Maple bodies

[Logrinn]

I seem to remember that there's here on the forum sometimes a wish for more maple bodies ...

Well, you guys have seen the latest batches haven't you?

Not for those with sore shoulders ...

 

[Steve_Karl]

ummmmm .... they look nice and frosty

 

[rgand]

One of those would look good with a vintage tint on it.

 

[swarfrat]

Hate to think how much a Jeff Carlisi model would weigh.

 

[Cagey]

Ranging between 5 and 6 pounds, those are gonna make some heavy instruments. Couple humbuckers, a trem and a neck would get you awfully close to a 10 pounder.

 

[arealken]

Isn't there a difference between the soft "silver leaf" Pacific Maple , and the eastern/Canadian hard Maple-maybe not so much weight , but tone?

 

[Axkoa]

Little bit of birdseye in the bottom one. They look pretty nice. But what about tone?  :dontknow:

 

[Cagey]

From what I've read, there's not a great deal of difference in tone between the various Maples when used for bodies. But, that's also coming primarily from violin makers rather than guitar makers, which have different considerations as to behavior. In guitars, you usually only see solid Maple used for necks, while bodies of both acoustics and electrics typically use veneers, or on some electrics, thin top slabs. This is partly due to economic considerations, and partly because electric guitar bodies have far too much mass to have much effect on tonal character - woods are chosen more for aesthetic qualities than any tonal characteristics. Acoustic guitar bodies, on the other hand, need to vibrate so a wood's compliance, as well as the design of the internal bracing, can have a great deal of impact on how the instrument sounds.

 

[Axkoa]

But the TONE Cagey...All my guitars have to be true African Mahogany. None of this Basswood stuff.

 

[Cagey]

I wouildn't use Basswood, either. But, only because in my opinion it's too soft for the duty. When I used to do a lotta cabinet work, I didn't use Pine for the same reason. It's not a bad wood, it's just that it doesn't take abuse like most hardwoods will. Still makes a fine cabinet, and there are those who prefer its appearance to other woods. That's fine. If one doesn't mind easily damaged furniture, the cost and weight is substantially lower.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Upgrade to & padded 3.5" strap.
Made all the difference in my shoulder/neck pain.

I have the hidden tail version of this, and can't ever see going back down to a smaller size.
https://lm-products.myshopify.com/collections/luxury-leathers/products/the-heritage

 

[Cagey]

That's my kind of strap. Wide, conservative appearance, high-quality materials. I like the hidden adjustment feature.

 

[JoeA]

I had a Kramer all maple made. Weight pretty heavy, about 4.5kg if I can remember. Sounds really bright and aggressive. A true 80's hard rock machine

 

[Zhaezzy]

I like Maple for bodies this is a build from back in 98. It is pretty heavy but sounds great. Definatly has its own thing going for it.

 

[Cagey]

Wow. Jazzmasters are heavy without being made of solid Maple. What's that, 10 pounds?

 

[Zhaezzy]

yes around 10 11 pounds I don't have anything very accurate down there it is both my heaviest guitar and my favorite. Have a wide strap for it. When I was home convalescing this fall I could not play it had to play my Ibanez. Now I am back playin git letting it cut of the circulation in my leg. It is lighter than the walnut Jazzmaster I made before it.

 

[zebra]

Walnut and Maple are such beautiful woods - it's a shame that they're both so heavy!

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Actually, here's the exact strap, with my beadwork on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKqOQJ91MGQ

 

[Re-Pete]

Wow. Jazzmasters are heavy without being made of solid Maple. What's that, 10 pounds?

I own a Jazzmaster in solid maple body. I'm not sure of it's exact weight but it is as heavy as my MIJ P-Bass.  :sad:

 

[Ace Flibble]

^ Bizarre, I've made a lot of Jazzmasters and bought several Fenders and I like 'em specifically because they're so light. I have severe back and leg problems, so I can't cope with heavy guitars at all — even my chambered Les Pauls and Telecasters are just gathering dust now — but Jazzmasters have never been an issue for me.

Eh, maybe I just got lucky, or y'all just got unlucky.


Anyhoo, saw this thread and just thought I'd throw in there that I've also got a few solid maple guitars and, like the Jazzmasters, I can't say I find the weight to be that much of an issue. The two most comparable guitars I have are a Kramer Jersey Star which is a super-Strat with a maple neck & body, non-recessed Floyd and three humbuckers, and a Charvel So... somethingorother, which is a 'super-Tele' with a maple neck, alder body, non-recessed Floyd and two humbuckers. Of the two, the Charvel is considerably heavier, while the Kramer actually isn't any heavier than the average Fender Standard Stratocaster.

Maple bodies sure aren't the lightest bodies out there, but I think the weight is overstated. The sheer mass of wood of some body styles is really what gives them weight; you can make a Les Paul out of the lightest basswood and ash you can find, but it's still a huge chunk of wood. Meanwhile a Strat or super-Strat is always going to be comparatively light.


Tone-wise, I can't say I notice an overall EQ difference but maple-bodied guitars do tend to let the higher end (and thinner strings) ring for longer. Makes sense; a dense wood is going to retain those frequencies more while less dense and/or less solid bodies are going to bleed off the treble quicker.

Prince's main guitars were all maple-bodied (including the Telecaster which so many replicas use ash for) and the vast majority of neck-through guitars use maple as the neck/center wood, so they wind up with the same tone. If you're ever in doubt about maple's tone for bodies, just listen to anyone using a neck-through guitar, or get funky with The Purple One.