第3个回答 2019-05-31
It’s
a
common
misconception
among
novice
guitarists
that
only
two
things
determine
the
tone
of
an
electric
guitar:
the
combination
of
pickups
and
amplifier.
Nothing
could
be
further
from
the
truth.
Pickups
provide
the
voice,
but
it’s
the
timber
-
the
guitar
body
-
which
provides
the
soul.
In
this
three
part
series,
I’ll
discuss
the
more
common
tonewoods
used
in
guitar
construction,
why
they’re
used,
and
how
different
combinations
can
produce
dramatically
different
results.
Part
One
focuses
on
the
four
timbers
which
make
up
at
least
90%
of
all
guitar
bodies.
Here
goes…
Ash
A
staple
wood
in
early
Fender
guitars,
Ash
comes
in
two
varieties
-
“Southern
Soft”
and
“Northern
Hard”.
The
two
species
have
very
different
qualities,
which
result
in
strikingly
different
tones.
Southern
Soft
(also
known
as
“Swamp
Ash”)
trees
grow
partially
underwater,
producing
a
lightweight,
open-grained
wood
with
a
well
balanced
dynamic
range.
An
ideal
timber
for
a
general
purpose
guitar,
Southern
Soft
Ash
bodies
have
tight,
warm
lows,
a
broad
midrange
and
particularly
bright
top
end
sounds.
One
thing
to
be
aware
of
if
you
are
considering
using
Southern
Soft
Ash
in
your
custom
guitar:
the
tonality
can
vary
markedly
between
pieces.
As
the
tree
matures,
the
timber
hardens
and
becomes
more
rigid.
In
this
case,
you
could
be
left
with
the
worst
of
all
worlds,
a
muddy
sound
with
neither
the
soft
subtlety
of
an
open
pored
wood,
nor
the
poppy
sustain
of
a
dense
one.
Definitely
take
advice
from
your
local
luthier
or
timber
supplier
before
committing
to
a
piece
of
Southern
Soft
Ash
-
a
good
piece
will
make
a
great
looking,
and
wonderful
sounding
guitar.
Northern
Hard
Ash
is,
as
its
name
suggests,
much
heavier
and
more
dense
than
the
Southern
variety.
Its
weight
helps
give
it
a
clear
shimmering
tone
with
good,
ringing
sustain.
Extremely
popular,
both
species
of
ash
have
a
light,
creamy
color
well
suited
to
a
clear,
see-through
finish,
although
their
open
grain
requires
several
layers
of
lacquer
to
completely
seal
the
wood.
Mahogany
The
timber
of
choice
for
many
Gibson
guitar.
Denser
than
ash,
mahogany-bodied
guitars
produce
a
thick,
warm
sound.
The
overall
tone
has
heavy
emphasis
on
the
top
and
bottom
end,
with
the
mid-range
somewhat
depressed.
Its
weight
brings
an
excellent
sustain,
and
is
responsible
for
the
distinctive
punch
of
a
hard
rock
guitar,
where
it
excels
for
both
crisp
power-chording
and
wailing
solos.
Red/Brown
in
color,
and
although
it
has
more
pronounced
markings
than
ash,
mahogany
is
generally
not
used
with
clear
lacquer
(despite
finer
pieces
having
gorgeous,
golden
flecks
in
the
grain).
Mahogany
bodies
are
often
paired
with
a
maple
body
top
for
both
aesthetic
reasons
and
to
add
an
extra
dimension
to
the
top
end
sound.
An
interesting
note
about
mahogany
-it
ages
extremely
well,
indeed
its
tone
has
a
tendency
to
improve
as
time
passes.
Helped
by
its
stability,
mahogany
doesn’t
degenerate
or
warp
anywhere
near
as
much
as
other
timbers.
Basswood
The
lightest
and
softest
common
timber
used
in
guitar
construction,
basswood
is
often
used
in
heavy
metal
models
such
as
Ibanez.
Compared
to
other
timbers,
basswood
is
fairly
inexpensive
and
abundant.
Its
light
weight
reduces
resonance,
meaning
low
end
sounds
are
weak.
Coupled
with
its
softness
which
smoothes
out
tinny
highs,
bassword
bodies
produce
their
best
tones
in
the
mid
range.
This
makes
them
perfect
for
lead
guitars,
especially
heavily
overdriven
where
the
in-your-face
sound
compliments
and
cuts
through
a
thicker
rhythm
section.
Clean
sounds
are
somewhat
uninspiring.
Basswood
bodies
are
easily
chipped
and
dented,
which
is
not
generally
a
big
issue
since
they
are
often
finished
in
a
protective
polyester
coating.
That
being
said,
basswood
guitars
are
easy
to
carve,
sand
and
finish,
and
make
an
excellent
beginner’s
timber
for
practising
luthiers.
Take
care
when
drilling
or
screwing
holes,
though…basswood
can
split
or
crack
under
less
pressure
than
harder
woods.
Depending
on
its
country
of
origin,
basswood
varies
in
color
between
white/brown
and
tan/brown.
All
varieties
have
occasional
green
streaky
markings.
Generally
speaking,
the
darker
the
wood,
the
higher
the
grade,
and
the
more
consistent
the
tone.
Alder
Probably
the
most
popular
timber
used
in
guitar
making,
alder
is
lightweight
and
produces
a
balanced
sound
across
the
whole
tonal
spectrum.
It’s
harder
and
therefore
more
robust
than
basswood.
Alder
is
somewhat
similar
to
ash,
albeit
slightly
darker
and
with
larger,
yet
less
distinctive
markings.
It
has
the
same
broad
soundscape,
too,
and
with
no
particular
stand-out
tone,
it’s
a
perfect
timber
for
making
a
versatile,
multi-genre
guitar.
Alder
bodies
hold
a
consistent,
bright
top
end,
equally
clear
mid-tones,
whilst
remaining
solid
and
punchy
at
the
bottom.
Alder
wood
guitars
have
carved
out
a
niche
with
blues
guitarists
in
recent
times,
aided
significantly
by
both
its
soulful
resonance,
adaptable
sound…and
Fender’s
almost
total
adoption
in
their
latest
collections.
Until
Tomorrow…
As
you
have
seen,
the
timber
you
choose
for
your
custom
electric
guitar
will
have
a
great
influence
in
its
final
sound.
Not
only
that,
but
it
can
affect
it’s
lifespan
and
resale
value.
A
mahogany
body
will,
for
instance,
preserve
its
quality
long
beyond
one
made
from
basswood…simply
because
of
its
durability.
One
final
piece
of
advice…always
check
your
wood
for
dead
spots.
Any
slab
of
timber
can
come
from
a
bad
tree,
be
diseased,
or
have
an
unusual
ring
structure,
all
of
which
could
deaden
its
tone.
Ask
your
timber
merchant
for
advice,
and
make
a
point
of
knocking
lightly
across
the
wood
-
it
should
resonate
equally
across
its
surface.
I’ll
get
into
some
of
the
more
exotic
tonewoods
later
in
the
month,
but…
Tomorrow,
we
move
onto
neck
woods.
Thanks
for
reading.