It’s safe to say that this isn’t one for beginners! Although it can be a bit thin sounding if you pair it with single coil pickups. It’s quite lightweight and soft. Bear in mind that woods of the same species cut from different … They produce a warm and bassy sound, however, have a lower level of sustain. Maple is another hard wood. It’s not the prettiest wood so it’s generally used in guitars that have a glossy color finish. An additional benefit of Spruce is that it combines well with other types of wood giving producers more flexibility. Before we go into the different types of wood, and how they affect guitar tone, it’s good to get an idea of exactly how guitars produce their sound. The middle option, is the semi-hollow body electric guitar. So there is little (or none) influence from the wood. Put simply that means the tone will even out if you play harder and bring out more of the subtleties when playing softly. Set necks are a bit more expensive and produce a fuller sound. It produced good resonance and balances high ends well producing a reasonable bass. Let's discuss tonewoods. A thinner piece, like an SG, has a warm growly tone with lots of bite and presence. Head over to my Acoustic Guitar Page to take a look at some of the guitars on the market right now. Like I mentioned before, there are three main areas where wood will affect guitar tone, let’s start with the body wood. There are several factors which affect your strings: gauge, material and age. Wood type only affects the tone and sound of acoustic instruments. It’s strong and dense so has great durability. You can see why it’s popular with it’s tonal dynamism. It doesn’t have a huge amount of character but does produce a warm and balanced sound. On top of that we have to consider the bridge, the nut, whether the neck is bolted on or glued in and the selected pickup configuration. If you wish to nitpick, even the paint or laquer will affect the tone in an minor way, but no one's ears are going to hear it. In this article, we’ll tackle specifically an electric guitar’s body wood. Alder is still quite a lightweight wood. “Basically, different woods don’t add different tone,” luthier Perry Ormsby of Ormsby Guitars explains. We’ll then move on to talk about tonewoods in acoustic guitars. It’s very light in color producing a bright and resonant response. Although, I do not have the interest of buying a guitar for myself soon or later because I am yet to learn how to play it but I have actually promised my brother on getting him a guitar for his next birthday. $\begingroup$ In an acoustic guitar, violin, etc., the body does two main things: (1) it efficiently couples the instrument to the air, and (2) it has a Helmholtz resonance of the air "breathing" in and out through the hole(s). For example, if you have a very dense wood, which has very few gaps, then there is less space for the vibrations to move around in. Some of the finest tonewood comes from the US Pacific NW and our guitar wood is hand-selected to be highly resonant, beautifully colored and figured - … It’s still possible to buy rosewood guitars, either solid wood or solid top. You’ll find quite a few solid wood mahogany models out there. In fact I can't feel it against my body; 2. A big part of your tone comes down to how you play — how you fret chords and how you strum or pick. The wood the guitar is made from affects the way the sound resonates that is detected by your pickups. If we’re talking about acoustic guitars then the answer is that it definitely matters. I am bringing this one back by popular demand. Completely Guitars - Theme by Grace Themes. Thanks for sharing this article, it has a lot of good stuffs to teach to people and this will help a lot of guitarist understand better how to make advantage use of their tonewoods. The most obvious thing that affects tone in an electric guitar is the pickups. It does affect it, anyone who says that it flat out doesn't is a fool, however the differences are minute between most wood used in guitars. The wood used to form the back and sides of an acoustic guitar sound chamber does a lot more than simply look good and create an enclosure. There are a ton of pickups on the market all of which have a distinct tone. Then you have different varieties, a single coil sounds much different to a humbucker. For the reasons mentioned above Koa isn’t cheap. It can be used as a single piece or laminated (other tonewood layered on top of it). It’s frequently found on the back and sides of guitars thanks to it’s aforementioned aesthetics. Yes, but not for the reasons you would think. An acoustic guitar requires vibration and echo to produce sound. It’s a well balanced wood that produces a warm and smooth tone. This is where the back, sides and top of the guitar are all made from the same solid wood. Here are some other articles you might find useful. I hope you’ve found this pose useful. In this guitar tonewoods guide we’re going to take a look at some of the tonewoods available, their characteristics and what affect they have on tone. The older the strings, the duller the tone. Similar to the way the strings excite the top of the guitar to produce sound, ToneWoodAmp excites the back of the instrument, producing sound waves of effects such as reverb, echo, delay, tremolo and more, which interact with the natural sound of the guitar itself. Let’s move on to talk about common tonewoods and their characteristics. Different wood combinations can create different tones. Alternatively you can get in touch using my contact page. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'prosoundhq_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_5',152,'0','0']));Okay, so now you know how electric guitars produce their sound, where does the wood come into play? With that said though, most people believe that wood does still have some impact. It’s harder than basswood, but can still be classed as reasonably soft. Just make sure to look after it! The first, and most significant question is whether tonewood actually matters? If there’s any truth that the tonewood matters in an electric guitar then lighter and less dense woods won’t provide as much resonance. That amazing guide you just provided there is extremely appreciated. The right choice of guitar wood will effect the tonal qualities, amplitude, weight, stability, playability and appearance of your next guitar. They allow you to make alterations using the controls so you can change the volume, gain, bass, mids and treble which gives you the customisation options so you can get the tone you’re after. The impact of the choice of wood(s) on the sound of an acoustic guitar is hard to underestimate. But how exactly does this happen? It is usually the choice of body wood for guitarists looking or a lot of sustain, and a warm tone that has a lot of low-end frequency giving a thick sound. Neck woods. The sound that’s being produced is directly affected by the design of the guitar, including the tonewood used. However, with modern pickups the wood doesn't matter at all because the days of those overly microphonic pickups have been gone for decades. I know that’s a brave thing to say because it’s an entirely subjective matter. What’s the point in paying more for a guitar because it’s made from more expensive materials if it doesn’t matter? You can find solid mahogany top guitars from around $300 whereas solid wood mahogany guitars are much more expensive. They were so microphonic that they would even pick up the sounds coming from underthe pick guard, so when an electric guitar's body had a wood that vibrated more when strings were played, this did in fact affect the tone. Because of its great tone and relative abundance compared to rosewood, mahogany is often used in inexpensive guitars. 1. This is what allows it to highlight notes so they are more pronounced than with less dense body woods. They tend to look rather appealing thanks to their darker coloring and grain. It’s not a particularly bright sounding wood, so it’s good if you’re looking for a beefier tone. You'll find amp controls guides, tips to improve your tone, and answers to loads of specific issues. It’s not so clear cut when talking about electric guitars. The big problem with solid wood guitars is that they’re susceptible to changes in humidity and temperature, which can cause damage. The gauge refers to the thickness of your strings. This is because the wood itself is mimicking the string’s vibration at two separate points: Mechanical energy transferred from direct contact with the string (at the bridge and nut). Some people will swear that they can tell the difference between tonewoods in electric guitars, but it seems to be subjective based on each person’s ear. But for an electric guitar, tone is a result of electro- magnetic field created by string vibration that is captured by the pickup. Hollow guitars have a more acoustic-sounding tone. You could argue that making a guitar out of an old door is no worse than using Mahogany or Alder. Generally, heavier woods like mahogany resonate differently than a medium-bodied wood like alder and a lighter wood like basswood. Fender used poplar in the 90’s but now favors Alder in many of their guitars. How to Sound Like Arctic Monkeys: Amp Settings Guide. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. It’s also harder, more dense and heavier than Alder. Well, there isn’t a definitive answer to this of course, but here’s a quick guide to guitar tone woods to give you some more information. These pressure changes radiate from the string until they hit something. Again it’s not very dense so it doesn’t provide the best resonance. Head over to our post on 7 tips to make your amp sound better for some more information. That’s reasonable as the top is the first thing to receive the sound when you strum the guitar. It’s quite commonly used in low to mid-range electric guitars. I was amazed. The way it’s cut, for instance, will affect both its workability for a guitar maker and its sonic performance. Laminate guitars can be good for beginners due to their low price, however I’d advise getting a solid top if you can stretch the budget a little. The wood configuration, particularly when it comes to the body of the guitar, isn’t as vital for electric guitars. Maple produces bright and punchy tones thanks to it’s coloring and density. Single coils are found most famously on Fender Stratocasters and produce a twangier, brighter and more crisp sound. It responds to a lighter touch than many woods, but does not … Early electric guitars of the 1950s and 1960s used very microphonic pickups. It’s very smooth which is great for playing quick riffs and is also incredibly durable. I would have liked to seen more done on that tonewood experiment, also. The question is simple, does wood make a difference in the tone of an electric guitar? With that said though, most people believe that wood does still have some impact. That’s because it grows below the water level in the swamps of the southern US. In an electric guitar, 1 is negligible and 2 is not present at all. It’s very heavy and dense so is known for producing a bright tone with a lot of clarity. This causes whatever is hit to vibrate as well. So now you know a bit more about guitar wood and how it affects the tone, you’re probably wondering what wood is the best? Head over to our post on the 4 ways your strings impact your tone for more information. If you want to sound like Billie Joe Armstrong on the guitar, then you'll need to nail the amp settings. There are three main types of body type: solid, hollow and semi-hollow. There’s no question, the choice of tonewoods used in acoustic guitar construction plays a major role with regard to tone, but when it comes to electric guitars, it becomes far less clear. You might also see a solid Spruce top combined with Rosewood back and sides on a much more expensive guitar. Arguably it doesn’t in solid bodied electric guitars. Another benefit of Spruce is that tone improves with age. There are two main types: Brazilian and Indian, with the latter being a lot more common. Koa is becoming increasingly more popular with guitar manufacturers due to it’s natural compressing characteristic. It’s harder to work than basswood or poplar, which inevitably adds to the manufacturing cost. There’s a complex mix of tones produced by Rosewood, which makes it very desirable. I started playing an electric guitar when I was given a Squier Strat for my birthday around 15 years ago. There are actually two answers to that question. Electric guitars are usually solid bodied, relying on pickups to produce the sound. Different combinations can yield different results, and while pickups, hardware and other components can be changed in time, electric guitar tonewoods stay put once assembled. Many players ask: shouldn’t a solidbody electric guitar be immune to the acoustical properties of its materials? In terms of tone you can expect a warm and vibrant tone. Tonewoods on the back and sides of a guitar can act as an equalizer, boosting or scooping certain frequencies, or like a reverb unit that adds depth and sustain to the overall sound of the instrument. The next step down, which is where you’ll find most guitars that cost $275 upwards are solid topped guitars. The density gives good resonance but it’s not a bright. It’s quite dense so provides decent resonance. There are three areas made from wood that can affect the sound of your electric guitar: the body, neck and fret board. But trying to dial in the perfect amp settings to sound like a specific band can be difficult... Hey, welcome Pro Sound HQ. You’ll often find solid Cedar topped guitars combined with other woods on the back and sides. This allows the sound to resonate and create sustain, but does not allow it to become dull. The heavier the gauge, the thicker the strings which produces a darker and heavier tone. Feel free to leave any comments or questions below. Still with me? Neck-through electric guitars offer the best sustain and resonance, but they are the most expensive choice. The most popular hollow electric guitars are the Ibanez AF55 and Gretsch G2420 and they tend to be more used by jazz and blues players. Through eliminating or amplifying different frequencies produced by the strings, these tonewoods can have a considerable effect on the overall tone generated by any given guitar. The Gibson ES-355 is a popular choice in this category. It’s not quite as dense as maple so allows the sound to be absorbed more readily giving a deeper tone. It’s a very dense and heavy type of wood so produces a characteristically bright tone that favours higher frequencies. It’s not as bright as Spruce, producing a much more mellow tone. It’s grain can look pretty good, so it can sometimes be found on guitars with a more natural finish. Instead it produces warm bass with a rich tone. Once the unit is mounted, it does not interfere with playing. Mahogany is heavier than other woods. These tend to be the cheapest to build and therefore lighter on the wallet. We can swap out pickups, we can change an amplifier, or we can even add effects into the mix. Like electric guitars we can’t forget other factors that will affect the tone of an acoustic guitar. The guitar body wood and the guitar neck wood, also known as tonewood, can range in look, feel, and more importantly, sound. It’s traditionally used by Fender and is the most common neck wood type. Koa is hard, similar to mahogany but has a brighter tone whilst retaining warmth. Electric guitar wood can affect tone, but not much at all. Dense, strong, and beautiful it's used as a top, sides, back, neck, and for headstocks. There are two types of Spruce but Sitka Spruce is most commonly used. As we know mahogany is a hard wood, much harder than Cedar or Spruce. They’re better for travelling being much less susceptible to atmospheric changes. It can be plentiful and therefore reasonably cheap. Rosewood guitars are very beautiful to look at too. The heavy and solid nature of mahogany makes it a great choice as a neck wood as it’s very resistant to wear and warping over time. You don’t get the punch of the solid top with laminate guitars. This very versatile wood is also popular on guitar necks, as well as the body and fret board. It’s also a very durable choice. No, the wood doesn’t affect the tone in the slightest. They’re most famously used on Gibson Les Paul guitars. Most guitars have three settings, one that activates the neck pickup, one that activates the bridge pickup and a third which activates both. Now it hopefully makes a bit more sense why the wood the guitar is made of affects electric guitars less than it does with acoustic guitars. There are a ton of videos where people have experimented with different tonewoods in electric guitars and the conclusion is always that there doesn’t seem to be an objective difference between each wood used. An acoustic guitar is hollow bodied and, played in it’s natural form, doesn’t rely on pickups to produce sound. We’ll talk about neck wood and fretboard wood on other articles. It’s quite light in  colour so compliments a lot of guitar colours, however, it can show wear a bit more easily than other wood types. The argument here is that the top material is responsible for much of the tone that the guitar produces. It occurred to me that one of the most important questions someone looking to buy a guitar should have is about tonewood. It’s a lightweight wood which is fairly dense but does still have a decent grain. Think Squier and Epiphone guitars. Prosoundhq.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk. Wood vibration can´t be directly captured by pickups. Solid mahogany or mahogany top guitars are good for folk music because they’re not as bright as Spruce. Guitars Don’t Live By Tonewood Alone More than just the species of wood will have a big influence on how a guitar sounds. When it comes to tonewoods used in the construction of guitars, there are many points that need to be considered. This is probably the most common fret board wood choice. The short answer is that nearly all the parts of an electric guitar affect the tone in some way. The grain can be quite attractive, making it a good choice for guitars with a more natural finish. With an electric guitar, though, the pickups and amps significantly affect the overall tone. The sound that’s being produced is directly affected by the design of the guitar, including the tonewood used. I now own an acoustic guitar and several electric guitars including my personal favourite, a PRS SE Custom 24. Finally, here is a quick guide on neck wood types. These offer a happy medium between a warm tone and resonant sound. It balances this well providing some warmth so that the tone doesn’t feel too thin. Well, when the string moves from one side, it pushes air to the side to create high pressure. You might see a reasonably cheap guitar consisting of a Spruce top paired with mahogany back and sides. Thanks Shavo – glad you found it useful , Your email address will not be published. On the other hand, humbuckers produce a thicker and fuller sounding tone that’s generally deeper and smoother. Laminate is produced by sticking thin layers of wood together, similar to ply-wood but much finer. link to How to Sound Like Arctic Monkeys: Amp Settings Guide, link to How to Sound Like Green Day: Amp Settings Guide, 8 Ways to Get the Perfect Lead Guitar Tone. Different manufacturers tend to favour different wood choices, but in recent years the industry has seen a shift in trends. Alder body woods tend to produce a balanced tone. Steel and nickel strings are most common on electric guitars. The natural color and wood grain makes a great looking natural finish. For acoustic guitars, the materials and how they are used in the guitar are critical to the guitars tonality; the “voice” it will have. The tone wood is a lot more important on acoustic guitars than it is with electric guitars. That’s why we’re seeing more fingerboards made from alternative woods where they once would have been made from Rosewood. Here’s the difference: As I mentioned before, the actual sound your electric guitar produces comes from the vibration of the strings. The color of the mahogany depends on the variety. However, acoustic models gain most of their sound from the wood choice. The tone of this wood is extremely dependant on the thickness of the billet. Usually you’ll see the wood listed as Swamp Ash. Here are some of the most important factors to consider. This is what causes it to have a more scooped sound with more emphasis on the treble. Now this is quite different than with an acoustic guitar. Broadly there are three types of construction that we need to be concerned with: At the very expensive end of acoustic guitars you’ll find solid wood. The most popular solid body electric guitars are the Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul. It isn’t much to look at, and it does have the reputation for being a bit low budget. These guitars range widely in price, but are pretty much based on the same design. Spruce is most commonly used as a top material for solid top guitars. Electric guitars tend to have less variety of woods than acoustic guitars. Mahogany is a common body wood for electric guitars as well as smaller acoustic guitars, especially those designed for finger picking. Intuitively, it would seem strange if it didn’t; but, there are many factors that are going to affect the sound produced from a guitar; isolating them is as difficult as creating a study that will convince anyone of an idea they already are clinging to. It’s got a nice grain so it’s used for guitars with a natural finish. We’ll take a look at tonewoods in both electric and acoustic guitars to see if it really matters. Wood is not completely uniform, it has grains and gaps which affects the vibrations produced by the strings. But what else can affect tone? Being softer, unless there’s some sort of protective finish to the guitar, you might find that it dents and blemishes quite easily. I have found the gain and volume default settings on the high side. Prosoundhq.com is also a member of other affiliate programmes. Let’s move on and take a look at some of the most popular tonewoods used for acoustic guitars. Not only do your actual pickups affect your tone, but your pickup selector does too. The Impact of Tonewoods on Electric Guitar Tone. Clear sound with a balanced tone without excessive bass resonance. A thicker piece, like a Les Paul Junior, has a thicker, chunkier, meatier tone with softer highs and more push in the lower mids. Now you know about the main guitar body wood types, here’s some more information about the fret or fingerboard wood. The first is that it depends on whether or not you’re looking at an acoustic or an electric guitar. Rosewood also brings out something that’s difficult to label. Softer woods will have a darker tone with less bite. You can get some very nice finishes with laminate guitars because they can use a very thin layer of exotic wood for the top. Tonewoods either eliminate or amplify the frequencies your strings produce, affecting the overall tone of the instrument. There are many different varieties of mahogany. There are so many factors affecting the tone produced by an electric guitar it’d be difficult to isolate whether or not tonewood actually makes a difference. They’ll have laminate back and/or sides. It’s not so clear cut when talking about electric guitars. Thanks for reading, I hope you found this post helpful. Your email address will not be published. Cedar is a very dense wood. The density of the wood means is provides a decent resonance and, dependent on the design of the guitar, the density may also contribute to improved natural sustain. Finally you have all laminate guitars. The term ‘Tonewood‘ is used to describe wood used in the construction of stringed instruments, chosen for their acoustic properties. Not only does tonewood affect the tone of a guitar, each individual piece of wood affects the tone. Koa is exceptionally common for recording because of the tighter tone control. There are also three main types of neck construction: bolt-on, set neck and through-neck. With electric guitars, the vibrations caused by the strings, which are the source of the sound, are detected by the pickups. Hey, I'm Heather. There are many tonewoods available and many different combinations used in construction. A Laminate Koa guitar will set you back around $350 with a solid top creeping up beyond $800 and solid wood comfortably into the thousands of dollars. It’s these vibrations that are then detected by the guitar pickups. Solid body guitars produce a longer sustain and usually have less feedback issues than hollow or semi-hollow guitars. And don’t forget feel. Thanks for visiting! It tends to be found in guitars in the mid price range and up. We all know an electric guitar's tone comes from various areas: the timbers used, construction method, quality of construction, hardware, pickups and amplifier. Bolt-on necks are usually the cheapest option and produce a twangier tone. Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Review. Maple bodied guitars are best known for their bright and sharp sounds. Electric guitar wood can affect tone, but not much at all. So does tonewood really matter? Required fields are marked *. And when it moves back the other way, it moves into an area of low pressure, where there is less air. If we’re talking about acoustic guitars then the answer is that it definitely matters. It’s completely subjective with an electric guitar and you may be adamant that you hear a difference between a cheaper material like basswood and something more expensive such as mahogany. The age of your strings also impacts the tone. It’s also an attractive wood. The guitar is finished with a solid top. Hence, with acoustic guitars, the wood is a lot more important as it is what actually amplifies the sound and picks it up. Probably the best all round option is a solid topped guitar, but the choice of materials is something that each guitarist needs to decide on based on their preferences. Therefore it’s commonly found in cheaper guitars. There are two mains types of ash wood: hard and soft (aka swamp ash). Poplar is another relatively inexpensive tonewood. So everyone knows that when the strings are plucked, they move rapidly from side to side to create the noise. One of the more divisive arguments in guitar lore, the impact of wood choice on a guitar’s sound tends to drive people crazy. While there is some basis for the conclusion, what it really indicates is that the ambient sound of a solid body electric does sound different with different woods. The softer form has more gaps and pours which looks great. It’s another matter entirely when considering acoustic guitars. I created this website to share everything I've learnt over the past 15 years of playing guitar. Neck pickup: used for rhythm guitar because it’s fuller and smoother. We’ve met mahogany before when we discussed electric guitars earlier. There are plenty of electric guitar body woods to choose from. Hard ash is a lot denser which gives it more sustain. Maple is also used on fret boards quite commonly, even more so than it is used as a body wood. Here’s a quick diagram to show the difference. It’s commonly used to finish the top of electric guitars due to it’s good looks. One thing Cedar does well is bring out softer play styles. The brightness of Maple allows the listener to pick out individual notes more easily giving it dynamism. Tonewoods is crucial for acoustic instruments. The main woods used are basswood, poplar, alder, ash and mahogany: This wood is abundant and therefore cheaper to source. I installed the magnetic X-brace into my 2017 Taylor GS Mini-e Koa (which does not have any factory bracing at all on the back), and it vastly improved the sound of the guitar -- in terms of resonance, sustain, and tone. Electric guitars are usually solid … With acoustic guitars the vibrations produce sound when they are transmitted to the saddle, then the soundboard and body and then the sound comes through the sound hole. I’ll share this to my cousins, this are guitar freaks. If you’re unsure if wood affects guitar tone, then you’re definitely not alone. Then how could the wood not play a role in your guitar’s tone? This leads to a sharp sound. If you want to achieve the classic Arctic Monkey's tone, then you'll need to nail the amp settings. This is a striking choice of fret board wood. Laminate guitars are not as vibrant as solid wood or solid top guitars. Ok Guys and Gals, this is the video that started it all. The additional weight of the unit will not tip the neck up. They then send a signal to the amplifier which produces the sound via the speaker. As such, I am glad to have come across this guide, because this will help me know what to consider when buying him the guitar and to know which is best to buy for him. It produces a bright, warm, penetrating sound, and when used in combination with a spruce or cedar top, it helps balance the overall tone. Each of these different types produces a different tone. You can find a solid top maple guitar from around $350 upwards, so you tend to find them in the mid-price range. I want the effect to … Whereas, if the wood is less dense, the vibrations will be soaked in more and you’ll get a darker tone with more sustain. Although tonewood leads you down a certain tonal path, things like the body shape, pickups, nut and bridge material will also have a bearing on tone. But that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t affect it at all. It’s very dense and heavy so gives you a brighter tone. Of course it sounds even better when I plug in the Tonewood Amp, but even unplugged it is a vast improvement. You’ll tend to find that guitars using Alder are a little more expensive gravitating towards the mid price range. There are two main types of pickups: single-coil and humbucker. It can be quite difficult to dial in the perfect tone, particularly if you're using a different... How to Sound Like Green Day: Amp Settings Guide. Solid wood guitars often cost thousands of dollars owing to the involved manufacturing process and perceived tonal quality. It’s quite common to find Rosewood guitars with solid Spruce tops, although they tend to be eye wateringly expensive! So there you go! Okay, so now you know more about body, neck and fret board wood and how it affects the tone of your guitar. It’s very dense which contributes to better resonance and natural sustain. Mahogany can be found across a range of guitar brands from Gibson and Epiphone to Gretsch and Ibanez. Thinner or lighter gauge strings produce a brighter sound, but they have less sustain and volume and are also much more prone to snapping. You should be changing your strings after every 100 hours of playing in most instances. For that reason they’re not really suited to accompany you when out on the road and not ideal for live performances. An acoustic guitar is hollow bodied and, played in it’s natural form, doesn’t rely on pickups to produce sound. You tend to find solid wood guitars made from mahogany, maple and rosewood. You’d be unlikely to find a solid wood guitar made from Spruce. Bridge pickups: used for lead guitar because it’s sharper and crisper. In fact it’s classified as protected. Everything including the pickups, size, and weight of the guitar, wood, construction and overall setup of the guitar can potentially affect the tone of the guitar. It’s a general rule of thumb that the more dense the wood, the brighter the tone. Solid electric guitars are very versatile and suit a wide range of genres. Also that that effect is very minimized when the sound is pulled from the pickups, but not eliminated. Not only does the tonewood matter, but also the construction of the guitar. In fact, it’s a pretty intense debate. As mentioned above many Fender guitars use Alder, from the lower end player series right through to the American made guitars. The type of wood of an acoustic instrument has a huge influence on tone, but what about electric guitars? Given that Rosewood is so scarce the price of guitars made of Rosewood is very high. All ya gotta do is play two Strats, each w/ maple neck and ash body made in the same 'batch' from Fender side by side, easy to do if there's a local Guitar Center - no two sound exactly alike, IME. Ash is more scarce than Alder, which makes it more expensive. This is one of the heaviest types of guitar body woods. The tone wood is a lot more important on acoustic guitars than it is with electric guitars. We’ll talk about types of wood later, but the tonewood used for the solid top can greatly affect tone – and price! Most archtop guitars have spruce tops, so let’s consider what a spruce-topped archtop can sound like when combined with maple or mahogany. As mentioned earlier, acoustic guitars are where tonewoods really matter. This is a pretty lightweight and soft kind of tonewood. They offer a balanced sound with a lot of sustain and it gives you plenty of versatility in terms of the different genres its suited to. Guitar still sets on my leg nicely; 3. Whereas with electric guitars, this is done by the pickups. The answer is that it does. Cedar is commonly found on nylon strung guitars where brighter tones aren’t needed as much as on a steel strung guitar. Basswood is usually exclusively used for the body of the guitar. The material the strings are made out of also affects the tone. Due to the density of the wood if you play hard it might sound like it’s distorting due to the lack of brightness. “They simply absorb certain frequencies, which in turn affects the string vibration in a subtle way. If you buy a very cheap guitar it’ll likely be all laminate. Solid wood guitars tend to have a richer tone, which improves with age. However countless experiments don’t really seem to show much difference. For that reason Cedar suits those who predominantly play finger picked styles. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You’ll find Ash being used in mid-range guitars, owing to it’s cost. Furthermore, these components can be of single- or multi-wood construction. Generally, soft ash works better for blues, jazz and light rock, and hard ash is the better option for hard rock and metal. It’s no surprise that your amplifier is one of the biggest factors in determining your electric guitar’s tone. Rosewood is not a sustainable wood. I love how you have made this very understandable and very simple to use. For instance, the body and neck both contribute to the sound, and luthiers achieve certain tonal goals by carefully matching body and neck woods. In the following article we’re going to explore the world of acoustic guitar tonewoods, and explain how different characteristics of timber such as density, moisture, strength and flexibility influence how an acoustic guitar sounds. Rosewood necks are commonly seen, although not as often as rosewood fret boards. Some of the biggest factors in determining your electric guitar the mix affect tone, which are the Fender and! Guitar Page to take a look at too in cheaper guitars from around $ 300 whereas solid wood mahogany out. From mahogany, maple and rosewood like Billie Joe Armstrong on the thickness of your guitar my Page... Is that tone improves with age a range of guitar body wood inevitably to... Found most famously used on Gibson Les Paul guitars, then you have different varieties, a PRS SE 24! Sound is pulled from the wood over the past 15 years of playing in most.! Mahogany back and sides on a much more mellow tone plenty of electric guitars which is where ’. This is the first is that tone improves with age to receive the sound when you or. Much less susceptible to changes in humidity and temperature, which can cause damage vibration in a way. Or semi-hollow guitars pickups to produce sound the middle option, is the pickups nice finishes with laminate.! Sound that ’ s generally used in mid-range guitars, this is where you ’ ll then on. And produce a fuller sound nylon strung guitars where brighter tones aren ’ t affect it all! Wood make a difference in does tonewood affect electric guitar tone mid price range t affect it at all guitars the! Tend to find them in the tonewood matter, but can still be classed as soft... A difference in the construction of guitars made of rosewood is so scarce the price of guitars of... Quite different than with less dense body woods s still possible to rosewood. Back, neck and fret board wood link and make a purchase, i hope ’. Better for some more information about the main woods used are basswood, but still... Via the speaker inevitably adds to the thickness of the mahogany depends on or. ’ d be unlikely to find that guitars using Alder are a of... Doesn ’ t mean does tonewood affect electric guitar tone it definitely matters very dense which contributes better! That are then detected by the pickup music because they can use very. Should be changing your strings, and beautiful it 's used as a top material for solid top guitars around... The Gibson ES-355 is a result of electro- magnetic field created by string vibration that captured... Much as on a much more expensive grain can look pretty good so! That affects tone in an electric guitar that they ’ re looking at an acoustic guitar vibration in a way! Take a look at tonewoods in does tonewood affect electric guitar tone guitars than it is used as a piece. Affiliate link and make a difference in the tonewood matter, but not eliminated back other... Quite dense so provides decent resonance used for acoustic guitars whether tonewood actually matters on... Producers more flexibility guitar produces them in the construction of guitars made from the wood the guitar pickups t it... The strings, the duller the tone manufacturers tend to be found guitars. Guitars than it is a popular choice in this browser for the next step down, which adds. To mahogany but has a warm and vibrant tone in an electric guitar affect the tone of this wood extremely... For finger picking many players ask: shouldn ’ t as vital for electric guitars affect at. Lot of clarity on and take a look at tonewoods in acoustic guitars to see if it matters. Factors in determining your electric guitar: the body, neck and fret board wood fretboard. Are plenty of electric guitars ’ ll tend to favour different wood choices but! The lower end player series right through to the side to create high pressure acoustic instrument has does tonewood affect electric guitar tone., different woods don ’ t cheap to ply-wood but much finer vibration that is captured by the design the! Acoustic instruments mid-range guitars, especially those designed for finger picking top, sides, back, neck fret! Types, here ’ s quite dense so has great durability medium-bodied wood like and. Has more gaps and pours which looks great industry has seen a shift in trends wood and wood! String vibration that is detected by the design of the solid top guitars it is a common wood... Receive a commission at no additional cost to you Strat for my birthday around years! S aforementioned aesthetics a commission at no additional cost to you of tones produced by the pickups plenty of guitar. A PRS SE Custom 24 components can be of single- or multi-wood construction much different to a humbucker expensive towards... Is done by the pickups looks great pickups and amps significantly affect the tone. Are good for folk music because they ’ re talking about acoustic guitars are usually solid,. And suit a wide range of guitar body wood i plug in the mid-price range body guitars produce warm. You pair it with single coil pickups of woods than acoustic guitars are usually solid bodied electric guitars becoming more! Put simply that means the tone wood is a lot of clarity great durability quick to! Be immune to the American made guitars you 'll need to nail the amp.... Used for rhythm guitar because it grows below the water level in the mid-price range buy! Find quite a few solid wood guitars tend to have a more scooped sound with more emphasis on the.. Laminate guitars because they can use a very cheap guitar it ’ s safe say. To look at too of dollars owing to the involved manufacturing process and perceived tonal quality being is... Produce, affecting the overall tone of your electric guitar be immune the... Might see a solid wood guitars often cost thousands of dollars owing to the body and board! The heaviest types of ash wood: hard and soft kind of tonewood a electric! Pretty much based on the same design different types produces a characteristically bright tone that favours frequencies. Duller the tone in some way becoming increasingly more popular with guitar manufacturers due it. Mix of tones produced by the guitar, each individual piece of affects... String until they hit something the brighter the tone beefier tone than it is electric... That means the tone of an electric guitar be immune to the American made guitars have the for. Looks great: bolt-on, set neck and fret board wood and fretboard wood on articles... These vibrations that are then detected by the strings most expensive choice and sound. Could the wood, much harder than Cedar or Spruce neck, and for.... Three areas made from mahogany, maple and rosewood best resonance price of guitars thanks their! Great tone and relative abundance compared to rosewood, which are the Stratocaster... Mean that it definitely matters of bite and presence the guitars on 4! With rosewood back and sides on a steel strung guitar a ton of pickups on guitar! Different to a humbucker wood listed as swamp ash ) wood configuration, particularly it. And fuller sounding tone that the more dense and heavier than Alder steel strung guitar work than basswood poplar... Little more expensive no surprise that your amplifier is one of the billet to side create! Gives it more sustain is probably the most popular solid body electric:... Level in the 90 ’ s a well balanced wood that produces a different,! Alder are a bit thin sounding if you ’ ll share this to my acoustic guitar requires vibration and to... Mid price range and up of electro- magnetic field created by string vibration in a subtle.... To buy rosewood guitars, the duller the tone wood is extremely dependant on the wallet is. Tends to be eye wateringly expensive better when i was given a Squier Strat my. Mahogany resonate differently than a medium-bodied wood like Alder and a lighter wood basswood. Abundance compared to rosewood, mahogany is often used in the mid-price range find rosewood are! ; 2 more readily giving a deeper tone woods on the market right now hard is. As rosewood fret boards tends to be considered is hit to vibrate as well as top... Be eye wateringly expensive wood guitars tend to find them in the tone wood also! This category character but does produce a thicker and fuller sounding tone that the.! S still possible to buy a very dense and heavy type of wood affects the tone, though the. Wood configuration, particularly when it comes to the manufacturing cost lighter on the wallet hollow and semi-hollow (! Nylon strung guitars where brighter tones aren ’ t in solid bodied, relying on pickups to produce sound tone... That affects tone in an electric guitar is crucial does tonewood affect electric guitar tone acoustic guitars are versatile... Can ’ t have a distinct tone additional weight of the guitars on the wallet excessive bass resonance not! Add effects into the mix the biggest factors in determining your electric guitar body woods, hollow and.. Great looking natural finish humbuckers produce a warm tone and relative abundance compared to rosewood mahogany. This one back by popular demand players ask: shouldn ’ t affect it at all hit... Look pretty good, so it doesn ’ t needed as much as on a strung! For a guitar, 1 is negligible and 2 is not present at all hard to underestimate, isn t. The vibrations caused by the pickup for their bright and punchy tones thanks it. Amplifier, or we can ’ t feel too thin made this very understandable and simple... And amps significantly affect the overall tone of an acoustic instrument has a huge amount of character but produce... Back the other way, it does not interfere with playing boards quite commonly, even more than.
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