The Booger - Green Swamp Ash Tele UPDATE

[partialdoctor]

I'm curious why you think the Goncalo Alves is responsible for that tone? Between the pickups, the cord, the digital signal chain, the modeller, the computer, etc., you have a lot of potential natural-born killers there. They could all be innocent, but they'd be the suspects I'd look at first.

I think you misunderstood me. I think the Goncalo sounds pretty good. I just felt like something was lost when I put it on. I had the maple on it prior.

I just did an A B test. I kept everything the same and recorded a bunch of stuff on all three pickups with the Goncalo, then switched back to the maple and recorded the same parts (everything kept constant, even the strings). It was immediately obvious to me that the magic was back once the maple was back on. The tone honestly was not really dramatically different, but the magic that I initially had was back. I do prefer the RAW feel of the GA, but I like the nitro on the maple. Maple it is!

 

[Cagey]

OMFG! You did a scientific test, only changing one variable? What the hell's wrong with you? That's not how we decide how things work in the guitar world! You're liable to actually learn something! You're supposed to change at least 5 things at once, then blame the thing that's politically correct to blame!

This is unprecedented. I hope you're happy. Now, others may do the same thing and advance the art!

Silly human.

<grin>

 

[partialdoctor]

OMFG! You did a scientific test, only changing one variable? What the hell's wrong with you? That's not how we decide how things work in the guitar world! You're liable to actually learn something! You're supposed to change at least 5 things at once, then blame the thing that's politically correct to blame!

This is unprecedented. I hope you're happy. Now, others may do the same thing and advance the art!

Silly human.

<grin>

Haha! Nice.  :rock-on:

 

[Cagey]

Rosewood over maple is sorta pooh-poohed around these parts because it's so pedestrian. I mean, even the lowliest old Monkey Wards fiddle straight from J. A. Pan, Inc. has one of those necks on it, right? But, I'll tell you, they can be magical. My "guitar that got away" story involves a guitar with one of those, bolted to a gloss black Alder body with stock pickups. Typical Fender you'd never give a second glance to. As standard and traditional as a medium-budget June wedding with a rubber chicken dinner and a band that has to struggle to play the "Beer Barrel Polka". But, man, did it sound good. I mean, it was as magical as Houdini on his best day. If I could have that bugger back...

 

[DangerousR6]

Rosewood over maple is sorta pooh-poohed around these parts because it's so pedestrian. I mean, even the lowliest old Monkey Wards fiddle straight from J. A. Pan, Inc. has one of those necks on it, right? But, I'll tell you, they can be magical. My "guitar that got away" story involves a guitar with one of those, bolted to a gloss black Alder body with stock pickups. Typical Fender you'd never give a second glance to. As standard and traditional as a medium-budget June wedding with a rubber chicken dinner and a band that has to struggle to play the "Beer Barrel Polka". But, man, did it sound good. I mean, it was as magical as Houdini on his best day. If I could have that bugger back...

So true, maple/RW is sooooooo pedestrian. I was once in a discussion with a person from Jackson(before the "F" take over) why other fingerboard woods were not used over RW. And I was given the answer of popularity, which was bogus.. the fact of the matter is RW is cheaper, and doesn't require finishing, which equates to bigger profits for them. Which is usually the bottom line... :dontknow:

 

[partialdoctor]

Rosewood over maple is sorta pooh-poohed around these parts because it's so pedestrian. I mean, even the lowliest old Monkey Wards fiddle straight from J. A. Pan, Inc. has one of those necks on it, right? But, I'll tell you, they can be magical. My "guitar that got away" story involves a guitar with one of those, bolted to a gloss black Alder body with stock pickups. Typical Fender you'd never give a second glance to. As standard and traditional as a medium-budget June wedding with a rubber chicken dinner and a band that has to struggle to play the "Beer Barrel Polka". But, man, did it sound good. I mean, it was as magical as Houdini on his best day. If I could have that bugger back...

So true, maple/RW is sooooooo pedestrian. I was once in a discussion with a person from Jackson(before the "F" take over) why other fingerboard woods were not used over RW. And I was given the answer of popularity, which was bogus.. the fact of the matter is RW is cheaper, and doesn't require finishing, which equates to bigger profits for them. Which is usually the bottom line... :dontknow:

Well good for me then, cause mines maple / Pau ferro

 

[DangerousR6]

Rosewood over maple is sorta pooh-poohed around these parts because it's so pedestrian. I mean, even the lowliest old Monkey Wards fiddle straight from J. A. Pan, Inc. has one of those necks on it, right? But, I'll tell you, they can be magical. My "guitar that got away" story involves a guitar with one of those, bolted to a gloss black Alder body with stock pickups. Typical Fender you'd never give a second glance to. As standard and traditional as a medium-budget June wedding with a rubber chicken dinner and a band that has to struggle to play the "Beer Barrel Polka". But, man, did it sound good. I mean, it was as magical as Houdini on his best day. If I could have that bugger back...

So true, maple/RW is sooooooo pedestrian. I was once in a discussion with a person from Jackson(before the "F" take over) why other fingerboard woods were not used over RW. And I was given the answer of popularity, which was bogus.. the fact of the matter is RW is cheaper, and doesn't require finishing, which equates to bigger profits for them. Which is usually the bottom line... :dontknow:

Well good for me then, cause mines maple / Pau ferro

Very nice, but I like the wenge/PF  or canary/ziricote combos...

 

[Cagey]

Ziricote's pretty. I just got a kingwood over canary neck that I'm looking forward to stringing up.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

I'm curious why you think the Goncalo Alves is responsible for that tone? Between the pickups, the cord, the digital signal chain, the modeller, the computer, etc., you have a lot of potential natural-born killers there. They could all be innocent, but they'd be the suspects I'd look at first.

I think you misunderstood me. I think the Goncalo sounds pretty good. I just felt like something was lost when I put it on. I had the maple on it prior.

I just did an A B test. I kept everything the same and recorded a bunch of stuff on all three pickups with the Goncalo, then switched back to the maple and recorded the same parts (everything kept constant, even the strings). It was immediately obvious to me that the magic was back once the maple was back on. The tone honestly was not really dramatically different, but the magic that I initially had was back. I do prefer the RAW feel of the GA, but I like the nitro on the maple. Maple it is!

Your test must be flawed!!! Everybody knows exotic must sound better!!! :icon_jokercolor:

My favorite right now is a maple/maple neck, feels and sounds great against a mahogany body.

 

[partialdoctor]

Ziricote's pretty. I just got a kingwood over canary neck that I'm looking forward to stringing up.

I really like both of those woods. I very well may go with kingwood over something for my next build.

 

[Cagey]

It sorta needs a solid-color body, because it's kinda busy. Against another wood grain, both would suffer.

 

[bagman67]

It sorta needs a solid-color body, because it's kinda busy. Against another wood grain, both would suffer.

Hence my straight-grained, non-figured wenge to go with Quty Pie's insane quilting.

 

[Cagey]

Perzactly.

Incidentally, I had a couple guys over here yesterday and it was all I could do to keep their hands off it. To say they were impressed would be the understatement of the month.

 

[partialdoctor]

It sorta needs a solid-color body, because it's kinda busy. Against another wood grain, both would suffer.

Good point. My next body is on order and is a zebrawood top. Would probably be a little buts. I'm probably going to go with mahogany / ebony. Boring but its the sound and the body should be the focus.

 

[Cagey]

I'm a big fan of ebony. 6 of the guitars here use it for the fretboard. It's tough to beat for appearance, feel and durability.

 

[DangerousR6]

I'm a big fan of ebony. 6 of the guitars here use it for the fretboard. It's tough to beat for appearance, feel and durability.

Durability, I'll spot you on ebony. but appearance and feel, unless your just into flat black, ziricote has much more pizzaz...And is just as slick.. :icon_biggrin:

 

[Cagey]

I believe that about ziricote, even though I haven't played with any yet. I'll get some sooner or later, I'm sure. But, I do have a kingwood 'board, and I like that, too. Also very tight and hard, like ebony. You almost think it isn't wood, but some sort of man-made material with a built-in grain pattern/color. The reason I like ebony's appearance is because you can put it on anything and it'll match and look good. The others sorta require the right body/finish.

 

[DangerousR6]

I believe that about ziricote, even though I haven't played with any yet. I'll get some sooner or later, I'm sure. But, I do have a kingwood 'board, and I like that, too. Also very tight and hard, like ebony. You almost think it isn't wood, but some sort of man-made material with a built-in grain pattern/color. The reason I like ebony's appearance is because you can put it on anything and it'll match and look good. The others sorta require the right body/finish.

Ziricote's pretty hard, around 2200 on the Janka scale. It's up there with the hard stuff...And super slick... Kingwood is pretty hard, it's around 1780 range, and usually has some cool grain, I don't have any, so I can't say how it compares to ziricote..

 

[Cagey]

The kingwood neck I have now looks similar to the zebra necks that have shown up here lately, although it doesn't require a finish to be smooth. I'd take a picture, but it's covered with tape right now and my camera has been misbehaving lately. I think the memory chip is circling the drain. Lost a bunch of shots the other day. Pist meoff.

 

[DangerousR6]

The kingwood neck I have now looks similar to the zebra necks that have shown up here lately, although it doesn't require a finish to be smooth. I'd take a picture, but it's covered with tape right now and my camera has been misbehaving lately. I think the memory chip is circling the drain. Lost a bunch of shots the other day. Pist meoff.

Ahhhhhh, the 'ol blue fretboard.... :laughing11: