Identifying wood

elavd · December 23rd, 2006, 11:08 AM

I have an early 90's Squier strat and I would like to know if the body is made from solid wood or something else (e.g. plywood).

The body is paint with a solid color. Is there an easy way to find out if it's made of wood or not?

Telenator · December 23rd, 2006, 11:12 AM

If you take it apart and look in the control cavity or the p'up cavities you should at least be able to see if it's plywood.

elavd · December 23rd, 2006, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telenator

If you take it apart and look in the control cavity or the p'up cavities you should at least be able to see if it's plywood.

It's also paint in there...

Dauntless · December 23rd, 2006, 11:52 AM

Check the neck pocket.

elavd · December 23rd, 2006, 11:58 AM

Disappoinment...

This is a photo of the neck pocket:

Telenator · December 23rd, 2006, 02:20 PM

Just because it's plywood doesn't mean it won't sound good. It has less of a chance of sounding great, but it's not impossible.

elavd · December 23rd, 2006, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telenator

Just because it's plywood doesn't mean it won't sound good. It has less of a chance of sounding great, but it's not impossible.

Maybe you've got a point there. For all these years I thought that the body was wooden, because it always sounded far better than my MIM Deluxe strat (with ash body...)

chickenpicker · December 23rd, 2006, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elavd

Disappoinment...

This is a photo of the neck pocket:

Don't think of it as disappointment, but enlightenment!

aznrambo481 · December 25th, 2006, 10:00 PM

if you couldn't tell till now, then it shows that wood means.. not that much.

Sarge · December 26th, 2006, 10:06 AM

Hey...it's STILL wood. Just layers of wood. I've had several guitars that were plywood and you would be hard pressed (

) to know it was plywood. Slap some Screamin' Demon's in there and hang on!

Jelly · December 29th, 2006, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chickenpicker

Don't think of it as disappointment, but enlightenment!

Chickenpicker, I don't think I've ever seen you make so much sense before!

Stratsrgood · December 29th, 2006, 11:55 AM

I had a Korean Tele for a couple of years before I found out that it was made of ply, it sounded perfect. One of very few guitars i've regreted selling.

Gene Machine · December 29th, 2006, 02:02 PM

I have a charvel that i played for years before i realized or cared that it was plywood. I have some 2 and 3 piece stuff too, they are all so different for different reasons. enjoy it for what it is...

mellecaster · January 3rd, 2007, 12:04 AM

One of my Favorite P-Basses is Plywood...don't bother me !

'caster oil · January 3rd, 2007, 12:38 AM

I'll gladly take it off your hands and I won't charge you a dime...

MulliganChebichev · January 3rd, 2007, 02:15 AM

I would say that its just knowing what it's made of that eating elavd alive.
If a cardboard box with some handwired PUps sound better then an American Deluxe, I'd play the one that sounds better

endzone · January 3rd, 2007, 02:21 AM

I have a Korean Squier Strat that I love and play regularly even over an expensive MIA. Fantastic feel and tone. It's plywood.

genelovesjez · January 3rd, 2007, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telenator

It has less of a chance of sounding great

It does? How so?

December 23rd, 2006, 11:08 AM	#1 (permalink)
elavd Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ioannina - Greece Age: 31 Posts: 383 3 Photos	Identifying wood I have an early 90's Squier strat and I would like to know if the body is made from solid wood or something else (e.g. plywood). The body is paint with a solid color. Is there an easy way to find out if it's made of wood or not?

December 23rd, 2006, 11:12 AM	#2 (permalink)
Telenator Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 4,669	If you take it apart and look in the control cavity or the p'up cavities you should at least be able to see if it's plywood. __________________ Dogs have the right idea!

December 23rd, 2006, 11:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
Dauntless Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Age: 53 Posts: 169 9 Photos	Check the neck pocket. __________________ Gene "Dauntless" Flannery "If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to view every problem as a nail." -Maslow-

December 23rd, 2006, 02:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
Telenator Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 4,669	Just because it's plywood doesn't mean it won't sound good. It has less of a chance of sounding great, but it's not impossible. __________________ Dogs have the right idea!

December 25th, 2006, 10:00 PM	#9 (permalink)
aznrambo481 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla, California Age: 17 Posts: 2,868 6 Photos	if you couldn't tell till now, then it shows that wood means.. not that much. __________________ Check out my bands, and feel free to PM me comments on them! The Eclectics (guitar/vocals) SLIP (bass)

December 23rd, 2006, 11:58 AM	#5 (permalink)
elavd Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Ioannina - Greece Age: 31 Posts: 383 3 Photos	Disappoinment... This is a photo of the neck pocket:

December 26th, 2006, 10:06 AM	#10 (permalink)
Sarge Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pgh,Pa Age: 53 Posts: 3,549	Hey...it's STILL wood. Just layers of wood. I've had several guitars that were plywood and you would be hard pressed ( ) to know it was plywood. Slap some Screamin' Demon's in there and hang on!

December 29th, 2006, 11:55 AM	#12 (permalink)
Stratsrgood Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Hampshire,UK Age: 57 Posts: 116	I had a Korean Tele for a couple of years before I found out that it was made of ply, it sounded perfect. One of very few guitars i've regreted selling.

December 29th, 2006, 02:02 PM	#13 (permalink)
Gene Machine Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Trenton, Ontario Posts: 313	no big whoop I have a charvel that i played for years before i realized or cared that it was plywood. I have some 2 and 3 piece stuff too, they are all so different for different reasons. enjoy it for what it is... __________________ * I AM CANADIAN *

January 3rd, 2007, 12:04 AM	#14 (permalink)
mellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 4,774 17 Photos	One of my Favorite P-Basses is Plywood...don't bother me ! __________________ I have never owned an Ipod or Blackberry..and doubt that I ever will......

January 3rd, 2007, 12:38 AM	#15 (permalink)
'caster oil Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 692 1 Photos	I'll gladly take it off your hands and I won't charge you a dime... __________________ "Capo on the fourth fret." Keef

January 3rd, 2007, 02:15 AM	#16 (permalink)
MulliganChebichev Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Eugene, Oregon Age: 18 Posts: 1,744 3 Photos	I would say that its just knowing what it's made of that eating elavd alive. If a cardboard box with some handwired PUps sound better then an American Deluxe, I'd play the one that sounds better

January 3rd, 2007, 02:21 AM	#17 (permalink)
endzone Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Louisiana Age: 52 Posts: 1,644 40 Photos	I have a Korean Squier Strat that I love and play regularly even over an expensive MIA. Fantastic feel and tone. It's plywood. __________________ *I'm Makin Progress*