New Body Material Build w Sound Clip

tdowns · June 11th, 2007, 12:36 AM

I just finished a build using a new body material. Listen to the clip, I think the sustain is remarkable. I'm thinking I need to contact the suppler of the material before I talk about what I'm using. It could be controversial.

Sound Clip

Buckocaster51 · June 11th, 2007, 12:43 AM

Just a little sustain, eh?

My guess it is some sort of synthetic counter top material.

But I have been wrong before.

Geoff738 · June 11th, 2007, 12:48 AM

Is it heavy?

I'm not betting against the countertop material suggestion!

Cheers,
Geoff738

tdowns · June 11th, 2007, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff738

Is it heavy?

No, it the lightest one I own. 4 pounds, 15.4 ounces.

Pete Galati · June 11th, 2007, 03:53 AM

The problem is that I don't hear any wood tone.

I'd like to hear a clip of the neck PU.

I think you'd be trading tone for sustain though. I have a synthetic material guitar called a Switch (brand) Wild IV, and it has great sustain, but after a week of owning it, it's tone really got on my nerves.

Pete

tuuur · June 11th, 2007, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

I just finished a build using a new body material. Listen to the clip, I think the sustain is remarkable. I'm thinking I need to contact the suppler of the material before I talk about what I'm using. It could be controversial.

OK, now you got me wondering what material could possibly be controversial...
and is it that recognizable you aren't even able to post pics?

The sustain is amazing, but I think Pete has a point regarding the tone.

maestrovert · June 11th, 2007, 10:38 AM

it sounds good to me Doc !
enlighten us, please.....

tdowns · June 11th, 2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete Galati

The problem is that I don't hear any wood tone.

Pete

Really? It is wood.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete Galati

....it's tone really got on my nerves.

Sorry if mine did too.

toadman · June 11th, 2007, 10:44 AM

out with it, man!! the world must know!

Tedecaster · June 11th, 2007, 11:09 AM

I don't know Terry.

You've got a lightweight, manufactured product thats made from wood but sounds as though it's intended for something else (hence the controversy)

I know they make lightweight honeycomb panels for road cases but I didn't think they were wood. Did you use something they make caskets out of?

1293 · June 11th, 2007, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

It could be controversial.

Baby seal?

nokaster · June 11th, 2007, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

It could be controversial.

slices of a cactus that's into kiddy porn maybe?

(kinda like the twisted tele neck pup)

jwells393 · June 11th, 2007, 11:48 AM

C'mon Terry ............... spill it.

gtech · June 11th, 2007, 12:02 PM

Hummm... how about MFC

That is wood, is light, and would give that sound from what I think.

Gilles

tdowns · June 11th, 2007, 12:16 PM

Actually it as a fairly heavy wood, but some of the wood has been removed in some areas.

I'll post pictures tonight when I get home.

tdowns · June 11th, 2007, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuuur

The sustain is amazing, but I think Pete has a point regarding the tone.

Oh, sorry. You don't like the tone?

mellecaster · June 11th, 2007, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

Oh, sorry. You don't like the tone?

I Duzz...and color me curious too, Terry

robin4963 · June 11th, 2007, 12:45 PM

If its wood...my guess is teak....I picked up an R&D custom guitar from a local builder....sustaind like mahogany but with maple sweetness:

http://www.legraguitars.co.uk/ab602.htm

crawdad · June 11th, 2007, 01:07 PM

I think the guitar sounds great--VERY Telecaster. If it just had a bit more sustain! Kidding, ya know...can't wait to hear what you used.

maestrovert · June 11th, 2007, 01:22 PM

i can't stop gigglin'.....this here jes' tickles my funny bone....

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

"The problem is that I don't hear any wood tone."

Really? It is wood.

JohnnyCrash · June 11th, 2007, 01:54 PM

The suspense is killing me.

On a similar note - does anybody else suspect Gibson discontinuing their ES-135's because of problems with the balsa center block (they call it chromyte)? Maybe I'm just paranoid.

Controversial huh? Well the "Baby Seals" comment was conspicuously ignored, so maybe you're onto something 1293...

bajabuster · June 11th, 2007, 02:00 PM

I got it, the body is made up entirely from MXR compressor pedals glued together..

jhundt · June 11th, 2007, 02:16 PM

well, everyone on the TDPRI already knows that "TONE IS IN THE FINGERS" so it wouldn't matter what you built it from. You will ALWAYS sound magnificent, even if it's made out of marshmallows. Oh yeah - pickups don't matter, neither do strings, cords or amps... it's all about YOU, Terry! And you are --- what?? You are THE MAN! So this is the MAN-tone guitar...

pottedmeat42 · June 11th, 2007, 02:26 PM

(of course this is IMHO based on a short clip)

strengths: plenty of snap...upper-mid is very clear...tight, focused bass

weakness: not much bloom...not particularly warm tone...no growl

Overall, I would say the tone definately falls within the traditional tele pallet. I don't hear any particular distinctives that make it "out of bounds" (too bright, too bassy, too clinical, etc.) Overall, I would say it is a rather generic tone (which isn't necessiarly a bad thing!). I would consider purchasing a body constructed from this material and suspect that if you had listed the thread as "evaluate this pickup", no one would have mentioned the body wood (pro or con).

My guess as to the substance: Soylent Green

-jason

Mark Davis · June 11th, 2007, 03:17 PM

I gor real long sustaining notes from my 50's Classic when I took out the neck pup and put a 1953 Fender Champion lap steel pickup in it. It would sustain around 65-70 secs on the big E string a little less on the plain strings.

It was so alive and harmonicly rich and sustained forever I had to slightly change my playing style cause the bad notes rang out so long I had to mute alot more.

tuuur · June 11th, 2007, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

Oh, sorry. You don't like the tone?

Not too much, but please don't take it too personal...

And as jwells' sig reads: when I say something... always ask yourself... "What the hell does he know?"

Arlo · June 11th, 2007, 03:35 PM

Is it Orange Osage (Maclura pomifera) ??

I like the tone and she has a lovely sustain IMHO.

David Barnett · June 11th, 2007, 03:45 PM

Masonite?

Gareth John · June 11th, 2007, 04:09 PM

It's CLEARLY oak, I can spot oak a mile off!

That's some pretty good sustain there, I quite like the tone actually.

Wop Geronimo · June 11th, 2007, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gareth John

It's CLEARLY oak, I can spot oak a mile off!

That's some pretty good sustain there, I quite like the tone actually.

God I hope it is not oak now so we can tease you til' dooms day

EunosFD · June 11th, 2007, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pottedmeat42

My guess as to the substance: Soylent Green

Can't be Soylent Green because he said it was wood...and Soylent Green is made of people! It's peeeeopllllllllee!!!!!

(A little Phil Hartman SNL reference fwiw)

0le FUZZY · June 11th, 2007, 05:06 PM

...I haff noe idea but I dew noe that this here test board made outta cabinet door and a metal frame with the strings goin over a bolt and high enuff offin the board tew slip any P/U unner sounds jes like yer clip.

...The TDPDTTC rite behind it sounds a lot li kat also and its made outta hollowed out oak pieces.

...A Twin and a liddo reverb kin go a long weigh toward makin it last fer a spell. I never stood unner this sustain stuff. I'm alwayz ready fer the next note and kant weight fer the string tew stop ringin.

0.F.

Jellecaster · June 11th, 2007, 05:09 PM

...needs to talk to the supplier... and its made of wood... and only God can make a tree.... Holy Crap! Terry has a direct line to the Man upstairs!!!!!

Can you ask him to send back Leo and Johnny Cash? - we'll trade Brittney, Paris and a couple draft picks to be named later!

91xlntS-3 · June 11th, 2007, 05:21 PM

td,
I think it sounds fine! Very crsip and clear, and with any tweaking of the guitar tone or amp tone, it could sound any way you wanted it to.

I'm always striving to get a crystal clean tone, and that right there just nails it! Whatever it is, I want some! (unless it is baby seals-ooooohh)

WildTele · June 11th, 2007, 05:29 PM

Nice tone and sustain Terry. As a builder, I always go for lightweight woods, and if not, I do chambered bodies -- both for tone and sustain -- your result reminds me of a semi-hollow body, and of course, it still sounds very classic Tele to me - then again, I'm only listening to the clip on some small PC speakers made by Labtec -- not the best way to appreciate a sound clip!

Telenator · June 11th, 2007, 05:30 PM

It's Rhino Horn! What do I win?

Nothing wrong with that tone at all. It's full, complex, and biting.

I could care less about the sustain.

Fatmanstratman · June 11th, 2007, 06:08 PM

ANYWAY..... getting back to the point of this thread!....

So just what IS this mystery wood, Terry? Or are you just going to tease us and keep it to yourself?

Pete Galati · June 11th, 2007, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdowns

Really? It is wood.

It completely fooled me! Is it a relatively hard wood?

Pete Galati · June 11th, 2007, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 0le FUZZY

...I haff noe idea but I dew noe that this here test board made outta cabinet door and a metal frame with the strings goin over a bolt and high enuff offin the board tew slip any P/U unner sounds jes like yer clip.

...The TDPDTTC rite behind it sounds a lot li kat also and its made outta hollowed out oak pieces.

...A Twin and a liddo reverb kin go a long weigh toward makin it last fer a spell. I never stood unner this sustain stuff. I'm alwayz ready fer the next note and kant weight fer the string tew stop ringin.

0.F.

Couldn't you just mute the strings to stop them from ringing?

I played my Hamer yesterday, and it's still ringing.

jwells393 · June 11th, 2007, 06:48 PM

Quote:

I never stood unner this sustain stuff. I'm alwayz ready fer the next note and kant weight fer the string tew stop ringin.

....................

June 11th, 2007, 12:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
tdowns Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wylie, TX US Posts: 3,096	New Body Material Build w Sound Clip I just finished a build using a new body material. Listen to the clip, I think the sustain is remarkable. I'm thinking I need to contact the suppler of the material before I talk about what I'm using. It could be controversial. Sound Clip __________________ Best regards, Terry Downs http://terrydownsmusic.com Equine quadrupeds may be coaxed to the reference of specific gravity but may not be compelled to imbibe thereof.

June 11th, 2007, 12:43 AM	#2 (permalink)
Buckocaster51 Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Iowa USA Age: 57 Posts: 8,360 1 Photos	Just a little sustain, eh? My guess it is some sort of synthetic counter top material. But I have been wrong before. __________________ "If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all." - Thumper the Rabbit "An awfully lot of time can be wasted waiting for the right time." - Gunsmoke's Doc Adams

June 11th, 2007, 10:44 AM	#9 (permalink)
toadman Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: andoverandoverandover,ct Age: 46 Posts: 1,496	out with it, man!! the world must know! __________________ toadman the plank spanker www.slugnickel.com www.zydecohogs.com "The ultimate result of protecting man from folly is to fill the world with fools" Herbert Spencer

June 11th, 2007, 11:48 AM	#13 (permalink)
jwells393 Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Albuquerque, USA Age: 65 Posts: 14,261 101 Photos	C'mon Terry ............... spill it. __________________ Jack's Disclaimer: When I say something.... always ask yourself ..... "What the hell does he know?" I'm just not cool enough to be a Mac person.

June 11th, 2007, 12:02 PM	#14 (permalink)
gtech Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Quebec, Canada Age: 60 Posts: 2,126 174 Photos	Hummm... how about MFC That is wood, is light, and would give that sound from what I think. Gilles __________________ Back to practice now...to make my Teles sound good.

June 11th, 2007, 12:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
Geoff738 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2007 Location: Toronto Age: 45 Posts: 1,082	Is it heavy? I'm not betting against the countertop material suggestion! Cheers, Geoff738

June 11th, 2007, 03:53 AM	#5 (permalink)
Pete Galati R.I.P. Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,104 2 Photos	The problem is that I don't hear any wood tone. I'd like to hear a clip of the neck PU. I think you'd be trading tone for sustain though. I have a synthetic material guitar called a Switch (brand) Wild IV, and it has great sustain, but after a week of owning it, it's tone really got on my nerves. Pete

June 11th, 2007, 10:38 AM	#7 (permalink)
maestrovert Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Somewhere over the rainbow Posts: 8,024	it sounds good to me Doc ! enlighten us, please.....

June 11th, 2007, 11:09 AM	#10 (permalink)
Tedecaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greensboro, Vermont Posts: 1,018 26 Photos	I don't know Terry. You've got a lightweight, manufactured product thats made from wood but sounds as though it's intended for something else (hence the controversy) I know they make lightweight honeycomb panels for road cases but I didn't think they were wood. Did you use something they make caskets out of?

June 11th, 2007, 12:16 PM	#15 (permalink)
tdowns Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wylie, TX US Posts: 3,096	Actually it as a fairly heavy wood, but some of the wood has been removed in some areas. I'll post pictures tonight when I get home. __________________ Best regards, Terry Downs http://terrydownsmusic.com Equine quadrupeds may be coaxed to the reference of specific gravity but may not be compelled to imbibe thereof.

June 11th, 2007, 12:45 PM	#18 (permalink)
robin4963 TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Essex UK Posts: 14	If its wood...my guess is teak....I picked up an R&D custom guitar from a local builder....sustaind like mahogany but with maple sweetness: http://www.legraguitars.co.uk/ab602.htm

June 11th, 2007, 01:07 PM	#19 (permalink)
crawdad Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,585	I think the guitar sounds great--VERY Telecaster. If it just had a bit more sustain! Kidding, ya know...can't wait to hear what you used. __________________ You can't have everything. Where would you put it?

June 11th, 2007, 01:54 PM	#21 (permalink)
JohnnyCrash Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Fullerton, CA Posts: 8,708	The suspense is killing me. On a similar note - does anybody else suspect Gibson discontinuing their ES-135's because of problems with the balsa center block (they call it chromyte)? Maybe I'm just paranoid. Controversial huh? Well the "Baby Seals" comment was conspicuously ignored, so maybe you're onto something 1293... __________________ -- I constantly have to remind myself I'm a grownup and it's just the internet.

June 11th, 2007, 02:00 PM	#22 (permalink)
bajabuster TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Claremont Ontario, Canada Posts: 77	I got it, the body is made up entirely from MXR compressor pedals glued together..

June 11th, 2007, 02:16 PM	#23 (permalink)
jhundt Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Netherlands Age: 55 Posts: 3,962 13 Photos	well, everyone on the TDPRI already knows that "TONE IS IN THE FINGERS" so it wouldn't matter what you built it from. You will ALWAYS sound magnificent, even if it's made out of marshmallows. Oh yeah - pickups don't matter, neither do strings, cords or amps... it's all about YOU, Terry! And you are --- what?? You are THE MAN! So this is the MAN-tone guitar...

June 11th, 2007, 02:26 PM	#24 (permalink)
pottedmeat42 Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Prosper, Texas Posts: 462	(of course this is IMHO based on a short clip) strengths: plenty of snap...upper-mid is very clear...tight, focused bass weakness: not much bloom...not particularly warm tone...no growl Overall, I would say the tone definately falls within the traditional tele pallet. I don't hear any particular distinctives that make it "out of bounds" (too bright, too bassy, too clinical, etc.) Overall, I would say it is a rather generic tone (which isn't necessiarly a bad thing!). I would consider purchasing a body constructed from this material and suspect that if you had listed the thread as "evaluate this pickup", no one would have mentioned the body wood (pro or con). My guess as to the substance: Soylent Green -jason

June 11th, 2007, 03:17 PM	#25 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 59 Posts: 16,968	I gor real long sustaining notes from my 50's Classic when I took out the neck pup and put a 1953 Fender Champion lap steel pickup in it. It would sustain around 65-70 secs on the big E string a little less on the plain strings. It was so alive and harmonicly rich and sustained forever I had to slightly change my playing style cause the bad notes rang out so long I had to mute alot more. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

June 11th, 2007, 03:35 PM	#27 (permalink)
Arlo Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Traded the van for 3000 sqft of Prime! Age: 51 Posts: 2,598	Is it Orange Osage (Maclura pomifera) ?? I like the tone and she has a lovely sustain IMHO. __________________ My music? It is free for my friends.

June 11th, 2007, 03:45 PM	#28 (permalink)
David Barnett Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Far-Flung Isles of Langerhans Age: 53 Posts: 6,038	Masonite?

June 11th, 2007, 04:09 PM	#29 (permalink)
Gareth John Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: England Age: 24 Posts: 832 8 Photos	It's CLEARLY oak, I can spot oak a mile off! That's some pretty good sustain there, I quite like the tone actually.

June 11th, 2007, 05:06 PM	#32 (permalink)
0le FUZZY Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kolly-forn-knee-ya Posts: 9,999 6 Photos	...I haff noe idea but I dew noe that this here test board made outta cabinet door and a metal frame with the strings goin over a bolt and high enuff offin the board tew slip any P/U unner sounds jes like yer clip. ...The TDPDTTC rite behind it sounds a lot li kat also and its made outta hollowed out oak pieces. ...A Twin and a liddo reverb kin go a long weigh toward makin it last fer a spell. I never stood unner this sustain stuff. I'm alwayz ready fer the next note and kant weight fer the string tew stop ringin. 0.F.

June 11th, 2007, 05:09 PM	#33 (permalink)
Jellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire, USA Age: 41 Posts: 2,422	...needs to talk to the supplier... and its made of wood... and only God can make a tree.... Holy Crap! Terry has a direct line to the Man upstairs!!!!! Can you ask him to send back Leo and Johnny Cash? - we'll trade Brittney, Paris and a couple draft picks to be named later!

June 11th, 2007, 05:21 PM	#34 (permalink)
91xlntS-3 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 1,417	I think it sounds , well, like a Tele! td, I think it sounds fine! Very crsip and clear, and with any tweaking of the guitar tone or amp tone, it could sound any way you wanted it to. I'm always striving to get a crystal clean tone, and that right there just nails it! Whatever it is, I want some! (unless it is baby seals-ooooohh)

June 11th, 2007, 05:29 PM	#35 (permalink)
WildTele TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Montreal Posts: 39	Nice tone and sustain Terry. As a builder, I always go for lightweight woods, and if not, I do chambered bodies -- both for tone and sustain -- your result reminds me of a semi-hollow body, and of course, it still sounds very classic Tele to me - then again, I'm only listening to the clip on some small PC speakers made by Labtec -- not the best way to appreciate a sound clip!

June 11th, 2007, 05:30 PM	#36 (permalink)
Telenator VENDOR Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 6,561 5 Photos	It's Rhino Horn! What do I win? Nothing wrong with that tone at all. It's full, complex, and biting. I could care less about the sustain. __________________ Dogs have the right idea! www.telenator.com

IMPORTANT:Treat everyone here with respect, no matter how difficult! No sex, drug, political, religion or hate discussion permitted here.

June 11th, 2007, 06:08 PM	#37 (permalink)
Fatmanstratman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Fatmanville, Cambs., UK Posts: 3,517	*ANYWAY.....* getting back to the point of this thread!.... So just what IS this mystery wood, Terry? Or are you just going to tease us and keep it to yourself? __________________ . . . *"Behind every argument is someone's ignorance."*