loose strap screws, etc.) but I swear it's one of the sweetest sounding guitars in my arsenal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 odd, i've found alder rather strong, it's one of the harder woods for it's weight ... i'd dropped my alder bodie a couple of times on the concrete floor in my shop and my heart nearly stoped, but then i picked it up and not a crack to be found, the second time, someone else dropped it (must be cursed) and there was only a minor dent in the arm rest cause there was a peice of metal on the ground where it hit... anyways that was easily sanded out.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 So yes on poplar? I can get a wole bunch foe like cheap...$3.09/bf. The stuff is straight and clear. Looks good too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 nae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 so no on poplar? remember I am looking for dark woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 if poplar sounds similar to alder as they say,then that is not a dark sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Ramparts says this: Tonal Signature: High Velocity of sound. This readily available wood highlights the treble and lightens the lower midrange and bass, even more than Basswood. There is a slight emphasis in the lower treble and the middle midrange. "Great for Piercing through the Muddy Waters" Another good wood for chambered body-tops! thats for poplar. Thjis is alder: Tonal Signature: Relatively a light-weight hardwood, thin - mid range sound. Resonates in the middle treble area. This is Basswood: Tonal Signature: This light-weight hardwood sounds thin when replacing wood types with the same mid-bass emphasis (a size phenomenon). It resonates (enhances) in the upper treble area; it sounds recessed in the lower and upper mids. Basswood does not sound BASSY, has no Bass in it except in its Name....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Poplar isn't dark per se, I read that early Stingrays were poplar, which helped give it its punchy tone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 zebrawood, purple heart? maybe a bit of korina, that's the best i could find scouring ramparts, Maybe try combining woods that have alot of bass responce with woods that have tons of treb and avoid woods with any enhanced mids' that might give you the scooped mids for a "dark" sound??? i duno, just use an eq on the guitar and the right pickups? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Well, I am getting that poplar anyway. Its cheap, and I think my MIM strat is poplar. Its tone is well balanced and its worth a shot. I also have some mahogany quilted cherry and FLAMED purpleheart coming in on friday. Yes derek, I will show you. Its not top worthy, but the best figure in PH I have ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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