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Post subject: Maple body
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:40 am
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Have any of you played a guitar with a maple body?
I have a chunk of maple, from a mate in a joiner shop :wink: , and was contemplating using it to build a guitar. Would I be better fitting single coil pups or humbuckers? I have heard a few people say the single coils may sound a bit harsh.

Any thoughts?

Nathan

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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:18 pm
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Well, if you think the tone of artists who use a Stratocaster sounds harsh, then you should use humbuckers. All I can tell you is not to let other people tell you what sounds good and what doesn't. Listen to different tracks from artists who use single coils and humbuckers and decide which YOU like.

Personally , I've never heard anyone call Eric Clapton, Jimi, SRV harsh and they have classic single coil tone. I dare anyone to say David Gilmour sounds harsh with his Strat.

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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:47 pm
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I think he meant the single coils may sound harsh in a maple body.

P-90's may sound very good in a maple body.

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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:51 pm
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Hmmm...didn't think of that. I don't see where singles would sound much different in a maple body then an ash body. Both are a hard, dense wood. I do agree P90s would be a nice choice though. Great pups.

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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:33 pm
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Rickenbackers are made from maple, some have a neck-through design of maple with Walnut wings or some other exotic wood (depends on the model) , many are neck-through maple with maple wings (Model 620 and 660, also the 4003 bass), others have a maple set neck with maple body (330, 350, 360). I think that most Carvins use a neck-through design of maple with a LOT of wood selections available for the body wings. Frankly, I think that the Rick guitars with the traditional bridge don't sustain well (a bridge mounting done with four posts, tension held, onto a metal plate is kind of archaic) but are still bright and make for a good rhythm-style guitar. Carvins are a bit of a mystery to me as they are often multi-piece/multi-wood, and can vary depending on what that is. From what I've heard secondhand, Maple is a bright sounding wood, and the sound and sustain is going to depend a lot on construction methods. But Humbuckers would probably be a safe bet-don't discount a coil-tap option, though.


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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:37 pm
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If you want single coils--try p-90's--but humbuckers should sound great too.
Wire them series/parallel. Series is normal humbucker--parallel will be like 2 single coils next to each other. Less harsh, but not the same as a humbucker.

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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:06 am
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Thanks for the replies.

I didn't explain to well in my first post. I was meant to say how would each pup sound in the maple body, not how they sound in general. I have an 2000 model american strat and love it.

I have been a carpenter for 10 years or so and thought I would have a go at building my own guitar. It will have a bolt on neck, not sure on final shape but wont be anything to far from the norm.

I have toyed with the idea of a coil tap if I go the humbucker route but like the idea of P90's also! :D Will do a bit more research first. Any ideas where I can get some P90 sample sounds?

May start the body soon as I dont think that pup choice will have a huge overall effect on body shape.

Nathan

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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:14 am
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A Strat shape with 3 P-90's would be very cool!!!!!!

I have been toying with the idea of having 3 on/off toggles instead of a 5 way for pup selection. Of course I would also go with a Master Volume and a Master Tone.

Check out the web pages of some pickup makers and you will probably find some sound bites of P-90's.

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Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 6:47 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
A Strat shape with 3 P-90's would be very cool!!!!!!



How about 3 p-90's & a Bigsby?
Image

I made that, for fun, here-
http://www.nymphusa.com/kisekae/kisekaeE1.asp

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Post subject:
Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 8:34 pm
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I have Strat with a solid maple body, and it my favorite. Currently I have it loaded with Hot Gold Lace Sensors and it just sings.

I also have a Strat loaded with 3-P90s. It's swamp ash with a maple top, but it's really nice too.

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Post subject:
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 9:54 am
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This thread is hip. Thanks for sharing.


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Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 11:31 am
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SMark wrote:
I have Strat with a solid maple body, and it my favorite. Currently I have it loaded with Hot Gold Lace Sensors and it just sings.

I also have a Strat loaded with 3-P90s. It's swamp ash with a maple top, but it's really nice too.


Maple? Did Fender make that? I thought my 70s Strat as Maple but it was Ash....


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 12:32 pm
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you should just listen to different stuff see what you like.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 3:06 pm
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My maple Strat body was actually made by Lace. It's from a "California Twister" that also came with Lace Sensors (of course).

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