Mahagony with Flamed Maple Top

johnny_be_goode

New member
I realise that if a Mahagony guitar body is a 2 piece with (eg. Flamed Maple Top) would cost more.

Does the Maple Top make it sound better or its it just for the looks?
 
johnny_be_goode said:
I realise that if a Mahagony guitar body is a 2 piece with (eg. Flamed Maple Top) would cost more.

Does the Maple Top make it sound better or its it just for the looks?

both ...as maple is a nice trusted renosant wood :wink:
 
anw also depends on where you get your wood from, heard theres such thing as cheap mahogany(frm dunno where) and honduras mahogany(frm africa i tink) these un-mentioned differences apparently mean a big difference in tone
 
ctmmaterial.jpg
 
whatever is stated in an attempt to account for the tonal properties of a capped top, you have to hear to believe.
 
Why isn't Poplar mentioned on the chart....that chart is a con job !!
See this...

Mahogany When used as a top, mahogany has a relatively low velocity of sound (compared to other top woods), considerable density and a low overtone content producing a solid tone, and responds best at the upper end of the dynamic range. Mahogany-topped guitars have a strong "punchy" tone that is well suited to country blues playing.

When considered for back and sides, mahogany has relatively high velocity of sound, which contributes much overtone coloration. While rosewood guitars may be thought of has having a metallic sound, mahogany guitars sound more wood-like. The harder, denser examples of these woods can take also on the characteristics of the rosewoods. Mahogany back and sides tends to emphasize the bass and the treble.

Mahogany necks help to create a warmer, more "woody" tonal range. The same holds true when mahogany is used as bridge material.



Koa has been used for soundboards since the1920s. This hardwood has a relatively low velocity of sound, considerable density and a low overtone content. Therefore, it tends to produce a solid tone that responds best at the upper end of the dynamic range. Koa has a somewhat more "midrangey" tone that works well for playing rhythm and truly shines in guitars made for Hawaiian-style slide playing.

For back and sides, Koa tends to behave much like mahogany in terms of adding tonal coloration, but its emphasis is again more in the midrange.



Brazilian Rosewood All the rosewoods contribute to tonal coloration. Brazilian rosewood is known for its high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, and is also characterized by strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers. Rosewood guitars also have a pronounced reverberant-like tone quality, caused by audible delays in the onset of certain harmonics. Brazilian rosewood has tremendous clarity in the bottom end and sparkle in the top.

When used for necks, Brazilian rosewood adds sparkle and ring.



Indian Rosewood is also known for high sound velocity and broad range of overtones, strength and complexity in the bottom end and an overall darkness of tone in the rest of the range. Strong mids and highs also contribute a richness of tone to the upper registers. Indian rosewood has a thicker, more midrange overall coloration.

When used for necks, Indian rosewood can help fatten up the midrange.



Sitka Spruce is the standard material for soundboards, the most commonly used species being Sitka. Its high stiffness combined with the lightweight characteristics of most softwoods, makes it a natural for high velocity of sound. A strong fundamental-to-overtone ratio gives Sitka spruce a powerful direct tone capable of retaining its clarity when played forcefully. This makes Sitka an excellent choice for top wood for players whose style demands a wide dynamic response and a robust, meaty tone. On the other hand, the lack of complex overtones in Sitka can produce a somewhat thin sound when played with a light touch - of course, depending upon the design of the guitar and the other choices of wood in its construction.


Red Spruce is relatively heavy, has a high velocity of sound, and the highest stiffness across and along the grain of all the top woods. Like Sitka, is has a strong fundamental, but also a more complex overtone content. Tops produce the highest volume, yet they also have a rich fullness of tone that retains clarity at all dynamic levels. In short, red spruce may well be the Holy Grail of top woods for acoustic steel-string guitars.


Maple, as a result of its greater weight and lower sound velocity, can be downright flat sounding, a blessing in disguise when a guitar is amplified at high sound pressure levels. This is why maple is the wood of choice for electric guitar tops. West coast big leaf maple is the softest and lightest of the maple family, with a wood grain that resembles waves. Aside from a visually breathtaking pattern, the wavy fibers of "curly" maple reduce the long grain stiffness and vibrate more freely. (This is the secret to the bright, clear powerful sound of the Parker Fly, a solid-body guitar made with a curly maple body.)

In acoustic guitar use, different species of maple, such as big leaf, sugar, and bearclaw tend to be more acoustically transparent due to their lower velocity of sound and high degree of internal damping. This allows the tonal characteristic of the top to be heard without the addition of significant tonal coloration.

Maple necks can impart a bright "poppy" tone that can do much to reinforce the top end of a large-bodied guitar.


Alder is a lightweight wood that is highly resonant, producing a full rich tone. When used for solid-body construction, alder provides a very good low end and midrange with the best performance in the lower mid range. Alder also exhibits good high-end characteristics and sustain.


Poplar is a stringy, dense, yet lightweight hardwood that is unusually resonant. Poplar, when used in solid-body electric guitars, has an exceptionally crisp sound, often described as "spirited" and "bouncy" - even "funky." Poplar guitars are ideal choices for players who favor single-coil snap and clean sound.
Basswood Basswood is light, stiff, and stable, which makes it particularly effective for necks and bass instruments thanks to its excellent low- end response.


Ebony, the traditional material found on the necks of violins, classical guitars, and high-end steel strings, has the lowest velocity of sound of all the woods commonly used and has definite damping characteristics. While not a problem for large-bodied guitars made of red spruce or Brazilian rosewood, it may be something to consider when designing smaller guitars, particularly those using less resonant tonewoods for tops and backs.


for further read go here
 
Take note:

The explanation about the sound of wood up there is a mix of acoustic + solid body guitar.

Read carefully and don't come into conclusion that a 2mm piece of wood will sound like a 2 inch slab.

A general guideline but I strongly suspect 99% of guitar players can't tell one wood to another blindfold.
 
edder said:
A general guideline but I strongly suspect 99% of guitar players can't tell one wood to another blindfold.

Well, I htink we can hear differences... maho body and basswood body etc etc...

And besides, thats why the luthiers are the ones who come up with such "tone charts". Not guitarists. :P
 
ShredCow said:
edder said:
A general guideline but I strongly suspect 99% of guitar players can't tell one wood to another blindfold.

Well, I htink we can hear differences... maho body and basswood body etc etc...

And besides, thats why the luthiers are the ones who come up with such "tone charts". Not guitarists. :P

Blindfold man... must be blindfold!

I'd like to see the results of a "taste" and wood identification test if we have strats all made equal but only with different body wood and painted to look the same.

That will be an eye opener!

Now who's got budget? hahaha....
 
wah u guys really good ... not only can play good guitar ... but can tell the differents of woods done to tone ... fantastic !!!

yeah i'm one of those 99% that differentiate what wood. Wood is Wood to me ... even if plywood ... as long as it can b played and IF i'm a good guitarist, makes no differents

8)
 
SpaTanS said:
wah u guys really good ... not only can play good guitar ... but can tell the differents of woods done to tone ... fantastic !!!

yeah i'm one of those 99% that differentiate what wood. Wood is Wood to me ... even if plywood ... as long as it can b played and IF i'm a good guitarist, makes no differents

8)

When u do get to play a fair bit of differant types you too can tell the differance ...blind folded ...upside down ...whatever !!

btw its good to know as you can fine tune your choice b4 purchasing new ...

For those who cant just use plastic ones ... :lol:

Sadly nowadays due to mass production for 'bad wood' cheap guitars flood the market ....thats why i can't believe those Epi's...bad>bad>bad to the bone!!!

My Fav...Poplar !!
 
ShredCow said:
Well, I htink we can hear differences... maho body and basswood body etc etc...

i don't think so. What we are able to hear is the difference of let say... LP (which is a mahogany, supposedly) or strat (which is usually an alder). But if the strat is made of mahogany and the LP made of alder, will we still hear the same result? :D
 
Well, diff guitars as a whole, i'm sure we can hear.

Unless.

You are playing thru metal like gain.
Using hi output pups.
 
sometimes its not the type of wood but rather the individual piece itself..

i have one mahogany guitar that sounds amazing,yet another that was horribly dead and muddy. one agathis guitar that kills anything else for fat tight rhythms, but have yet to hear any other agathis guitar sound like it. basswood..one mushes out and another has great clear sustain. same with alder. note i'm talking acoustically here,not plugged in.
 

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