I got's to know!

[Topbanana]

On a telecaster type guitar:

A. Does the body wood *really* have an effect on the plugged in tone of the guitar??

B. May as well ask now here too, does the neck wood really have that much an effect on the plugged in tone?

[Rolling Estonian]

Did he ask two questions, or just one? To tell you the truth, in all of this excitement I lost count myself.

I'm getting the popcorn.

M

[Jupiter]

Hope you're ready....

[fezz parka]

[garytelecastor]

You know, we have the best tele builders in the world on this site. This is one dog who is staying out of this hunt.

[Mad Kiwi]

Well, this may be a wind up but here is the first attempt at a real answer.....qualified with an enormous I.M.O !

- Neck wood type - Not so much, but maybe......Neck wood density (thicker neck) - I believe so.

- Body Wood type - I don't believe so. However a Strat body with it's cutouts and springs inside DOES make a difference. I built a hard tail strat that sounds very stratty but not quite (I believe) due to not having the springs and the cutouts in the body for the springs to sit....slightly a thicker tone....

Now let the fight begin...

[rangercaster]

Yes, body wood has an effect on neck tone ... and so does neck wood ... and the real question is ???

[TEAM LANDRETH]

Ummmmm...
Yes and yes. But what really makes a difference in tone is the little pick up height adjustment springs. A lot of folks will use surgical tubing or foam blocks, but they are unwittingly killing tone. The springs need to be made of spring-steel of a gauge between 25 and 22. I like 25 myself. It has less air but more chunck; some guys like it the other way around at 22 gauge.

The idea is that the magnetic field of the pick up creates a torus that is disturbed by springs. The springs tend to cause the torus to oscillate at a frequency that is a harmonic to the note being played. The heavier the gauge, the closer the harmonic is to the fundamental and the lighter the gauge the more complex the harmonic oscillation.

The bridge pick up on a tele has three springs which create an even more complex toroidal disturbance which is why teles cut through the mix better than any other guitar.

Honest...

[Jupiter]

The real question is, what's neck tone?

[notdave]

Must be Wednesday already.

[DoodlySquat]

While we're at it . . . . . . nitro or poly?

[notdave]

[TeleKato]

Originally Posted by Rolling Estonian

Did he ask two questions, or just one? To tell you the truth, in all of this excitement I lost count myself.

I'm getting the popcorn.

M

+1

Bein' as this is a Tele Custom, the most powerful guitar in the world ... That could take your head clean off... There's just one question you have to ask yourself: Do I feel lucky?

Well, do ya punk?

Make mine with extra butter!

[Old Cane]

Originally Posted by Jupiter

The real question is, what's neck tone?

Like the blues, I can't describe it but here's how you get it.

http://i.b5z.net/i/u/230085/i/top_necklift_ezr.jpg

[Ricky D.]

Originally Posted by Topbanana

On a telecaster type guitar:

A. Does the body wood *really* have an effect on the plugged in tone of the guitar??

B. May as well ask now here too, does the neck wood really have that much an effect on the plugged in tone?

Out of respect, a straight answer.

Yes, wood makes some difference. But not much.

[Jack FFR1846]

Originally Posted by TEAM LANDRETH

Ummmmm...
Yes and yes. But what really makes a difference in tone is the little pick up height adjustment springs. A lot of folks will use surgical tubing or foam blocks, but they are unwittingly killing tone. The springs need to be made of spring-steel of a gauge between 25 and 22. I like 25 myself. It has less air but more chunck; some guys like it the other way around at 22 gauge.

The idea is that the magnetic field of the pick up creates a torus that is disturbed by springs. The springs tend to cause the torus to oscillate at a frequency that is a harmonic to the note being played. The heavier the gauge, the closer the harmonic is to the fundamental and the lighter the gauge the more complex the harmonic oscillation.

The bridge pick up on a tele has three springs which create an even more complex toroidal disturbance which is why teles cut through the mix better than any other guitar.

Honest...

You are 100% correct, sir. The thinline that I just picked up was finely tuned to exhibit the exact tone you speak of. Note that too much spring or to much screw and it gets overdone. To make this guitar truely sing, note that one neck pu screw has been omitted. This is NOT an oversite or mistake or simple case of the screw being removed by some mischiefous boy. No, this was the result of hours of oscilloscope gazing and wind tunnel testing. See for yourself!!!!

[notdave]

This thread is useless without sound clips

[Topbanana]

This was meant for some honest answers... There is no real discussion on line I've searched for that settles the matter of weather tone woods effect a solid body guitar's tone.

I could do with out all the sarcasm from the majority of you.

EDITED to add: From all that I've read, the body wood of a solid body guitar really has little effect on the tone plugged in, I get the post about the strat making a difference with the trem route and springs ETC (making it like a resonance chamber almost?).

[chipbutty24]

Aaaaahhhhhhhggggghhhhh!

[notdave]

Originally Posted by Topbanana

There is no real discussion on line I've searched for that settles the matter of weather tone woods effect a solid body guitar's tone.

So you started another discussion because..? Aren't the dozens of similar threads here on TDPRI conclusive enough?

Hope springs eternal I suppose.