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Post subject: Ash vs. Alder
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:01 am
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I'm sure someone has posted something like this before, but I'm curious if anyone can really tell the difference in sound between an Ash body strat versus an Alder body strat?


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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:13 am
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonewood

i dont which is heavier though, i think ash is lighter


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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:23 am
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You can tell the difference in sound between two guitars, obviously.

But you can't predict how a guitar will sound based on wood species. Some ash is heavy and dense, some is light and resonant... same for alder, pine and mahogany.

A good guitar is a good guitar, but but you cannot, not matter how many times you've heard the same "common knowledge" repeated in guitar stores, make a list of a guitar's materials and components and predict how it will sound.


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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:35 am
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it really depends on what ash you are talking about.

the two most common ash used in guitars are Northern Ash, and Swamp Ash. Northern Ash is heavy and dense. Swamp Ash is very light, and very resonant.

Swamp Ash is my favorite wood for guitars.

As a previous poster stated, there will always be differences between woods, even woods of the same species.


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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:57 pm
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Any chunk of wood(s) that Fender uses for bodies can weigh just about anything. That is to say that there are light and heavy ash bodies within the same line as there are heavy and light alder bodies, even within the same line.

Certain lines like the EJ artist have a max weight parameter but these are the exception.


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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:03 pm
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Ben13 wrote:
the two most common ash used in guitars are Northern Ash, and Swamp Ash. Northern Ash is heavy and dense. Swamp Ash is very light, and very resonant.


Unless it isn't.


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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 6:02 pm
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Gravity Jim wrote:
Ben13 wrote:
the two most common ash used in guitars are Northern Ash, and Swamp Ash. Northern Ash is heavy and dense. Swamp Ash is very light, and very resonant.


Unless it isn't.


Exactly!


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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 6:29 pm
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This isn't going to help you much but...

I've been playing Strats as my #1 guitar for over 40 years now and I still can't make up my mind which I prefer as to this day, I still go back and forth between Alder and Ash.

As has been stated, various bodies even within their own species can vary greatly in terms of weight, density, resonance, etc, etc.

Premising that I've had the "predicted" characteristics of both species, I still can't say which is better. Rather, they are just different. I've found the Alder bodies to be more midrangy and 'grunt' better whereas the Ash bodies scream, have more punch and sustain more. Not to confuse the issue further, I've had both maple and rosewood fingerboards on both and for what I say about the Alder bodies, I say about the Rosewood fingerboards and what I say about Ash bodies, I say about Maple fingerboards.

Currently, my #1 Strat is Ash with a Rosewood fingerboard. Actually, this has no bearing as to which combo I prefer. This particular guitar, I just played acoustically and fell in love with it. I guarantee you, down the road, I'll find an Alder one with maybe a Maple fingerboard which I'll say the exact same thing about and on and on in tandem combination.

Don't forget: Whether Ash, Alder, Rosewood or Maple, a Strat is still the most versatile guitar on the planet!

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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:34 pm
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Hello Pickin79,

I feel the grain of ash is more attractive.

Cheers.


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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 9:57 pm
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http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/options/o ... ywoods.cfm


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Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 1:30 pm
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I like alder.


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Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 2:34 pm
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I don't know if I'd call the Strat THE most versatile, but stick a humbucker on the tail and you are pretty close. Something like a Taylor T5 can do a few more things...but this ain't a Taylor forum now is it!

Bottom line is that EVERY guitar is different. That being said, various woods DO have their tonal differences. A Koa body won't likely sound a lot like an Ash body, regardless of those differences. Even then, the tonal ranges within each individual wood do vary. (Layman's terms: 2 identical guitars, both made with the same wood, are not likely to sound exactly the same.)

I'd say that in order to tell the difference the most, you'd have to play an acoustic with those woods. That is when you'll actually hear sound reverberating off of the wood itself, uncolored by pickups or an amplifier.


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Post subject: Re: Ash vs. Alder
Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 3:53 am
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I have had Strats with Ash and Alder bodies. The former consist of a 1957 Mark Kay reissue and an original 1979 CBS (bullet truss rod model) -- both of these weigh about the same and are significantly heavier than the ones with alder-bodies, of which one is a two- tone sunburst '57 reissue, and the other a tiger maple-clad Strat Ultra Plus. I like how all of them sound for different songs. However I will opt for the alder body if I get a Tele.


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Post subject: Re: Ash vs. Alder
Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 12:13 pm
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As for my opinon if I were buying a wood grain finish I go for the Ash as I like the look of the grain, yes I spent $200 more for the ash as it looked nicer, played similar to a Black one I was looking at, just liked the look better, so call me money foolish if you like, but every time I open the case I am taken back by how stunning it looks, and that make me feel joyful, so if the extra money I spent puts a wider smile on my face every night I take out my Strat, so be it, it is only money
mud


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Post subject: Re: Ash vs. Alder
Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 7:30 pm
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I own Strats with both of these woods.

On the whole, my Ash Strat (all built in the '70s) are much heavier.

On the other hand, I owned an alder bodied Strat was pretty heavy, and I believe my 50th Anniversary American Series is made of ash, and it's pretty light.

Alder: A well ballanced tone, and relitively light over all.
Swamp Ash: Light with good tone.
Ash: Brighter tone, heaveir, but has good sustain.

Well, there's my 2 cents.


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