Tonewood doesn’t matter

[phil92]

Don’t ask me why I let myself get sucked into arguments on the internet, I can’t explain it. And this one in particular really rubs me the wrong way.

So many people stating wood selection in guitars makes no sonic difference whatsoever ‘because the pickups are magnetic and not a microphone’.

The flat earthers of guitardom will defend their errors tooth and nail. There’s no getting through.

 

[ak301]

It's just the internet, and just some folk always think they're right and don't consider some people have different opinions.

I've had this discussion with someone. I have a walnut strat and an alder bodied strat, both have the same Van Zandt bridge pickup.
One sounds warmer and fatter and the other sounds more punchy. Bloke on the internet says they sound the same as they have the same pickups in.
He'd never seen or heard these guitars and is telling me what I can easily tell isn't true.

So, I just let folk spout whatever they want

 

[skolacki]

The main ingredient of a guitar is wood. But how could wood possibly have any effect on guitar tone?

 

[FractalAudio]

If the wood didn't matter then solid body guitars would sound the same as hollow body guitars if they used the same pickups.

QED

 

[sprint]

Don’t ask me why I let myself get sucked into argument...

likewise, as evidenced by the post I'm writing: This has got to be thee most tired, beaten to f#%king death, saddest, dumbest, over discussed, under substantiated, unproductive, time wasting, old mule of a subject matter on planet guitar talk. So there. Now where's that new fangled "hide thread" thingy.

 

[rcm78]

The same people say the guitar doesnt matter when playing through a modeler.

 

[skolacki]

You could build a guitar out of recycled pallets, put 2 humbuckers in it and voila! Instant Les Paul tone

 

[621]

 

[nicolasrivera]

If the wood didn't matter then solid body guitars would sound the same as hollow body guitars if they used the same pickups.

QED

And every one knows a 335 smokes a 59LP any day. Thats why they are called Burst killers.

 

[nicolasrivera]

Don’t ask me why I let myself get sucked into arguments on the internet, I can’t explain it. And this one in particular really rubs me the wrong way.

So many people stating wood selection in guitars makes no sonic difference whatsoever ‘because the pickups are magnetic and not a microphone’.

The flat earthers of guitardom will defend their errors tooth and nail. There’s no getting through.

BTW its too early in the year to make a "new" thread about this.

 

[Red Solo Cup]

 

[Dave Merrill]

likewise, as evidenced by the post I'm writing: This has got to be thee most tired, beaten to f#%king death, saddest, dumbest, over discussed, under substantiated, unproductive, time wasting, old mule of a subject matter on planet guitar talk. So there. Now where's that new fangled "hide thread" thingy.

I know where it is!
Bye, here anyway.

 

[Rock Chalk]

View attachment 132488

 

[tealtonerick]

Of course the wood matters. In fact, a different piece of the same wood matters. It's just a matter of degree in combination with all the other circumstances in the resonant chain from the strings to the output jack.

 

[nicolasrivera]

Of course the wood matters. In fact, a different piece of the same wood matters. It's just a matter of degree in combination with all the other circumstances in the resonant chain from the strings to the output jack.

Even the way you cut the wood matters.

 

[ApocalypticKatana]

A guitar’s way of construction/design is a big factor IMO

Everything affects everything in a guitar - Paul Reed Smith

Technically, I would agree to this if you look at it at an atomic level like …different wood mediums transferring vibrational energy or the metal medium for the magnetic fields interacting with each other.

But practically, whether (insert guitar part here) perceptively changes the tone to be perceivable to the human senses to it’s minimum threshold….thats to each their own as we are all different…

Hence the arguments… but mini passage over

 

[weird guitar person]

Red herring. The weird assertion is that acoustic "tone woods" are somehow automatically better in solid body electric guitars than materials not traditionally used for acoustic instruments. And dear gods, not again...

 

[secondwindow]

You could build a guitar out of recycled pallets, put 2 humbuckers in it and voila! Instant Les Paul tone

I don't mean to be argumentative, but it's been proven that humbuckers are a poor choice for a pallet guitar. You need single coils for that. I'd really hoped that debate had finally been put to rest. Here's a pic of mine - it sounds as awesome as you'd imagine.

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

You could build a guitar out of recycled pallets, put 2 humbuckers in it and voila! Instant Les Paul tone

I think Les used a 4x4, if memory serves....

A vintage 4x4 for thick tone. Not one of these modern day 4x4 thingies that are more like 3.5x3.5....

Even the way you cut the wood matters.

How and how much it is dried, too....

 

[Moondog Wily]

I think this thread would be more appropriately titled "Postings About Tonewood Don't Matter"! Playing does matter ;~))