Exotic Tone Woods

[skh515]

I have Alder, Ash, Basswood and Popular Bodies in my collection of Strats and Teles.

I'm curious about which exotic woods people fell have the best tonal qualites.

Koa, White Korina, Black Korina, Lacewood, Padouk, Wenge and Zebrawood, plus the not so exotic Walnut. Anybody have any experience with bodies made of these woods? Which would you recommend?

[Mincer]

The exotic woods are exotic because the are increasingly rare. This is due to over harvesting, clearcutting rainforests, etc. Consider either recycled woods, or other colorful carefully farmed woods (like in Gibson's SmartWood series) as alternatives.
Walnut is great, but heavy. You can get it chambered though, and it will sound great.

[aleclee]

The exotic woods are exotic because the are increasingly rare.

Not true in all cases. For example, limba (white and black) is "exotic", not for lack of trees but because there are relatively few commercial applications so there aren't many places that process/stock it.

[Blueline]

As for the woods you mentioned
black and white korina are grat
black limba/korina = mahogany plus - its great for a humbucker guitar and has a little more musical quality than mahogany - that's my best discription
white korina IMHO is better for singe coil guitars

[big_black]

My aluminum necked Kramer has walnut wings and maple/walnut/maple strips down the center. Aluminum has such an overpowering resonence that you have to really listen to pick it out. It is warm like mahogany, but with a bit more immediacy, like maple.

[milkbone]

I have a paduak Wasburn NX6. I resonates incredibly and has a big, bright sound. Plus it's soooo cool looking!IMHO

[Mkf411]

I've been wondering about those clear plastic bodies I see in some of the old videos on VH1 classics. People seem to have gotten tone out those....

[big_black]

I've been wondering about those clear plastic bodies I see in some of the old videos on VH1 classics. People seem to have gotten tone out those....

I would guess it's similar to an aluminum body. More dense than wood, deep sustain.

[Mincer]

I've been wondering about those clear plastic bodies I see in some of the old videos on VH1 classics. People seem to have gotten tone out those....

they are incredibly heavy and dense. So much so that people who use them live (I am convinced because of the looks) only use them for a few songs.

[Lewguitar]

I played a Koa guitar from Carvin a few years back that I thought sounded really good. Very resonant, deep and lively.

[fusion101]

By the way that plastic body is acrylic(plexi glass) to me it sounds like **** and is wicked heavy

[skh515]

I have heard that Walnut is similar in tone to Maple, and that Maple is not a good choice for solid bodies, thin sounding. So wouldn't that mean that Walnut isn't a good choice for solid bodies?

Wow that Logic course I took in college is really paying off.

[big_black]

I have heard that Walnut is similar in tone to Maple, and that Maple is not a good choice for solid bodies, thin sounding. So wouldn't that mean that Walnut isn't a good choice for solid bodies?

Wow that Logic course I took in college is really paying off.

Walnut has a warmth to it (like mahogany), but also has the punch of maple. Are maple and/or walnut a GOOD choice? I think that's really up to the individual. My walnut/maple body sounds good to me. Most of the Kramer aluminum necked guitars have either all maple bodies or walnut with maple stripes. They are not for everyone, but the people who do like them, love them. I know I do.

[crazytooguy]

Hmm, well, I build guitars, both electric and acoustic, and it's important to remember that the body wood only subtly shapes the sound of an electric guitar. It's mostly the pickups and the hardware (bridge). And don't discount the neck! It contributes more than most people realize. I personally favor rosewood necks for my electric guitars; East Indian rosewood to be exact.

That said, I definitely do not like maple bodies, unless you're into death metal. Walnut is a very nice body wood, not nearly as dense or heavy as maple. It does have a clear, present tone, but pleasingly woody and articulate. It's especially nice when chambered. Speaking of "native" woods, cherry is also excellent, but a bit heavier than walnut.
Among the exotics, padauk is one of my favorites. Tap a piece of padauk with a hammer and it rings with a resonant, woody tone. I'm currently working on a Tele that has a padauk body with a 3/8" cocobolo top laminated on it. A very lively and resonant body, just what I was shooting for. I like a body wood to be resonant, especially if it has a lower, woody resonance. I spend a lot of time at the lumberyard tapping wood planks with my little ball peen hammer! There can be alot of variation between different pieces of the same type of wood, so it helps to check each piece. Some of the lumber guys think I'm nuts, but one of them plays guitar, and he gets it!!
The denser woods don't make really good bodies due to the weight. Padauk is about the heaviest wood I use. Rosewoods are way too heavy and way too bright for bodies. Korina is nice, padauk is my favorite, zebra makes a nice top but is too heavy for a whole body.
Of course, this is all just my opinion. YMMV