alder and humbucker

[vtpcnk]

any views on the combination of alder bodies with humbuckers?

yea i know about "fat"strats.

but in some places i read that alder is more suited for single coils and that humbuckers sound "muddy" on alder bodies.

any views?

 

[NonsenseTele]

Have you ever saw a Jackson or Charvel guitar?? :icon_biggrin:

That's it... some go Alder or basswood or Mahogany body

 

[GoDrex]

my strat is alder and it never sounded muddy with a humbucker

I don't understand why you say "yes I know about fat strats" - so? What does that mean?

here's an example of a completely stock MIM fat strat:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=795734&songID=6185395

 

[vtpcnk]

>I don't understand why you say "yes I know about fat strats" - so? What does that mean?

just that i know that there are alder strats with humbuckers - but that i do not know about how well they sound.

 

[DocNrock]

Listen to Iron Maiden:  alder strats with humbuckers.

 

[line6man]

Putting a humbucker on an Alder bodied Strat is pretty commonplace, wouldn't you agree?
(If i had a nickel for every one i have seen...)

Am i wrong in thinking that it must sound good if so many people are happy with it?

 

[Rick]

An alder strat with a humbucker in the bridge position is a classic.  No worries on that one.

Can I recommend something?
Please go to your local Guitar Center during the week when its not crowded.
Take headphones from the ubiquitous pedal station.
Take them over to your favorite amp.  If you don't know what is your favorite, then find a Fender Frontman 65.  All guitar centers will have this or a similar amp. Plug it in.
Order the guitar center monkey to go fetch guitars with the pick up configurations and body woods you are interested in.
Play them. 
Make up your own mind.
You'll be happier than us telling you what you want.

Now go Jedi Padawan, build your light saber ... I mean guitar.

 

[taez555]

Four words

Eddie Van Halen Frankenstrat

 

[GoDrex]

Four words

Eddie Van Halen Frankenstrat

I thought that was ash :icon_scratch:

 

[vtpcnk]

any distinction to be made between the effectiveness of bridge/neck humbuckers on alder?

the bridge pickups tend to be more trebly - which might suit alder and so alder might work with fat strats ... etc?

 

[AToE]

any distinction to be made between the effectiveness of bridge/neck humbuckers on alder?

the bridge pickups tend to be more trebly - which might suit alder and so alder might work with fat strats ... etc?

Brdge p/us are more trebley because of their location, not their construction. Generally speaking, the only difference between a bridge and neck version of the same p/u is that the neck version is wound less hot, because the string is much "louder" at that point than it is at the bridge.

Not sure 100% what your question is, are you asking whether a bridge or a neck humbucker would suit that wood, and then you want to put singles in the other positions? Or are you asking about neck vs bridge pickups being used in the bridge position? Whatever position you decide you want a humbucker in I'd recommend using a p/u wound for that position or you'll run into some odd results.

I've played a million alder strats with humbuckers in neck and bridge, and they all sounded great, not muddy at all compared to any other guitar.

 

[vtpcnk]

>Not sure 100% what your question is, are you asking whether a bridge or a neck humbucker would suit that wood, and then you want to put >singles in the other positions?

the original question was whether a neck humbucker in the neck position would sound as good as a bridge humbucker in the bridge position of an alder guitar.

 

[Mor Paul]

Buddy, how good something sounds is up to you. I like my guitar. You might hate it (ash with neck 'bucker).

It should work fine, though. Don't worry. If you want bright, get a bright humbucker, maple or *gasp* ebony neck, and 1 meg pots.

 

[vtpcnk]

i'm just thinking of an alder tele with a maple or rosewood neck - sd 59 neck humbucker and texas special tele bridge.

the fender custom shop albert collins tele is similar to the above with the exception of a swamp ash body.

but given that alder seems to be easier to finish (non-porous etc) i'm more inclined towards it than swamp ash.

 

[AToE]

>Not sure 100% what your question is, are you asking whether a bridge or a neck humbucker would suit that wood, and then you want to put >singles in the other positions?

the original question was whether a neck humbucker in the neck position would sound as good as a bridge humbucker in the bridge position of an alder guitar.

That's a kinda tricky question! They sure aren't going to sound the same... good is pretty debatable. They sound great to me, and I've played quite a few. Not muddy IMO, but everyone has their own line between muddy and "fat".

 

[Tempest]

If you're worried about muddiness then the actual pickups are gonna be a more important choice than the body wood.  And alder is the "tastes like chicken" of guitar woods, it's pretty much in the middle tone-wise, so I can't imagine you can go too wrong with it.

 

[Soylent]

You need to hit up some shops and try some guitars out man.

 

[Tempest]

You need to hit up some shops and try some guitars out man.

Oh yeah +1 to this.  Don't want to assume but it sounds like you haven't played very many guitars.

 

[vtpcnk]

till date i think i have owned around 12 guitars.

5 gibsons, 2 fenders, 2 washburns, 2 warmoth, 1 epiphone elitist etc (acoustics not included).

but currently i have only 4 of them (rest were sold off through ebay, craigslist etc).

but i have not owned/played a guitar with a combination of alder/humbucker.

though i had tried one of my friends jackson some years back (if the body was alder). but don't remember it now.

for long i had avoided the tele - for reasons i'm not sure myself.

but last weekend at the guitar center in nyc i checked out the tele with 2 humbuckers and a belly cut - it was so comfortable to play and it felt so unbelievably natural.

so that has only strengthened my desire to own a tele.

 

[nathan a]

but last weekend at the guitar center in nyc i checked out the tele with 2 humbuckers and a belly cut - it was so comfortable to play and it felt so unbelievably natural.

:icon_thumright: on the tummy cuts. They make me so much more comfortable, by leaps and bounds.