Hi , need opinion from u all guys . On which wood (alder, ash or poplar) sound better on strat with maple or rosewood neck.

I'd say that Ash or Alder either one would sound great, as those are the two primary woods that Fender uses on the Strat.

But didn't Fender use poplar almost exclusively numerous years ago? Then I believe it became too expensive, and they switched over to building Starts primarily out of alder.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

ASH!!!!

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Popular is generally used on cheaper guitars, most expensive electric guitar bodies are made of mahogany, alder or ash. Maple is also sometimes used, as most neck thru guitars have the maple neck going all the way through and the guitar takes on the tone of maple...which is bright


Whenever I see popular, basswood ect its generally on cheaper axes

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

Ash....why?The clean sounds rings like bells and are clear.......never looked back when i got the Ash body...

I like alder. Ash is very nice too.

Poplar does tend to be on cheaper guitars. I can notice a difference when I play a poplar guitar and an alder or ash guitar, not plugged in. Unplugged, the ash and alder just ring out so nicely, and sound beautiful. The poplar usually sounds a bit quiter unplugged and a little muddy.

Some of that transfers over when you plug them in as well.

I never had an ash guitar body so ALDEr

Alder, FTW!

Ash is also nice. Both produce the sounds strats are known for.

Ash with a maple neck is my first choice and go to guitar. I've got two alder with maple and they're fine but the ash sustains and holds the note just a little sweeter and with a little more tenderness.

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I'm not slow... and I'm not fast... just sort of halffast...

Get ash, alder just doesn't make nearly as good sound.

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Currently, I'm using an Ash body with Rosewood fingerboard as my #1.

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You dig?

I'd like a two-piece body --- one piece of Ash and one piece of Alder.

That would be the best of both worlds!

Painted in that Antique White to channel that Yngwie mojo, of course.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Maple is the brightest and Mahogany much fuller sounding. in the middle I would say it would go Ash then Alder followed Poplar then Basswood. I think the properties between Alder and Poplar are close to the same. Poplar has more weight to it but it does not finish as well because of its color.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

I like alder the best for sound. For me it has just the right combination of bite and warmth.

Nicely grained Ash looks reeeeaaaallly good though.

Decisions, decisions . . .

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"