Alder or Ash?

Tommy Tourbus · March 12th, 2008, 04:23 PM

which do you guys prefer for a tele?

newtwanger · March 12th, 2008, 04:34 PM

If I build a tele, I'd use the correct wood for the year I'm "replicating" (ash 50s alder some 60s....I'd look it up.)

If I was just building a tele that's not a replica of something specific, I'd say Alder is much easier to work with. I like pretty things so I'd look for a nice grain and a reasonable weight.

If I was buying a new guitar I wouldn't care much because I'm not part of the "this wood (or this paint) makes my tone better" group. My sound comes from my pickups, my amp and my fingers. I'd buy the guitar that played best and was the most comfortable.

Pete Galati · March 12th, 2008, 04:36 PM

Depends on what it's used for. Swamp Ash is nice for single coil Telecasters.

My favorite Tele for sitting and playing unplugged, is Alder.

pengipete · March 12th, 2008, 04:40 PM

Both look good if the piece is selected & finished well but I'm growing towards preferring the look of ash - it seems to have more "interesting" variations in grain pattern.

Telemarkman · March 12th, 2008, 05:36 PM

The two prototype Teles (1949) were made of pine, as were the first batch of Esquires (1950, black). However, because pine was a rather soft wood that dented easily, and also because Leo decided to go for a transparent blonde finish, ash was selected because it was relatively hard, relatively cheap, easily available and had a great grain pattern.

When opaque custom colors came into use in the early 60's, alder was selected for these bodies, because grain pattern wasn't an issue and alder was an even cheaper wood than ash.

I doubt if Leo would ever have imagined that there would be weekly discussions about the virtues of ash vs. alder 50 years later on a Telecaster forum

...

Gaber_771 · March 12th, 2008, 05:49 PM

I am part of the "type of wood effects my tone" crowd... in no way do i claim that i sound better with one over the other as i believe tone is in the player, but mostly in the beholder... All that said, to me, ash has a tighter bottom, scooped mid, and smoother high... obviously a great pair with tweed... alder is much more even and round sounding, which i think works quite well with blackface, as well a other modern, less midrangey amps... of course none of this is based in fact... this is based on one alder body American Std. i have vs. and Ash body American Std... with similar pickup windings and similar ages... so for me, its ash... And BTW, the ash body i have is not an AVR52 or the amstd knockoff... its a rosewood board guitar, and so is the alder i was comparing it to...

Tommy Tourbus · March 12th, 2008, 06:06 PM

well, i definitely notice a difference between the two when strumming ash and alder teles back to back unplugged. I prefer the sound of alder and the look of ash (on trans finishes). I'm guessing the tone of an alder tele is a more recording engineer-friendly guitar as it's rounder and more full bodied. the brighter thinner ash sound seems to me like it would be harder to work with/dial in. But I'm just basing that on unplugged tone. Pickups and amps probably negate a lot of that.

boris bubbanov · March 12th, 2008, 06:40 PM

I prefer the sound of the ash, provided I can trick someone into helping me fill the goldurned grain pores.

I like the these kinds of threads; it frees up these one piece alder bodies from Tommy at USACG so I can buy all of them:

Actually, there's good and better bodies of both kinds of wood. I'm just about 50-50 ash and alder. Sometimes a body can be a dud, as may be the case with this Warmoth ash Tele body I have. But if you are persistent, you can usually find a combination of body, neck, bridge, pickups and amp and speaker choices that will please your ear.

Bubban0v

Where's the emoticon for trying not to spit your drink out your nose?

Michaell · March 12th, 2008, 09:04 PM

kiss my ash

( someone had to post it )

Buckocaster51 · March 12th, 2008, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

...it frees up these one piece alder bodies from Tommy at USACG so I can buy all of them...

So YOU'RE the one!

beep.click · March 12th, 2008, 11:46 PM

Right now, my favorite Teles are my Baja (ash) and my Nashville (alder).

Stubee · March 13th, 2008, 12:28 AM

I am the unsophisticated one here. I have had (and still have) ash and alder Teles. Loved 'em all. But I'm a neophyte: played guitar for decades, but got into Teles only a year ago or so. So take that into account, I guess.

I'm now playing an AV'62RI (alder) that can sound about like anything, to my ear, through a good amp. Had an AV'52RI (ash) that could do the same. Different guitars entirely, but both very versatile, IMO. Not saying they sound the same plugged in at the same settings, that's not it at all...but I've discovered thru this forum + lots of playing & fiddling that guitar & amp tone controls + pup selection and height adjustment will do a lot for any good Tele, whatever the body wood.

So I opt for a guitar that basically "grabs me" (feel, vibe, looks, basic tone) and am pretty happy from there.

psycho gun · May 14th, 2008, 05:36 PM

I like the sound of an unplugged Alder Telecaster.

Telemarkman · May 14th, 2008, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

I prefer the sound of the ash,

Acoustically my '52 RI swamp ash bodied Tele is the best - and loudest - sounding solid bodied guitar I've had. None of my alder bodied models ('65 Tele, American Series Tele and MIM '60's Classic), neither my Les Paul (mahogany) or my '57 RI Strat (alder) have the same acoustic properties.

Plugged in I don't think it matters though ...

March 12th, 2008, 04:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tommy Tourbus TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: seattle Posts: 71	Alder or Ash? which do you guys prefer for a tele?

March 12th, 2008, 04:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
newtwanger Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada Posts: 816 5 Photos	If I build a tele, I'd use the correct wood for the year I'm "replicating" (ash 50s alder some 60s....I'd look it up.) If I was just building a tele that's not a replica of something specific, I'd say Alder is much easier to work with. I like pretty things so I'd look for a nice grain and a reasonable weight. If I was buying a new guitar I wouldn't care much because I'm not part of the "this wood (or this paint) makes my tone better" group. My sound comes from my pickups, my amp and my fingers. I'd buy the guitar that played best and was the most comfortable. __________________ _________________

March 12th, 2008, 09:04 PM	#9 (permalink)
Michaell Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: on the bus Posts: 667	kiss my ash ( someone had to post it ) __________________ this space intentionally left blank

March 12th, 2008, 11:46 PM	#11 (permalink)
beep.click Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California Age: 49 Posts: 1,966	Right now, my favorite Teles are my Baja (ash) and my Nashville (alder). __________________ "It looked like a giant green gum drop to me."

May 14th, 2008, 05:36 PM	#13 (permalink)
psycho gun Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Caen (France) Age: 35 Posts: 100 6 Photos	I like the sound of an unplugged Alder Telecaster. __________________ "What is your guitar ? - A Telecaster..." http://www.myspace.com/psychogun

March 12th, 2008, 04:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
Pete Galati R.I.P. Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,104 2 Photos	Depends on what it's used for. Swamp Ash is nice for single coil Telecasters. My favorite Tele for sitting and playing unplugged, is Alder.

March 12th, 2008, 04:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
pengipete Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gloucester U.K. Age: 47 Posts: 1,572	Both look good if the piece is selected & finished well but I'm growing towards preferring the look of ash - it seems to have more "interesting" variations in grain pattern.

March 12th, 2008, 05:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
Telemarkman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Age: 61 Posts: 4,719	The two prototype Teles (1949) were made of pine, as were the first batch of Esquires (1950, black). However, because pine was a rather soft wood that dented easily, and also because Leo decided to go for a transparent blonde finish, ash was selected because it was relatively hard, relatively cheap, easily available and had a great grain pattern. When opaque custom colors came into use in the early 60's, alder was selected for these bodies, because grain pattern wasn't an issue and alder was an even cheaper wood than ash. I doubt if Leo would ever have imagined that there would be weekly discussions about the virtues of ash vs. alder 50 years later on a Telecaster forum ...

March 12th, 2008, 05:49 PM	#6 (permalink)
Gaber_771 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: WV Age: 24 Posts: 296	I am part of the "type of wood effects my tone" crowd... in no way do i claim that i sound better with one over the other as i believe tone is in the player, but mostly in the beholder... All that said, to me, ash has a tighter bottom, scooped mid, and smoother high... obviously a great pair with tweed... alder is much more even and round sounding, which i think works quite well with blackface, as well a other modern, less midrangey amps... of course none of this is based in fact... this is based on one alder body American Std. i have vs. and Ash body American Std... with similar pickup windings and similar ages... so for me, its ash... And BTW, the ash body i have is not an AVR52 or the amstd knockoff... its a rosewood board guitar, and so is the alder i was comparing it to...

March 12th, 2008, 06:06 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tommy Tourbus TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: seattle Posts: 71	well, i definitely notice a difference between the two when strumming ash and alder teles back to back unplugged. I prefer the sound of alder and the look of ash (on trans finishes). I'm guessing the tone of an alder tele is a more recording engineer-friendly guitar as it's rounder and more full bodied. the brighter thinner ash sound seems to me like it would be harder to work with/dial in. But I'm just basing that on unplugged tone. Pickups and amps probably negate a lot of that.

March 12th, 2008, 06:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 8,537	I prefer the sound of the ash, provided I can trick someone into helping me fill the goldurned grain pores. I like the these kinds of threads; it frees up these one piece alder bodies from Tommy at USACG so I can buy all of them: Actually, there's good and better bodies of both kinds of wood. I'm just about 50-50 ash and alder. Sometimes a body can be a dud, as may be the case with this Warmoth ash Tele body I have. But if you are persistent, you can usually find a combination of body, neck, bridge, pickups and amp and speaker choices that will please your ear. Bubban0v Where's the emoticon for trying not to spit your drink out your nose?

March 13th, 2008, 12:28 AM	#12 (permalink)
Stubee Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mid-Michigan Age: 57 Posts: 441	I am the unsophisticated one here. I have had (and still have) ash and alder Teles. Loved 'em all. But I'm a neophyte: played guitar for decades, but got into Teles only a year ago or so. So take that into account, I guess. I'm now playing an AV'62RI (alder) that can sound about like anything, to my ear, through a good amp. Had an AV'52RI (ash) that could do the same. Different guitars entirely, but both very versatile, IMO. Not saying they sound the same plugged in at the same settings, that's not it at all...but I've discovered thru this forum + lots of playing & fiddling that guitar & amp tone controls + pup selection and height adjustment will do a lot for any good Tele, whatever the body wood. So I opt for a guitar that basically "grabs me" (feel, vibe, looks, basic tone) and am pretty happy from there.