What does Mahogany sound like in a Strat type guitar?

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cyndicate

cyndicate

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I.e. a Jackson PC-1 or some other super strat with a mahogany body compared to Alder or Basswood.
 
I played a Jackson PC-1 at Guitar Center a few months back and it sounded incredible for lead stuff. I didn't like the rhythm tone, but I'm sure that's because it had a DiMarzio pickup in it. I've owned a few Caparison Dellingers which have a mahogany body and they sounded pretty damn huge. Much heavier than basswood or alder guitars IMO.
 
Some guys don't like Mahoganey for Strats but i do. If you are after that VH vibe then you should probably stick with Alder since it won't sound as thick or dark as Mahoganey. Keep in mind that i like dark sounding guitars with a thick low end and strong mid. When using those qualities as a reference i thought the Alder Charvel i owned was just too nuetral sounding for me. It just didn't have the balls i like.

Now i did once own a Parts Superstrat with a Mahoganey body and maple neck and it sounded very thick and ballsy. It was almost too dark and you couldn't get much of a clean tone out of it, but for metal and hard rock and was really good.

So i do like Mahoganey for strats. I also like Basswood with a maple top. Alder just sounds too vanilla for me.
 
Cool thats what I was thinking , been trying to find a Jackson PC-1 to play around on. Probably go to GC later
 
I have a mut Jackson parts Strat. Dinky mahogany body, J90C slant bridge pu, schaller floyd, rosewood board. Acoustically I would say the mahogany wood is:

fat, yet somewhat bright with a nice "round" and compressed sounding top end. Less lowend thump and less lively in the upper mids than alder.

I like it, great axe, specially for leads - full sounding.

Mike
 
AC":3btvi7zk said:
Check out Samhill's Suhr modern sounds on this board.
Click to expand...

That guitar has a maple top which puts it in a whole different world as far as sound goes when compared to an all mahogany body.
 
johnnyjellybean":31e7yv6d said:
AC":31e7yv6d said:
Check out Samhill's Suhr modern sounds on this board.
Click to expand...

That guitar has a maple top which puts it in a whole different world as far as sound goes when compared to an all mahogany body.
Click to expand...

Indeed, but the PC-1 he's referring to, has a maple top too.

And the suhr modern has a rosewood neck,opposed to the maple neck, I know.
 
Mahogany wood is great tone wood for ANY guitar in my opinion but keep in mind there are different flavors of mahogany. As with any guitar you have to find the right pickup selection to compliment the guitar, regardless of wood. My favorite strats that I own are mahogany with maple tops like this
ft_side.jpg
 
Shawn Lutz":14xgygpx said:
Mahogany wood is great tone wood for ANY guitar in my opinion but keep in mind there are different flavors of mahogany. As with any guitar you have to find the right pickup selection to compliment the guitar, regardless of wood. My favorite strats that I own are mahogany with maple tops like this
ft_side.jpg
Click to expand...
Wow! That's one of the most beautiful guitars I've ever seen! What is it?

Edit: Nvm. Saw it on your site. Very cool!!
 
I like mahogany if it has a maple cap on it to offset the dark/round quality of the guitar. Mahogany on it's own never seems to have enough bite. Alder and Swamp Ash are my fave woods for strats.
 
It sounds strongly in the direction of David Gilmour's tones as does Koa.

" But Gilmour uses Alder bodies. "

Yes but I'm telling you from experience that's what it's like .

I'm guessing that Gilmour's signal chain beefs up the low mids and rolls off some highs from the Alder.

The Mahogany ( or Koa) does that for you ALREADY at the body without the big signal chain needed.

Remember I said strongly in the direction of NOT EXACT- but that will give you a real good idea of where it's going.

Clean tones are fuller( less scooped ) - more piano or Martin Acoustic guitar-like and overdriven tones are more violin- like
(EJ rolls off highs and beefs up lows on leads) or Cello- like ( Gilmour again).
 
Resurrected old thread :lol: :LOL: I found out the income after ordering my Suhr :D
 
Expect a much warmer and more direct midrange than Alder. Depending on the thickness of the body (I've seen a lot of different styles; just because it's Strat or Super Strat shape doesn't mean it's not thick or thin), you'll be closer or further from that Les Paul sound.

I'd say that I absolutely do not care of a maple neck on a mahogany body, though. It makes the whole guitar sound weird if you ask me. Mahogany neck + body with maple cap is the ticket. The maple cap gives it just enough treble and cut to make up for any muddiness and blurred midrange in the mahogany, while still retaining the sweetness.


I do love me an Alder Strat, though. I get fantastic Gilmour tones from my Suhr S1.
 
My #1 guitar is an all mahogany body/neck with a rosewood board. I like it a little darker and I play Soldano (considered bright). I find M/M much fuller and organic/harmonic. So much also depends on what type of music I am playing at the time.

Strat scale, but with a Floyd.

UltimateWeapon_BlackShmear-09078-Fr.jpg
 
Dark for sure. I have a JB in a charvel and Les Paul and they sound close. Same pick up in my mahogony Ibanez and the tonal change is amazing, so dark...but good. Just have to prepare for that, it may not be your thing.
 
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