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Post by lickosaurus on Sept 28, 2018 22:19:36 GMT
Me personally would steer away from cheap swamp ash guitars, since they tend to be heavy.
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Post by LeoThunder on Sept 29, 2018 5:20:25 GMT
I bought a basswood Jazz Bass in hope it would make it lighter. And it did, the thing weighs a mere 4.5 Kg, but I got serious neck dive as a bonus. I'm just getting used to it. I found that it can be used when held at an angle, so I might keep it if I get comfortable.
But how I love my 3 Kg mahogany Strat'…
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Post by charlierose on Sept 30, 2018 10:50:44 GMT
I know that with swamp Ash, many people say that the lighter (weight wise) the wood, the better the tone is. I'm not sure how accurate or even testable something like this is, even if there are two distinct tones produced by heavy and light swamp Ash, I'm sure the preference will be subjective. As far as being comfortable with the weight, my Kay strat is like a cinder block (never weighed it as I don't have scales but it's the heaviest guitar I've ever played) so my back is pretty used to heavy guitars. I will be getting the HB swamp Ash hopefully soon, I've currently been derailed by a les paul sl project and have some crazy plans for my squire.
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Post by DerAlex on Sept 30, 2018 16:30:49 GMT
With around 10 guitars I had in my hand personally I am by no means an expert - but one thing I noticed:
The common arguments regarding "heavier weight equals better tone" or "basswood is crap" is just a big pile of BS.
In 98% of cases it is down to the individual craftmanship of a guitar if it sounds good or not.
If you like that is another question which only you - the player - can answer.
YMMV
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Post by LeoThunder on Sept 30, 2018 16:51:30 GMT
The common arguments regarding "heavier weight equals better tone" or "basswood is crap" is just a big pile of BS. Heavier feels like more solid. It can be an argument for a piece of furniture that has to withstand some weight, like a bookshelf, a bed, a chair. Thicker will also withstand the elements longer. Heavier becomes an unconscious mark of quality on this basis and translates to guitar without a second thought, then becomes fantasised as "better tone" when people look for an easy justification on how weight could make a guitar better. They do not know it is the case, they just want it to be so and imagine how it could work. Basswood is cheaper. The confusion of cost and value is another brainless reflex and another reasoning done the wrong way around. People want the expensive stuff to be better, as a justification for buying it, as a wish not to be ripped off. They also want their effort to be valued rather than their actual competence. The latter is distressing, the former reassuring. So they are willing to believe that anything cheaper is of lesser quality. This is how basswood gets a bad reputation in guitars. Most of people's beliefs are based in fears and wishful thinking.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 17:40:25 GMT
My ST 90 SA (Swamp ash) didn't have as good sustain above the 12th fret as let's say my ST62MN, ST-20 or TE-70BP (all basswood). Basswood is king but then again I played a Swamp Ash Pacifica with heavier body this weekend and sustain was just superb so (I'm talking both unplugged and plugged).
EDIT; or maybe the Pacifica was Alder ? still loved the sustain on that one
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Post by LeoThunder on Oct 1, 2018 17:45:37 GMT
My ST 90 SA (Swamp ash) didn't have as good sustain above the 12th fret as let's say my ST62MN, ST-20 or TE-70BP (all basswood). Basswood is king but then again I played a Swamp Ash Pacifica with heavier body this weekend and sustain was just superb so (I'm talking both unplugged and plugged). The ST-90 has a different bridge from the ST-62 and ST-20. I guess this is very likely to make the difference, more than the wood.
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Post by lickosaurus on Oct 2, 2018 14:28:11 GMT
The only consistency in this tone wood mumbo jumbo is that there does not seem to be a real consensus.
I just like a light guitar for the reason how it handles.
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Post by LeoThunder on Oct 2, 2018 15:37:47 GMT
I just like a light guitar for the reason how it handles. That's because you never had to hit people with one…
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Post by lickosaurus on Oct 2, 2018 15:52:42 GMT
I did not specify for which kind of handling I prefer a light guitar for
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2018 20:42:00 GMT
I did not specify for which kind of handling I prefer a light guitar for I like using light weight guitars in self defence
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