Tonal difference between Ash & Alder strats

[Doughboy]

I'm putting together my next warmoth build & know for sure that I want 3 Lindy Fralin noiseless P-90s, a flame maple neck, gotoh bridge & a chambered strat body. I'm torn between an Ash or an Alder body, but have no experience with Ash.

I'm wondering what the tonal difference would be between 2 identical strats with the only difference being the body wood.

I keep being told that Ash sounds brighter, thinner & more spongy than Alder.

 

[MattPurland]

This page might help you - it's in relation to Ibanez guitar's, but should be universal

http://www.jemsite.com/jem/wood.htm

 

[Justinginn]

General consensus here is that there wont' be much of a difference and that neck wood matters a lot more. You'll see a noticeable difference between, say Mahogany and Ebony, but Ash and Alder are both pretty middle of the road so I doubt you'll hear any difference. Remember that wood often varies in tone more from piece to piece than species to species. The things that will be different however, are weight and appearance, so I'd suggest you choose based on those two. Hope your project turns out great.  ccasion14:

 

[koshersteel]

tonally they are very similar but it is my opinion that swamp ash is more resonant. If you are doing the finish yourself than alder is A LOT easier to finish then swamp ash which is very porous and requires lots of filling so that may be a consideration. If Warmoth is doing your finish then go for the Ash.

 

[many typos]

Best way I know how to explain it is... Alder is Mahogany on an acoustic, Swamp ash is Rosewood.. I have both and love each equally.. If you have alder now, Get the swamp ash.. You will not regret it.
Just make sure you buy a body that is light weight......... Go for it.

 

[tfarny]

All BS in my opinion / experience. Electric guitars are not acoustics, wood species (as opposed to weight, age, humidity, etc. of a particular piece) is just one influence on what is an essentially electrical phenomenon, and even within the world of acoustic guitars, you have to be careful about sweeping generalizations regarding wood tone. KEN WARMOTH doesn't recommend trying to make these kinds of fine distinctions about woods, I'll take his word for it.
Pick according to looks, tradition, ease of finishing, and you'll sleep much better at night knowing your guitar is very likely to sound great.

 

[-CB-]

On acoustics... bracing, bridge, wood... all very much make a difference.

On solid bodies... pickup, neck wood, neck profile... ya have to look at the most resonant things.  Body wood matters, as does chambering, as does overall density, as does all sorts of things.  But not as much as you think.

I do know this - my ol late 70's strat is heavy hard ash, and one of the brightest guitars i've ever played.  But it really heavy, like 10lbs heavy.  I have no doubt that putting a very light alder or ash body would make a tonal change, but we're talking about taking half the weight off the body.  Similar weight, similar woods... not much difference in tone.  Going drastic and comparing pau ferro to basswood, sure expect differences to be more dramatic.

 

[many typos]

My comment about rosewood vs. mahogany on an acoustic were only to make a point not to say.. It will sound like this or that specifically.