I'm liking Alder more and more

[chcjunior]

I thought an alder bodied guitar with bolt on maple neck might sound thin, but the opposite is actually true. I'm surprised at the fullness of the tone, and the maple neck/fretboard serves to help it cut through with some extra clarity. On that note, I've discovered I really like the difference in tone the bolt on neck provides. Anyways, I'm glad I tried something different. I may pick up an ash bodied guitar with a rosewood fretboard and maple neck just to see what that sounds like.

I'm going to pull out the JB/'59 combo this weekend and try out the handwound G&L Alnico V's to see how they sound. .

[Xeromus]

Same here, I've got a maple/alder highway 1 strat that I'm really digging right now.

[taphappy]

Alder never sounded like a thin tonewood to me, besides do we really need that fat of a tone?

[chcjunior]

Alder never sounded like a thin tonewood to me, besides do we really need that fat of a tone?

My Asat Deluxe has a nice thick LP kinda tone. I'm guessing that's due to the thick mahagony body and maple cap. It also has a bolt on maple neck (rosewood fretboard). My concern was the Legacy's sound was going to be thin and harsh on the ears. I didn't want that same LP kinda tone, but I didn't want something wimpy either.

[theboatcandream]

Alder never sounded like a thin tonewood to me, besides do we really need that fat of a tone?

Sludge metal, stoner rock, blues.

[ErikH]

Two of my guitars are alder/maple neck/maple board bolt-ons. Neither one ever sounded thin. My homemade alder/maple frankenstrat is one of the best sounding one I have, and probably ever had.

[XSSIVE]

and people wonder why i have so many super strats with alder bodies and maple necks (with different pickups). it's a great combo and if you pick the right pickup it can be real fat sounding!

-Mike

[Zerberus]

and people wonder why i have so many super strats with alder bodies and maple necks (with different pickups). it's a great combo and if you pick the right pickup it can be real fat sounding!

-Mike

+1 on all counts

[Gearjoneser]

I agree about alder. Overall, I think maple/mahogany and solid alder are the two body types that always sound good.

I may do the same thing from now on......using different loaded pickguards on the same strats, and switching them around every time I change strings, just to maximize the tonal possibilities out of the same 3 strats.

[rguser]

same here,
I just got a used fernandes decade with a j-master style large alder body and maple neck and rosewood board. it sounds so good pluged in or not!
I end up playing it late night unplugged and it has a nice whistle kind ring to the tone.
btw, esp ltd just returned an old model m-400 with diff specs. this year: maple set in alder body with rosewood board and emg's. I am pretty curious to find out what maple set in alder sounds like?
anyone have a clue about that? ( it may take away the dryness of the low E and A . that would be a GREAT thing!!!)

[Lake Placid Blues]

It's hard to go wrong with alder. It's usually warmer than swamp ash, and it usually has a more articulate low end than basswood, or mohogony. Moreover, it works with a wide variety of neck woods and pickups....