Alder vs Basswood
- Thread starter Windigo
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PatheinRaindropMoe
New member
hmm, how to describe the different frequencies(bass mid treble) with words and making sure we can understand, without listening to the different frequencies in sound?
heh, or listening doesnt matter, as long theres info in words, we can imagine the sound in mind liao?
heh, or listening doesnt matter, as long theres info in words, we can imagine the sound in mind liao?
teleplayer
New member
hey Pathein, i saw a forum saying that basswood is something between alder and mahogany.. is it true..?
fretless6
New member
Quoted from andersonguitars.com
Alder
Dating back to the late 1950's, this is the wood found in more 3 single coil, double cut-away, 25 1/2" scale length guitars than any other. Due to its wide-spread popularity it produces a very familiar tone—a "vintage tone." Its sound is primarily a thicker, midrange tone. It is very full in the low midrange yet produces enough upper midrange to be clear and articulate
Basswood
Pronounced bass like the fish. This wood gained popularity in the 80s and for a time was probably the most used wood for locking tremolo guitars. It is very light weight and produces a fairly even and full mid-range response throughout the entire band width. Many people feel it is extremely well matched with humbucking pickups because it produces a lot of the same frequencies that humbuckers easily reproduce. This is not to say that single coil tones aren't great as well. Toward the end of the late 80s, a few other species of woods were mistakenly thought to be basswood and this seemed to lead to a decline in basswood's popularity. However, true basswood does produce a very pleasing midrange tone and is the only type of basswood used here at Tom Anderson Guitarworks. Ifs natural color is light blonde to of white with little to no discernible grain. For this reason, an opaque paint color is usually chosen for a solid basswood body.
Alder
Dating back to the late 1950's, this is the wood found in more 3 single coil, double cut-away, 25 1/2" scale length guitars than any other. Due to its wide-spread popularity it produces a very familiar tone—a "vintage tone." Its sound is primarily a thicker, midrange tone. It is very full in the low midrange yet produces enough upper midrange to be clear and articulate
Basswood
Pronounced bass like the fish. This wood gained popularity in the 80s and for a time was probably the most used wood for locking tremolo guitars. It is very light weight and produces a fairly even and full mid-range response throughout the entire band width. Many people feel it is extremely well matched with humbucking pickups because it produces a lot of the same frequencies that humbuckers easily reproduce. This is not to say that single coil tones aren't great as well. Toward the end of the late 80s, a few other species of woods were mistakenly thought to be basswood and this seemed to lead to a decline in basswood's popularity. However, true basswood does produce a very pleasing midrange tone and is the only type of basswood used here at Tom Anderson Guitarworks. Ifs natural color is light blonde to of white with little to no discernible grain. For this reason, an opaque paint color is usually chosen for a solid basswood body.
EugeneSmasher
New member
From what I've heard, basswood is softer and easily dented, but has pronounced mids and is lightweight, and has more sustain than alder.
THOA
New member
This is my personal interpretation based on what I hear:
Alder would sound brighter as compared to basswood. Although alder is described as a "neutral" wood, I personally feel that "neutral" would be better suited for basswood cos of the fact that it sounds more open and flatter to me.
Also, I find that alder gives single coils a very sweet tone on single coils but with a touch too much "jeng" on humbuckers, especially on H-S-S guitars. Basswood muted out some of the chimeyness of single coils on a strat but in general, its tone is easier to sculpt using pedals and eq. Basswood can help neutralise the sterileness of active pickups as well. Alder sounds very sharp with actives.
On bass, basswood would be MY preferred choice as compared to alder cos of the added mutedness and growl it can give, but after listening to a mahogany bass guitar, I prefer the mahogany more :mrgreen:
Alder would sound brighter as compared to basswood. Although alder is described as a "neutral" wood, I personally feel that "neutral" would be better suited for basswood cos of the fact that it sounds more open and flatter to me.
Also, I find that alder gives single coils a very sweet tone on single coils but with a touch too much "jeng" on humbuckers, especially on H-S-S guitars. Basswood muted out some of the chimeyness of single coils on a strat but in general, its tone is easier to sculpt using pedals and eq. Basswood can help neutralise the sterileness of active pickups as well. Alder sounds very sharp with actives.
On bass, basswood would be MY preferred choice as compared to alder cos of the added mutedness and growl it can give, but after listening to a mahogany bass guitar, I prefer the mahogany more :mrgreen:
rimuel
Member
i beg to differ.
EugeneSmasher
New member
Well, that's what I've heard. Don't know for sure if it's true.
EugeneSmasher
New member
THOA: Agreed. The singlecoils on my basswood-bodied Ibanez sound somewhat warmer than I'd expect, but the humbucker has a lot of bite and growl. Personally, basswood is my favourite pick for solid-body electric guitars. But I definitely won't choose basswood for acoustic.
faizal_rocks
New member
After reading this thread, I now understood why a humbucker on my alder custom strat sounds bright and trebly. I think for my next custom guitar, I will choose basswood body and slap in 2 humbuckers in there! 
THOA
New member
Faizal_rocks bro, considering that the humbucker on a H-S-S strat is close to the bridge, the bright and trebly tone is inherent. Just that with alder, the highs become more prominent.
One way to counter this is to install a humbucker with a warmer, moderate output and less treble and mids. =)
One way to counter this is to install a humbucker with a warmer, moderate output and less treble and mids. =)
Last edited:
faizal_rocks
New member
yes....mahogany has a more deeper tone whereas alder has a more of a higher n strat kinda tone....and basswood lies between them
MadWerewolfBoy
New member
lol all these words don't really paint a clear picture in the end.. needa try both with the same pups to hear it for yourself.
if words are sufficient, then:
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Bodies/Options/BodyWoodOptions.aspx
if words are sufficient, then:
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Bodies/Options/BodyWoodOptions.aspx
fretless6
New member
Are you saying that the humbucker on a HSS strat is "supposed" to be closer to the bridge than normal?
Blodstyre
New member
Single Note Sustain on High E string
Alder: EEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.....
Basswood: EEeeeEEeeeEeeeeeEEEeeeeeee....e...eE....ee...e..E..
Barre Chord Strumming
Alder: Jgeng Jgeng Jgeng
Basswood: Jreng Teng Kreng
Swinging Guitar On Someone's Head Aftermath
Alder: Person lying down in a pool of his own blood and unconcious
Basswood: Person sitting down unconcious with guitar body parts around
~meh~
Alder: EEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.....
Basswood: EEeeeEEeeeEeeeeeEEEeeeeeee....e...eE....ee...e..E..
Barre Chord Strumming
Alder: Jgeng Jgeng Jgeng
Basswood: Jreng Teng Kreng
Swinging Guitar On Someone's Head Aftermath
Alder: Person lying down in a pool of his own blood and unconcious
Basswood: Person sitting down unconcious with guitar body parts around
~meh~
i lol while reading this. theres more to tone than just the woods e.g pickups and scale length, fingerboard woods.
im inclined to think that basswood goes better with humbuckers while alder is better for strats/teles.
EugeneSmasher
New member
Haha same... I can't wait to try an all-carbon-fibre electric, though. Gonna be the toughest guitar around. :mrgreen: First Act even has a Bamboo guitar... Also really want to try that out!
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