Telling the difference between Alder and Basswood

[Missing Link]

Not sure if I am in the correct forum but I will toss this out anyway.
I am replacing a badly damaged Straocaster guitar body with a Xgp body from Guitarfetish that actuly after receiving it looks very nice and most likely will be used.
On the other hand when I hold and look closer to the finish I am not sure if this is a Basswood body and not an Alder body as they say it is on the web site.
I do know that Alder is a pound or two heaver on a unfinished stratocaster style guitar body than a Basswood body.
As this one has a finish but still can see the wood grain. If correct would not the Alder wood have some grain in it wood versus what basswood has basically no grain lines.
I am taking the word what the folks at Guitarfetish said that it is made from Alder but when I look at it under a good light it just does not look like Alder which I have on a few other Fender brands and non Fender brands but more like Basswood.
I mainly want to know just for instance if I was to sell the strat I can certainly say its Alder or basswood - right now not sure.
Its hard to tell in a picture but maybe there is another test to confirm?
It weight as it is - right on 4 lbs.


Cheers

 

[Tele-friend]

I am not an expert at all, but I would expect that alder would have more lines in the wood. So it could be indeed basswood...

 

[trev333]

here's a one piece Alder strat body I have here....

 

[Nicko_Lps]

I am not sure if this is a Basswood body and not an Alder body

Cant tell from your pictures but just in case it might prove helpful there is a project im working on right now:

American Alder 1-piece body bought in 2010

Same wood but lightly sanded and wet with water to pull the grain up

 

[Missing Link]

Wow, no real grain on the body I have. We will take it out in the sun today and get some better pictures, that may help.
I have never seen Alder without some type grain lines as you guys are showing, but maybe its possible??
This is the information on the web site on the XGP products.


Cheers

All New Premium XGP Necks and Bodies
XGP represents the very best quality parts that we can source, at the very lowest prices.
XGP Necks and Bodies are reproductions of USA made guitars from the 1950's and 1960's. Made from premium alder or ash, these are designed to fit parts taken off USA made guitars, and USA spec replacement parts. We sell a full and complete lineup of USA spec parts that perfectly fit all XGP necks and bodies.
We suggest you compare these to MUCH more expensive bodies and necks made in Japan and the USA.
Every part here is the result of a lot of hard work. We hand inspect the wood, and use only the highest quality Hardwoods.
XGP gives you a chance to purchase very high quality parts below USA Wholesale prices. We sell warehouse direct - no middlemen, no sales reps, no trade shows.​

 

[fender4life]

Look to me like it could easily be alder, just one with less grain that average. There are some that have very little and some basswood that has more than typical. And the grain is similar looking. As to the 1-2 pounds lighter, thats wrong. Don't care what GFS says, i had many of both and weight for both averaged about the same, maybe a tad less on average for BW but erainly not 1-2 Lbs. Thats sounds more like palownia which IS way lighter. In any case, that pic could be either. Tonally basswood has a looser low and and sounds more compressed. Not better or worse, just different. Not huge tho.

 

[guitarbuilder]

Alder is kind of salmon colored and used to be used as a cherry substitute. Basswood is white-ish. Both have grain lines, but basswood grain only really becomes apparent under an oil finish. I used to use 1000BF of Basswood a year at my old job. Also, Basswood can have some curl to it in some boards. Basswood has good dimensional stability. It was used a lot in inexpensive guitar bodies but seems to have been replaced with Paulonia.

 

[Missing Link]

I appreciate the input, this is a few pictures in the sun light. Hope this helps some.

 

[guitarbuilder]

Here is basswood. One part is wet, you can see the grain is more pronounced.

 

[schmee]

Really does not look like most Alder to me, but I have seen pieces of Alder without much swirly wavy grain before, I've seen a lot of it as we burn alder as firewood up here, make other things from it etc. If your body is asian made, wouldn't they be sourcing the wood from near there? North American Alder is probably the name to look for when buying an Alder body. It is Red Alder or White Alder.
Here is a guitar from N.A. Alder I made several years ago. It was very WHITE wood before finishing with poly:


Your second batch of pics don't look like NA Alder at all to me. It's probably "Nepalese Alder", about 1/4 as hard/less dense as Red or White NA Alder and native in SE Asia, India etc. ?

Nepalese Alder:

 

[fender4life]

I appreciate the input, this is a few pictures in the sun light. Hope this helps some.

Oh yeah, much better pics. No doubt, alder.

 

[Missing Link]

Okay then I glad the pictures were a help. Not sure if I did mention but regardless if Basswood or Alder I will still keep it and put it to use. Being so lightweight and having a finish over he top I was not sure what it is. I just fitted my new strat neck to the neck pocket that was a half a mil off by scraping with a razor blade and what I took off was like tac powder very powdery and easy to scrap even with a dull razor blade.
Well guys this has been interesting knowing that alder may have a resemblance to basswood.
Want to thank you all for the information.

Cheers

 

[Missing Link]

Be it alder or basswood it defiantly sounds and feels nice.


Cheers

 

[old wrench]

I think it looks good !!!

Ya don't see many double-bound Strats -


.

 

[Killing Floor]

Put it on top of your amp. If it starts turning knobs it’s bass wood.

 

[Blackmore Fan]

I mainly want to know just for instance if I was to sell the strat I can certainly say its Alder or basswood - right now not sure.

Cheers

If I were considering buying it, alder or basswood wouldn't even hit my radar. Guitars either sound great, or they don't. I care about some details, but the body wood doesn't interest me in a positive or negative manner.

 

[telemnemonics]

Some like basswood so not much reason for GFS to lie or be mistaken.
Wait, that is their business model.

Alder is really not "heavier than basswood".
Either can commonly make a 4lb Strat body.

 

[Milspec]

There are different species of both alder and basswood so it can be confusing to distinguish the two. Weight doesn't give it away either or hardness as some species can be very different.

I have a Godin Session Custom that uses Canadian Basswood and it actually weighs a ton while being very hard unlike most basswoods that you can jam a fingernail into with ease. Both woods sound very similar and make excellent builds.

 

[Monoprice99]

Being Guitarfetish, the XGP bodies are Ash or Alder, the Lido bodies are Ash or Poplar.

 

[Ringo]

I've had basswood, alder, ash, poplar, and mahogany body Strats, oh and plywood too. They all sounded like Strats to me. I don't buy into the rosewood vs maple tonal difference either, they "feel"different but I never noticed a tonal difference. As a previous post mentioned, play it, if you like it that's all that matters, really. Interesting to me anyway, Fender built a Strat with a cardboard body and supposedly everyone who has played it, Billy Gibbons for one, says it sounds great.
How's that for "tone" not wood.