MDF - The new wood of choice

matocaster · Post by **matocaster** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:01 pm

jcyphe wrote:Fender(even vintage) used whatever wood was available to them. That's why all this stuff is so funny to me.

Just curious, but where did you hear that? Vintage Fender used, Ash, Alder, pine, and mahogany. Leo kept a constant order coming from Washington state, Cali, and Oregon. He was good at keeping inventory so they would not run out. He and George Fullerton chose those woods because of tone and price point and kept the factory fully stocked. George and Leo built several prototypes with different woods to find the sound he wanted. They were very careful in what wood they used. That's why your post is so funny to me.

cur · Post by **cur** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:09 pm

Not all pine is the same. Long-leaf yellow pine is very hard wood. You practically need to pre drill it to drive a nail in it. The stuff is hard to come by now due to modern forestry practices and lack of forrest fires.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:07 pm

stewart wrote:
TDPRI wrote:IF IT AIN'T 30 YEARS OLD IT STILL THINKS IT'S A TREE.

Jesus wept. What a load of shit. Everything is kiln dried and purpose grown these days anyway, fucking timber is dead before it even knows it.
You know, no matter where you go there is snobbery. You would imagine it is more likely to be on Fender and Gibson forums but this is'nt the case. Ibanez and BC forums are just the same. Plywood, agathis, basswood is shite and if you dont own a pre-82 neck through model you are a clown lol.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:15 pm

a tdpri user may not actually have written that, i made it up. but that's the sort of attitude you often see on these sites. similar to "i have one of those fender student models in my office for strumming on when i get stressed. wish it was a tele though lol" (which i have definitely seen on tdpri recently). buy a fucking tele then, you cock.

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:42 pm

matocaster wrote:George and Leo built several prototypes with different woods to find the sound he wanted. They were very careful in what wood they used. That's why your post is so funny to me.

In every Fender book i've ever read the main reasons for the wood used was logistical and finishing, tone was considered to be suitable with a variety of woods including Poplar which you left out.

Your just peddling mojo, pick up a book about the original Fender company and you will see how incredibly utilitarian the whole operation was.

Will · Post by **Will** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:16 am

OH NOES I CANT HAS DEEZ TONEZ CUS MY AXE ES FROM TEH WRONG TREEEZ

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:18 am

stewart wrote:"i have one of those fender student models in my office for strumming on when i get stressed. wish it was a tele though lol"

argh

die.
just die.

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:30 am

DuoSonicBoy wrote:

True Story SRV had shortscale Fenders that he loved. He used to use them to warm-up on his tour bus. That means two of the greatest Strat players of all-time Jimi and SRv were down with the student models in a big way.

Will · Post by **Will** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:55 am

jcyphe wrote:True Story SRV had shortscale Fenders that he loved. He used to use them to warm-up on his tour bus. That means two of the greatest Strat players of all-time Jimi and SRv were down with the student models in a big way.

A lot of "Axis: Bold as Love" was recorded with a mustang - great clean tones on that record. Also think about all the clean tones on "Exile in Guyville", which are also fantastic and recorded with a Duo-Sonic.

SRV and his brother also played Danelectros.

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 12:57 am

DuoSonicBoy wrote: lot of "Axis: Bold as Love" was recorded with a mustang - great clean tones on that record.

I always thought that Axis was the most beautiful sounding record Jimi did.

matocaster · Post by **matocaster** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 1:07 am

jcyphe wrote:
matocaster wrote:George and Leo built several prototypes with different woods to find the sound he wanted. They were very careful in what wood they used. That's why your post is so funny to me.
In every Fender book i've ever read the main reasons for the wood used was logistical and finishing, tone was considered to be suitable with a variety of woods including Poplar which you left out.

Your just peddling mojo, pick up a book about the original Fender company and you will see how incredibly utilitarian the whole operation was.

You are correct I did leave poplar out, my mistake. I have read what you are talking about they used alder and poplar because it was a tighter grain wood and they did not have to fill the grain before paint. On the flip side of that mahogany and ash were very open grain but they kept using it for tone. Alder being an outstanding tone wood was more of a bonus.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:12 am

DuoSonicBoy wrote:True Story SRV had shortscale Fenders that he loved. He used to use them to warm-up on his tour bus. That means two of the greatest Strat players of all-time Jimi and SRv were down with the student models in a big way.

and FRUSCIANTE NG

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:15 am

I don't consider him one of the greatest Strat players because I don't associate any of his sound with that particular guitar. I know he uses them a lot but to call him one of the greatest strat players is a stretch IMO. There are a whole lot of people before him to identify with that guitar.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:17 am

wtf. ha ha ha, alright.

Will · Post by **Will** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 3:34 am

If strats were originally MDF, we'd all be arguing about what type of MDF sounded the best. All of our conceptions of good and bad are ultimately based on tradition and excepted norms. There's no empirical reason an MDF guitar should sound bad, the same way there's no reason an alder guitar should sound good (and I'm sure there are plenty that don't). It's all in design and utilization.

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:02 am

DuoSonicBoy wrote:If strats were originally MDF, we'd all be arguing about what type of MDF sounded the best.

completely true.

aen · Post by **aen** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:43 am

DuoSonicBoy wrote:
OH NOES I CANT HAS DEEZ TONEZ CUS MY AXE ES FROM TEH WRONG TREEEZ :

Well, many people don't know, but his tone actually comes from his stumpy-ass baby teeth. SO, get ye to the Mt. DEW and SAND!

Narco Martenot · Post by **Narco Martenot** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 7:53 am

The Taylor guitar is awesome for so many reasons.

Different woods obviously produce different tones, as do different metals. When it comes to electric guitars, you can pretty much get any sound you want by adjusting knobs; so it seems like a non-issue to me. For instance, If you want a metal tone, use pickups and amplifiers designed for metal. When it comes down to it, the wood that the body is made out of is not going to matter; and if you think so, you're a fool. The only time there is a real difference in materials is when a body or neck is made of, or contains a lot of metal rather than wood. And If you really want to dig deep, one piece of maple is probably not going to sound the exact same as another piece of maple.

In the end, it all comes down to the electronics (amplifier, pickups, etc), the type of pick being used (this seems to be often overlooked), the way the person plays, and a guitar that is properly set up to accommodate that player.

To me, no wood is "good" or "bad". Anything can be worked with.

Post by **Doog** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 11:09 am

aen wrote:
DuoSonicBoy wrote:
OH NOES I CANT HAS DEEZ TONEZ CUS MY AXE ES FROM TEH WRONG TREEEZ :
Well, many people don't know, but his tone actually comes from his stumpy-ass baby teeth.

Hahahahhaha..

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 2:38 pm

well, all wood has a "tap tone"
no matter the thickness or size. its just that im not sure that a solid body, bolt on can really give a good characteristic(plugged in) of the wood used for the body.
obviously there are alot of variations on trees and the wood used. that will ultimately affect the "tone" when not plugged in.
i.e. age, where it was grown, thickness, shape, and the routes.
the debate will never end. and until i can truly a/b something im standing firm.
and i remember a fellow named ray in st. lious who was an electrical engineer who once said that caps were never perfect.
they are all close to the same, but never perfect so i think alot of the plugged in "tone" comes from that, and of course the players style.