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tijeretamiel -> RE: Anyone built a negra with mahogany back and sides? (Nov. 10 2012 11:06:02)
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quote:
So Tele, you dont like the sound of mahogany on electrical guitars. The best sounding electrical guitar I´ve had was an old all mahogany Gibson SG.. Wov, did that bird sing. But it had two problems. Neck heavy and it wouldnt stay in tune for long because it was to wobbly.
I have a old Gibson SG! It's a 1968, great sounding guitar, light as a feather but it's exactly as you describe Anders! Really, really neck heavy and it's struggles to keep in tune (it has a bigsby tremolo). For those reasons, as great as it sounds I don't play it that much (my electric guitar of choice is a 1970 Hagstrom H2N, the Swedish Gibson SG of sorts)
When it comes to electric guitars, the choice of wood does make a difference, but not as much as for non electric guitars. Occasionally, guitars with solid tops (semi acoustics and archtops) come along, and some prefer laminates as they are less prone to feedback...
For electric guitars, weight is a issue not just for tone for playability. Generally heavier wood bodied guitars have more sustain but when played standing up they can be back breaking played for 4 hours at a time or something.
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When it comes to quilted Mahogany, I think a few other woods come in such form eg Maple and Sapele. I think that Quilted timber comes from lower down the tree and some have suggested that the tone is different from non quilted equivalent timber, but some others have suggested there's no difference. Personally, I am not a fan of it's aesthetic.
When it comes to Sapele, it's reputation for steel string guitars isn't great anyway but many think it's one of the finest tonewoods out there, finer than the traditional forms of mahogany. Some of the most revered steel string builders around uses Sapele, eg http://www.theacousticmusicco.co.uk/index.php/catalogsearch/result/?q=sapele
Flamenco builders and players are possibly one of the most conservative group in guitar building/playing, which has it's advantages and it's disadvantages too. I've noticed that even the usage of cedar as a soundboard in flamenco is occasionally frowned upon!
Anders, have you used 'other' forms of rosewood for flamenco guitars? Eg Palo Escrito, Padauk/Coral? I've come across a few online videos of negras built with those tonewoods and a few I've come across sound fantastic.
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