Survey: What wood for a tele body gives the best sustain?

[alfbell]

I'm getting ready to order all the parts from USACG and Warmoth to assemble a tele. Wondering what wood to use for the body to get the best sustain possible. Those with experience... what is your opinion?

Thanks in advance.

[piece of ash]

Pandora's box now open...

[KevinB]

Well, lignum vitae is probably the densest wood out there, so I'll go with that.

The bare body will be about 11lbs though

[gearhead1972]

My 2012 challenge build is Walnut, it has tons of sustain, but is way past Les Paul territory in weight.

[alfbell]

Ok, I should've been more specific. I don't want to have a chunk of granite hanging on my shoulder. It may be that Leo Fender used swamp ash or alder because it was cheap as opposed to what produced the best tone. But with the normal woods used for tele and strat bodies like ash, alder, basswood, etc...

Which of the woods currently being used would you say is the best for sustain?

[ludashoeless]

concrete!!!!!!

http://www.strat-talk.com/forum/stra...te-guitar.html

[Rob DiStefano]

it ... just ... doesn't ... matter.

HOWEVER, at low volumes the ticket to ride is in light, resonant wood.

[alfbell]

How can it not matter? All these woods have different densities and qualities.

Let me rephrase the question: Out of the common woods used for the body (swamp ash, alder, basswood, poplar, maple, mahogany, and walnut) which one tends towards having the better sustain quality?

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by alfbell

How can it not matter? All these woods have different densities and qualities.

Let me rephrase the question: Out of the common woods used for the body (swamp ash, alder, basswood, poplar, maple, mahogany, and walnut) which one tends towards having the better sustain quality?

the "tone" and "sustain" of yer instruments follow a chain that starts with yer brain and fingers. if it's an electric, the next stop is the pickup(s) and circuit. then the amalgam of the guitar's parts, then outboard stuff like cables and modulation and finally the amp, with all its pieces.

some wood resonates more than other woods, even within the same wood genus. if you wanna get more specific about woods, treat yer electric solid body as if it was an acoustic and tap test wood to find the most resonant.

imo, the faster and easier way to resonance and sustain is to seek out light body wood.

as always, ymmv.

....

[alfbell]

Ok that makes sense. So... which of the woods listed is the lightest or least dense?

[twiggymac]

the best wood for sustain is the kind from a tree, and the best wood for tone has to grow from a sapling.

[notdave]

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by alfbell

Ok that makes sense. So... which of the woods listed is the lightest or least dense?

whatever is the lightest and least dense. each genus of wood can have a very wide spectrum of density and weight. for the most part, woods like white pine and paulownia tend to naturally be light of weight/density. the natural resonance of most paulownia is extremely noticeable.

[63dot]

The best wood for sustain is probably a pickup. As relevant as the wood on a solidbody electric for sustain is the color of the guitar or the thickness of the guitar strap.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by 63dot

The best wood for sustain is probably a pickup. As relevant as the wood on a solidbody electric for sustain is the color of the guitar or the thickness of the guitar strap.

as well as playing volume and proximity to the amp speaker(s).

[alfbell]

Ok, I get it now. The wood isn't that important. Pickups matter most. And there is the whole sequence of chain that RobDiStefano laid out earlier in thread. Very helpful. Thanks guys.

Rob = I see you're a Jersey boy. You live close to Les Paul's town. I'm in Calif now but was born and raised in Jersey. Short Hills/Millburn area. When I was in high school way back when Rondo Music on Rt. 22 was the Guitar Center of the times.

[Novatuc]

Hey Rob, according to my 15 year old, YMMV means You Make Me Vommit.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by Novatuc

Hey Rob, according to my 15 year old, YMMV means You Make Me Vommit.

that's why he's a kid and yer an adult, right?

[thesjkexperienc]

I have not experimented much with Teles, but with Strats and Jazzmasters the bridge makes a bigger difference than wood. Raise your action and you will get better sustain and tone for free!

I don't understand the big sustain quest since amps have so much gain and really when is the last time you heard anyone hold anything longer than a half note?

there is an adventure over every hill -- Pooh

[donh]

When I started talking tele-talk with a luthier friend, he said this: "There two kinds of teles to look for - light and rings like a bell, or heavy and sustains forever. Everything else is secondary."

I prefer the first option. Your mileage may vary.