swamp ash or alder?

bluescustoms · **Joined:** Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:47 am **Posts:** 7

I am just looking tor some oppinions on what people think about either or both, and why they prefer one over the other.

YZFJOE · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2009 3:22 pm

Swamp Ash for transparent finishes looks better, in my opinion. With a solid color, I could go either way. Some people would choose based on weight or even tonal differences though.

BlackCatBone · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2009 4:27 pm

i'd go with the swamp ash but that is just because I dig the look of it and I've always heard it sounds better.

Miami Mike · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2009 4:56 pm

I usually like alder for Strats and swamp ash for Teles. Theoretically, swamp ash makes the guitar sound brighter vs alder. But that's a bit of a generality and an inconsistent one at best. And I think there are a lot of other variables, some controllable some not, that affect the inherent tone of a guitar.

There are even inconsistencies within a piece of wood itself. For example, one region of a guitar's body may be resonant and another region in the body may not resonate well at all potentially making a piece of alder brighter than an identical piece of ash or swamp ash. Same phenomena with necks and fretboards. The only accurate way of telling which wood is brighter or more resonant is to hear it after it's made into a guitar.

Northern ash is much heavier than swamp ash.

PlankSpanker · **Joined:** Fri Dec 04, 2009 9:43 pm **Posts:** 535

Hi everyone, I'm told that a 97 American standard Strat body is made of ash. Does anyone happen to know exactly which type of ash that would be? Thanks very much!

Miami Mike · **Posted:** Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:09 pm

davemercier wrote:

Hi everyone, I'm told that a 97 American standard Strat body is made of ash. Does anyone happen to know exactly which type of ash that would be? Thanks very much!

I've seen some made of northern ash. Is it a little heavier (weightwise)?

PlankSpanker · **Joined:** Fri Dec 04, 2009 9:43 pm **Posts:** 535

yes it does seem mighty wheighty, i haven't had an opportunity to compare it with other strats yet. Merry Christmas!

Dutchy · **Posted:** Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:05 am

I prefer ash for its tone and looks, which vary on individual guitars.

bluescustoms · **Joined:** Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:47 am **Posts:** 7

Once again i will decide to throw in another choice, I always seem to do that, what about a solid mahogany body? Sorry guys but i like to weigh all my options. I really would like to go with some kind of a transparent finish on this one. I would also like it to be a little more mello than my last one i built, its a screamer.

cvilleira · **Posted:** Tue Jan 05, 2010 10:54 pm

BigJay wrote:

There are two types of ash, white and black. There is a big difference between the two. The difference is density or hardness. I believe the white ash is much harder than the black and I think "swamp ash" is white ash.

Black ash is about the same hardness as alder. Thus, there is virtually no tonal difference, except that alder is typically much more uniformly dense. The uniform density has been shown in studies to be more resonant. So, alder could be a bit more tonally consistent, but the black ash is often said to have a more attractive grain. Only you can decide what's more important.

The white ash is much more dense than either alder or black ash. Denser woods are more resonant and provide brighter tones. If you like a crisper, brighter more "quacky" sound, white ash is more likely to provide it.

Swamp Ash is a slang used for Green Ash an Black Ash that grows along the east coast of North America. Density has nothing to do with wood hardness Pine can have the same density of Ash but not the hardness and most Pine species are as hard or harder then Alder.. The Hardest Ash is Blue Ash from the east coast. Plus there are dozens more species of Ash Hardness is tested at 12% density. Look up the specs on Alaska Ceder and compare it to Alder there almost the same but ones cheaper then the other.
Speculation at it best though on the end result of each.

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