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Post subject: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:01 pm
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Hey guys!

Quick question.

Does ash or alder give better tone?

Thanks.

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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 12:25 pm
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I've been wondering myself BigJay, can you elaborate on the topic? :P :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 2:21 pm
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Particle board is best.


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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 2:48 pm
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BigJay wrote:
Hey guys!

Quick question.

Does ash or alder give better tone?

Thanks.


Yes. :D

Seriously, if you can, go play a few examples of each and see what you like best. I can't tell a lick of difference between the two other than what can be attributed to just differences from one guitar to another.

Jeff


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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 2:57 pm
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This link provides an interesting explanation to the tonal differences in body wood options:

http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/bodies/options/bodywoodoptions.aspx

Short answer is neither are actually 'better'. I have heard that ash produces a sonically brighter tone to the warmer alder, but generally the difference is so miniscule that it shouldn't matter all that much. A lot of people actually prefer ash for it's beautiful grains, as seen on a lot of Sienna Sunburst and other transparent finishes.

Hope that helps.


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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 3:42 pm
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Alder is good. Ash is way way way way way better.

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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 3:44 pm
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Ha, a typical "newbie" post. :lol:

There once was a fellow with a Kickassocaster ... how could you have one?

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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 3:55 pm
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Hi Big Jay,I don't think you'll find a big difference in the tonal qualities of alder and ash but ash looks much nicer IMHO.Black ash however is a much heavier and denser wood than regular ash(black comes from the bark colour not wood colour)and has very full tonal properties and sustain.
I had a '78 Strat with a black ash body that weighed about 11 lbs. I had to get rid of it as it was way too heavy to play even with a 4"wide strap but it rang and sustained like a Steinway concert grand.

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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 4:00 pm
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fhopkins wrote:
I've been wondering myself BigJay, can you elaborate on the topic? :P :wink:

LOL! Here we go again! LOL! For BigJay, this subject has been debated on this Forum for a long time, i.e. "tone wood". Frankly I know cigar boxes that give out pretty good tone!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMz2KoIxWIY

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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 4:41 pm
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Haha, cool post, BigJay! ;-)

(maybe a tad obvious - but worth a try!) :lol:

Please, do carry on...

Cheers

Nutter


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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 7:44 pm
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orvilleowner wrote:
Ha, a typical "newbie" post. :lol:

There once was a fellow with a Kickassocaster ... how could you have one?

Dude BigJay is a older member he just has a new acount now.


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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 8:19 pm
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It wasn't obvious enough from my post that I knew that ?!?!? :!:

telemaster000 wrote:
orvilleowner wrote:
Ha, a typical "newbie" post. :lol:

There once was a fellow with a Kickassocaster ... how could you have one?

Dude BigJay is a older member he just has a new acount now.

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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 9:37 pm
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I have a PRS DVD that gives a pretty detailed explanation of tone woods and how they differ. I found it to be even more informational than Warmoth. Common opinion is that heavy dense woods provide the best tone so that would seem to indicate ash as being somewhat better than alder but the truth is you want a wood that is both light and hard. Hardness enhances sustain and bite and brightness but lightness (and thinness) enhances harmonics and what we call "vibe" or "mojo" meaning dynamic response. Terms like these are always in argument because they are subjective. Personally I like alder for a Tele and ash for a Strat. I find alder soothes the nastiness an ash Tele can exhibit and ash improves the Strat's bite and angst. If I had to choose one wood for all Fenders I'd likely go with alder from a purely tone perspective.

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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 10:03 pm
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It's a bunch of horse $@!& dude. Really... A really awesome guitar is one you play a lot. Don't drink the Kool Aid.


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Post subject: Re: Ash or Alder?
Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 10:06 pm
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Whoa! my cussword in that last post got turned into a bunch of symbols automatically... How sanitary. Proof positive that America really is pussywhipped...


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