Help: Dead-sounding Guitar

[MSP]

I have a Warmoth guitar that just really lacks life. The tone is actually okay, but you have to really dig in, otherwise it sounds like rubber bands on a cardboard box. The dynamics suck and it doesn't respond to nuances in picking attack like other guitars. This was my first partscaster and a bit of an experiment, but I'm hoping it can be improved. (I've since built another, which is everything I wanted it to be and then some).

I've messed with pickup heights and that didn't have much effect. I've had three different necks on it. The first one, which was mahogany and ebony (normally a winning combo), sounded the worst. I now have a padouk neck on there which has improved things a bit. I wonder if the bridge has anything to do with it. It's a decent bridge--the Schaller 475 Flat--but the strings come over the saddles at a very slight angle, so I'm wondering if there's just not enough angle for them to ring out properly. That's how it sounds; like something is interfering with the string's vibrations. Not in a buzzy way, more with a muted, muffled effect.

Any ideas?

 

[Fat Pete]

Could be the break angle over the bridge - why not try raising the saddles and see if it improves things? If it does, then you can shim the neck to get a reasonable action again.

 

[mayfly]

a little more information would be helpful:

Type of guitar?
Type of pickups?
type of nut?
angled headstock?
only dead on open strings?
neck relief?
action?

and of course

some photos?

 

[Cagey]

In my experience, the neck, pickups and bridge seem to be the defining influences on the character of the guitar. Other things matter, but not so much as to piss you off. Break angles, body woods, finish, etc. are more relevant on acoustics. You mention trying both a Mahogany and Padouk neck, both of which I'd expect to be a bit dead. You don't say what pickups you're using, but PAF-style "humbuckers" (two wide coils side-by-side)...

...pups are generally more grungy than any other style.

I've only got three bridges with roller saddles, but it seems they don't connect as well, so I'm thinking there's some loss there. Makes sense, mechanically. Then, there's the dreaded neck-to-body joint. Not a whole lot you can do there unless it's a bolt-on. If so, you may be able to help things by going to threaded inserts and machine screws rather than wood screws. Or, go to a stiffer wood. Maple comes to mind, as does Canary. Aframosia works well. I have a Tele with an Afra neck and a solid-mount brass bridge with Graphtech saddles, and I mean to tell you - that thing is so lively it's spooky.