Lunch Report - Monday, March 21st

Hey Everybody,

A bit of a lurker and very curious/interested about G&L, KennyE coherc . . . convinced me to give this a shot. As a recent S-style convert (generally a Heritage H-150/LP-style and Prospect guy), former Tele owner and probably a future ASAT guy, I'm actually really liking the differences much more than I expected. As such, I am coming out pretty enthused about this. It gives me an excuse to ask some fun questions.

Lunch: I watched some of the NCAA Wrestling National Championships yesterday. I'm recovering from a Judo injury (less sexy than it sounds) but it got me motivated to lean down, so I'm having a blueberry yogurt and either a bowl of tomato soup OR a can of spinach. I'm probably also going to have a shot or two of espresso of an Ethiopian variety (I live like 3 minutes from work so can dart home and use my espresso machine I got my wife two Xmases ago), so that will have some interesting flavor with berry-notes, subtle chocolate undertones, and enough caffeine to get through the rest of the day.

G&L Topic: Favorite Tone Woods: Why and for What Purpose
I had a Tele back in the day, but (probably due to the pickups and my obliviousness to a little thing called the tone knob) the thing was sharply bright, almost shrill. As such I thought I only liked Mahogany, preferably in the form of a Maple-capped LP-style. Fast forward to today, Tele is long gone but I have recently gotten a Logan S-style basic Strat setup. Maple neck, Ash body, and I LOVE it. I'm still adjusting to the single-coil pickups, but I really like how the strings sound acoustic, and plugged in it sounds really sweet. Point is it's sort of forcing me to reevaluate my assessment of tonewoods.

So, since I hate the "what's best" type of situations, which of the G&L tone woods (so I believe Maple necks with Ash, Alder, Mahogany, or Mahogany w/ Maple cap) do you prefer, either you just like it better or it fits a certain purpose/niche/style better in your opinion?*

Non-G&L: If you could steal one song and make it your own, what one would it be?

I just saw Hot Tub Time Machine last night. It's a ridiculous premise with some stupid-fun comedy, yet ended up being much, MUCH better than it had any right to be. It's about (you probably guessed it) a hot tub that turns into a time machine. One thing that happened was they stole ideas from the past. That got me wondering, if I could steal a song and take it back in the past and make it mine, which one would I choose? I'm not entirely sure, but it would probably be (depending on how far I went back in time) "Gimme Shelter" by the Rolling Stones or "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by George Harrison & crew, or if I just wanted a nice/fun song to get rich & famous probably something like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" or "Welcome to the Jungle" and spark a musical movement.

-Cheers

* I'd add a poll but I'm not sure that I have all of the options.

Welcome to the board!

I gotta make something for lunch, wife and daughter are leaving for a week vacation this pm so need to fix something.

Tone Woods -
I know wood really matters on a guitar. The only thing is I don't know how or why. For humbuckers, I have achieved great results with mahogany and this is my preference. But the only HH I have every played extensively that was not mahogany was an ash f-100. Of course that is a humbucker guitar only buy the strictest definition, and I had already owned a mahogany one that I loved--so not much real experience.

Single coils I really have no huge preference. I have had both ash and alder that sounded amazing. The only direct comparison experience I have ever had was owning two alder ASAT classics at the same time. To me one of them sounded way better than the other when I played it. But to another guitarist I was hanging out with, there wasn't much difference. So my feeling is that you just have to try a guitar. And maybe the wood/components work for you, and maybe not.

I know one I what I want to play with extensively--but have never tried. Maple with single coil...

Steal our Selves a Song -
Hot Tub time machine was pretty funny... So what song would i steal??? Maybe I should exact some blues revenge and steal good times, bad times from Zep! I love that song! Forever Young? He's got enough songs, won't miss it...I can't decide. Honkey Tonk Hero's or Sunday Morning Coming Down? I still can't decide. Will go work on the Hot Tub and let you know later.

-jeremy

I recently acquired an ASAT special. I went with ASH. Why ash? Because it looks sweet with trans finishes, I went with orange. I buy all my guitars like this. Colour scheme, and appearance. I have a mahogany maple capped C66 (I recognize your name, you used to frequent the Carvin forum or museum no?) . My LB75 is maple and walnut... My incoming is wenge,walnut,maple, cherry and ebony.

I don't think wood matters much for what you hear, Especially the body wood as so little of the strings and their vibrating length actually pass over it relative to the neck. Any difference in woods is just a slight EQ change on your amp, people tend to exaggerate it mentally though, and then their brain tricks them. Pickups and amp are going to rule the game. Wood may provide a slight flavour, but your picking style and approach, pick rigidity (if used) are going to make more difference. Ever notice how finger style is inherently warmer?



I wouldn't want to steal an idea, they have all allowed me to grow, and I carve a very distinct path of my own as it is. I am working on a piece currently that I would classify as easily my best work. The bass line, it is a labour of love in and of itself. Could have been boring and simple, but I am a bassist and it really contributed to the adventure. Easily the best bass work I have ever done (and that is saying something as I have done some pretty flashy playing in the past, this is not flash parsay. )

I recently acquired an ASAT special. I went with ASH. Why ash? Because it looks sweet with trans finishes, I went with orange. I buy all my guitars like this. Colour scheme, and appearance. I have a mahogany maple capped C66 (I recognize your name, you used to frequent the Carvin forum or museum no?) . My LB75 is maple and walnut... My incoming is wenge,walnut,maple, cherry and ebony.

Yep, that's me over at the Carvin Forum. Getting back to the topic . . .

I don't think wood matters much for what you hear, Especially the body wood as so little of the strings and their vibrating length actually pass over it relative to the neck. Any difference in woods is just a slight EQ change on your amp, people tend to exaggerate it mentally though, and then their brain tricks them. Pickups and amp are going to rule the game. Wood may provide a slight flavour, but your picking style and approach, pick rigidity (if used) are going to make more difference. Ever notice how finger style is inherently warmer?

You could be totally, totally right. The difference in tone woods, particularly to me, could largely have been inflated. I think there is a difference, but more and more I am noting that dramatic differences aside I cannot listen to a record and automatically go "this was an Alder Strat" or "this song was obviously recorded with a Mahogany necked semi-hollow guitar with a Maple top, Maple back, and Mahogany center block. But wait, is that an Ebony board? Ahhhh, the crispness!" So no, I never get that exact. I am also finding a spot for different sounds anyway.

I did notice, my Maple-necked, Ash-bodied Strat-style sounds really, really nice. Just a pretty voice to the guitar. And yes, there could be a dozen things about it that lend to my love of the sound, some real, maybe some imagined for all I know.

I wouldn't want to steal an idea, they have all allowed me to grow, and I carve a very distinct path of my own as it is. I am working on a piece currently that I would classify as easily my best work. The bass line, it is a labour of love in and of itself. Could have been boring and simple, but I am a bassist and it really contributed to the adventure. Easily the best bass work I have ever done (and that is saying something as I have done some pretty flashy playing in the past, this is not flash parsay. )

Yeah. But it makes you rich & famous in this imaginary scenario. I would feel bad stealing an idea, but at least with the Beatles or Stones, I doubt they would miss it much. And hey, you'd have a Hot Tub Time Machine and, like, boatloads of cash! Congrats on the piece that you are working on. Coming up with something that is easily the best work you've done and creating your own stuff is pretty cool! Honestly, when I was in a band (and hopefully if/when I am again) I really only enjoyed originals. I disliked covers unless we really did something interesting with them.

-Cheers

Welcome to the board!

Thanks!

So my feeling is that you just have to try a guitar. And maybe the wood/components work for you, and maybe not.

Yeah, I am starting to worry less and less about that and just using strings, pickups, them knob doodads, and pick attack (not to mention amp settings) to sort of dictate what the guitar will sound like. I think the woods play some role, but as long as it sounds reasonably pleasant to my ears and in the general ballpark, if I'm being honest I tend to just get absorbed in the notes & vibe of whatever I am playing more than I dissect the tone.

Part of why I asked was the application; I have heard some prefer Ash (T- and S-style) more for clean apps and Alder more for overdriven/dirty apps. But again, I wonder how true or universal that might be (or not). Again, I've never had an epiphany where I actually recognized a guitar's tone woods. I'm not that good to tell the difference, but I do know the general sounds I like.

-Cheers

Hi David! Way to jump right in. Good questions.

Lunch: Don't usually do lunch at work. So, probably wait until dinner time to eat.

Woods: On my G&L's I prefer Alder. I think it imparts just that little extra bit of warmth that I prefer. Ash tends to "bloom" too quickly for me. Or rather, no bloom and all attack. So, if it's a Legacy-ish or ASAT-type, it's Alder. My semi H's, tho', have tended to be Maple, of all things.

Song to Steal: Johnny B. Goode! Thats the grandpappy of all rock toons, isn't it?

Hi David! Way to jump right in. Good questions.

Hey Kenny, thanks for the invite!

Lunch: Don't usually do lunch at work. So, probably wait until dinner time to eat.

Woods: On my G&L's I prefer Alder. I think it imparts just that little extra bit of warmth that I prefer. Ash tends to "bloom" too quickly for me. Or rather, no bloom and all attack. So, if it's a Legacy-ish or ASAT-type, it's Alder. My semi H's, tho', have tended to be Maple, of all things.

Yeah, it's funny, I was totally a Mahogany junkie. Usually w/ a Maple cap, but not always. I do find the Maple in my Heritage Prospect to be very pretty in a singing way. The Ash Strat-o-copy I've got has a nice singing upper-end. I suppose I should get an ASAT in Alder, eh? That and a Maple-bodied something just to compare. Anyway, I've found Mahogany to not be this inherently muddy sounding wood like the Internet sometimes leads one to believe, plus I've found I can step outside my Mahogany mold. I have also read some interesting things from John Suhr. He's really high on Basswood, a wood which I had previously heard almost nothing good about, and Basswood w/ a Maple cap. So I've been having some of my preconceived tonewood notions challenged quite a bit lately.

-Cheers

I would go with basswood by choice before getting another ash/swamp ash guitar. Not sure it's an option for G&L, but would be my preference after Alder. Pretty sure Fender used to offer basswood as a Strat option.

As for 'hog wood. I think that it's gotten that big 'ol stereo-typing that happens with long term association. I've been gigging a solid 'hog Larrivee that just totally rocks. And it can get spanky, too. May have to offer that sometimes it's technique more so than component.

Yeah. But it makes you rich & famous in this imaginary scenario. I would feel bad stealing an idea, but at least with the Beatles or Stones, I doubt they would miss it much. And hey, you'd have a Hot Tub Time Machine and, like, boatloads of cash! Congrats on the piece that you are working on. Coming up with something that is easily the best work you've done and creating your own stuff is pretty cool! Honestly, when I was in a band (and hopefully if/when I am again) I really only enjoyed originals. I disliked covers unless we really did something interesting with them.

-Cheers

See I am that arse who does art rock type crap and doesn't care what anyone thinks. Being famous, hell with that, wouldn't want it to begin with. I have never pursued a career in music, and have no intention to . I agree covers are extremely boring to play, I don't do the cover band thing.

Hi there Halo, and welcome.

Woods: I think there is a difference. I like ash, it seems to give the guitar a nice full sound without accenting the mids or whatnot. I have a limba (korina) guitar with a maple top and it sounds notiecably different to my swamp ash ones - I've swapped out the pickups for ones I had in an ash guitar and it sounded very different. With different pickups in it the guitar still retained a lot of its original character, and that was proof enough for me that woods to matter. I recorded a couple of clips with different pickups and posted them in this thread, you'd have to go through it to find the sound clips.

Mahogany seems to have a very strong flavour, it has more mids to my ear. Could I pick it from a recording? Probably not, but I think I'd have a chance if it was in my hands.


Hot Tub Time Machine: I haven't seen that film. I'm sure its good for a chuckle or two. Which song to steal..... well, if I could have this guys voice as well as this song I'd go for it : 'Honky Tonk Masquerade' by Joe Ely. I've only recently come across this guy, a friend gave me a few of his recordings. I'm stunned at how good he is. And what a voice! The steel guitar sound is brilliant, I hadn't heard one being played with chorus before and I would have never thought it could be so good.


Playing Covers in a band: I play covers in two bands, and I really enjoy it. Mainly because you get to play to other people who are (hopefully) having a great time. Sometimes you have to play songs that you don't like but thats just part of it. We've had to add a few '80s classics to keep punters happy at certain gigs ('Summer of '69 being one of them.... ). We do originals, and that's fun too, but the thing is sometimes the originals aren't very good songs! I've played with more than my fair share of people who thought they were awesome but actually couldn't sing and wrote pretty damn awful songs. Unfortunately it's these substandard, self-delusional egotists that get original music put in the 'low to no pay' gigs, and it's a damn shame.

Hi Halo, you've got some excellent questions going here.

Tone Woods: For years and years I didn't pay any attention to tone woods. I just bought guitars that felt right to me. Since then I've worked out which of my guitars are made of which wood and I realise I have absolutely no preference at all.

I have 3 alder body strat style guitars and they all sound quite different unplugged. But my MIJ basswood strat is perhaps the most resonant and delicate sounding of all my strats and is my fave. My 2 T-type guitars are both ash, but one of them is rich and warm and the other (an ASAT Special) is spanky and twangy. I've decided that the natural variations within and between wood species is far too broad to make generalisations about tone. I think that density is more important than the species of wood itself. But in the end you have to judge each instrument on its merits.

Songs I'd Like To Steal: I wish I'd written 'Across The Universe' by the Beatles, or 'God Only Knows' by The Beach Boys. As far as old standards go, I'd like to steal 'All The Things You Are' by Jerome Kern, if only to demonstrate how many chords I can play

Hey blarg

Playing Covers in a band: I play covers in two bands, and I really enjoy it. Mainly because you get to play to other people who are (hopefully) having a great time. Sometimes you have to play songs that you don't like but thats just part of it. We've had to add a few '80s classics to keep punters happy at certain gigs ('Summer of '69 being one of them.... ). We do originals, and that's fun too, but the thing is sometimes the originals aren't very good songs! I've played with more than my fair share of people who thought they were awesome but actually couldn't sing and wrote pretty damn awful songs. Unfortunately it's these substandard, self-delusional egotists that get original music put in the 'low to no pay' gigs, and it's a damn shame.

Good points. Let me put it this way, I don't mind doing covers provided:

1) They are interesting, and;

2) There is still a focus on creating something new.

I just like to try and create new music or do something fresh. I also think if I were in a cover band it would drive me nuts. I also think I'm a good self-critic, so let's hope I don't end up a substandard, self-delusional egotist. I want to be at least an average self-delusional egotist. I would like to eventually use what I learn from songs to create & play my/our own stuff. Not to mention hoping it is decent. Nothing against people who love covers, and I don't mean that to be snobbish, just what I'd prefer. But I'll probably be more inclined to be in the low-to-no pay" sorta gigs, so maybe you are onto something there.

-Cheers

Tone Woods: For years and years I didn't pay any attention to tone woods. I just bought guitars that felt right to me. Since then I've worked out which of my guitars are made of which wood and I realise I have absolutely no preference at all.

Well, there ARE perks to that.

I have 3 alder body strat style guitars and they all sound quite different unplugged. But my MIJ basswood strat is perhaps the most resonant and delicate sounding of all my strats and is my fave. My 2 T-type guitars are both ash, but one of them is rich and warm and the other (an ASAT Special) is spanky and twangy. I've decided that the natural variations within and between wood species is far too broad to make generalisations about tone. I think that density is more important than the species of wood itself. But in the end you have to judge each instrument on its merits.

I think there is wisdom to all of that. The one thing that kind of stinks is that I usually buy from people too far away (generally online) to allow me to easily hear, much less play, their guitar before buying. I have been lucky though so far (keeping my fingers crossed) and really never had a bad one yet. Maybe I'm easy to please, lucky, or ask questions that weed out the ones that I would not like.

I also think I'm getting more and more interested in Basswood, at least trying to check one out sometime. Thanks for the write-ups between your different guitars. Fascinating stuff!

-Cheers

I have read articles about tonal qualities of wood, etc and figure there must really be a reason why the companies use what they use. In G&Ls case, alder and swamp ash or mahogany with maple cap. So I am happy with the sound of my G&Ls. I have played a few more basic guitars made of different woods and they sounded like crap, probably because they were made like crap, so I dont know if the wood had anything to do with it.

Johnny B. Goode came to mind when I read your note, but it was already stolen by Chuck Berry. Didn't you see Back to the Future? LOL.

I also think I'm getting more and more interested in Basswood, at least trying to check one out sometime.

It doesn't cost much to get into a nice basswood guitar

Nearly all the MIJ Fender strats from the 80's and early 90's were basswood. They're built to a high, consistent quality but the electronics can be iffy after 20-30 years. They switched over to alder sometime in the mid-late 90's I believe. The solid finish G&L Tributes are also made from basswood and are excellent instruments. The only thing I don't enjoy about basswood is how soft it is. Look at a basswood guitar the wrong way and it will bruise........

Good points. Let me put it this way, I don't mind doing covers provided:

1) They are interesting, and;

2) There is still a focus on creating something new.

I just like to try and create new music or do something fresh. I also think if I were in a cover band it would drive me nuts. I also think I'm a good self-critic, so let's hope I don't end up a substandard, self-delusional egotist. I want to be at least an average self-delusional egotist. I would like to eventually use what I learn from songs to create & play my/our own stuff. Not to mention hoping it is decent. Nothing against people who love covers, and I don't mean that to be snobbish, just what I'd prefer. But I'll probably be more inclined to be in the low-to-no pay" sorta gigs, so maybe you are onto something there.

Hope I haven't offended you, none was meant. I was trying to make a point that musicians who are out there playing their own material shouldn't have to play for significantly less than that cover band who play all the usual songs. While I'm not a songwriter, it was always my intention to play with original artists. However, after several gigs where I'd lug my gear out late at night and be paid absolutely nothing, not even the offer of a beer, I got over it. That's not to mention all the time spent in rehearsal.

Welcome and fine start!

Tonewoods: I don't play well enough for this to matter at all. But with MFDs, I like maple-bodied instruments.

Song stealing: Ha! As an amateur songwriter who has been lazy about protecting my work, I usually think about this one the other way around.
So many great songs over the ages to pilfer. But I heard this one the other day after having forgotten about it, and I would love to have written it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlaySG0LX5s

or this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHjT3CHvg-c

(bless our Aussies one and all!) - ed

Welcome
I love an ash body and maple neck best. Wow, they just make me drool. I don't trust my ears THAT much, but it just seems to work best with that combo with a bucker in the neck & a good ole MFD in the bridge. That's why my axe of choice is a Bluesboy with ash body [either vintage white, black, or vintage sunburst], black controls, & maple neck with vintage frets. I like the versatility, warmth, ballziness, weight, &, well, it's just where it's at for me.

Steal a song..... hmmmmm....... love the Stones, Vince Gill, BB King, Clapton, Nora Jones.... but when I hear this song, I sure wish I'd written it: "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2. Not a U2 fan particularly, but this song could be performed from a living room, to a blues bar, to a church. Great song.

Great start.

Jay

(bless our Aussies one and all!) - ed

Thanks for posting up 'Don't Dream It's Over' Ed!

How many great lyrics does a song deserve to have? 'Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup', 'in the paper today tales of war and of waste but you turn right over to the TV page' etc. etc.

Don't tell anyone but there are more Americans in Crowded House than Australians these days. Still a great band though.

However, after several gigs where I'd lug my gear out late at night and be paid absolutely nothing, not even the offer of a beer, I got over it. That's not to mention all the time spent in rehearsal.

Amen to that! still hate playing covers though but like Jamie said it pays and that means more gear

Tone woods: Not really particular on this subject, I guess I'd lean more towards Ash/alder/maple. In regards to G&L's I'd go for a maple bodied asat first, then ash, then alder.

Stolen song: Hmmm... tough question there are so many songs I'd love to have written, first that came to mind though is "Babe I'm gonna leave you" - Led Zeppelin

-Dave

Hope I haven't offended you, none was meant.

Not in the least. No, you made good points in a very nice conversation. Besides, I'm pretty hard to offend and will always listen to an intelligent counterpoint. So please, don't sweat it.

I was trying to make a point that musicians who are out there playing their own material shouldn't have to play for significantly less than that cover band who play all the usual songs. While I'm not a songwriter, it was always my intention to play with original artists. However, after several gigs where I'd lug my gear out late at night and be paid absolutely nothing, not even the offer of a beer, I got over it. That's not to mention all the time spent in rehearsal.

That totally makes sense. There is nothing wrong with that, and an art as it was to doing justice to a cover. My interest mainly resides in trying to create something new. I enjoy learning songs, but once I kind of figure it out I tend to loose interest. Of course, as of now having no band there is only so much I can do. I DID enjoy covers more as a band than as a basement dweller. But my passion was always more about creating something new, either original or doing something fresh with a cover. Part of it was also a bit of a negative experience wherein the band I was in covered a fair amount of songs I was either ambivalent toward or flat-out hated. It is a bit unfair for me to totally lump covers under the one bad experience as we were all pretty much on different pages musically. I learned a lot, but what they wanted out of the band was significantly different than what I did. With the right mix of originals (or at least trying for them) and covers that interested all of us, that would be pretty different.

But yes, if you want to gig and end up practicing for negative-income (in both time AND any sort of pay in money or even "hey, you wanna beer?"), that could get old pretty quick.

-Cheers

Last edited by Halowords on Mon Mar 21, 2011 9:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Welcome and fine start!

Tonewoods: I don't play well enough for this to matter at all. But with MFDs, I like maple-bodied instruments.

Song stealing: Ha! As an amateur songwriter who has been lazy about protecting my work, I usually think about this one the other way around.
So many great songs over the ages to pilfer. But I heard this one the other day after having forgotten about it, and I would love to have written it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlaySG0LX5s

Yeah, I'm kind of curious what a Maple-bodied guitar (w/ Maple or even a Mahogany neck) would be like. I'd love to hear your thoughts on a Maple-bodied (& presumably necked) guitar is like. That with some thicker nickel strings could be cool for my tastes if I could get a fuller, articulate, chimey sound out of it. This gets me in trouble as I can talk myself into a dozen or so guitars a lot easier than I can talk my wife into it.

And Emerson, Lake & Palmer "Still... You Turn Me On" is a very nice song. I'd imagine it makes the ladies swoon. I should try it next time I get a new guitar.

-Cheers

Hi David, great start to the week.

G&L Topic: Favorite Tone Woods: Why and for What Purpose

These days I tend to favour a rosewood fingerboard, mainly for the feel. As for body woods most of my G&Ls have ash bodies though there are a couple of alder and mahogany bodies in there. I tend not to favour solid finish guitars, I really like to see the grain of the wood and ash can be very nice indeed with a natural or translucent finish.

ASAT Special, ash body and rosewood board in what I would call a rhubarb and custard burst.





Non-G&L: If you could steal one song and make it your own, what one would it be?

Probably Gershwins " I Got Rhythm"

[youtube]OZ5KYc_s4bE[/youtube]

Now if only I could play like that !

Yeah, I'm kind of curious what a Maple-bodied guitar (w/ Maple or even a Mahogany neck) would be like. -Cheers

Ever played a Prospect?

Yeah, I'm kind of curious what a Maple-bodied guitar (w/ Maple or even a Mahogany neck) would be like. -Cheers

Ever played a Prospect?

Yep!

Alright, fair enough. I meant a solid-bodied Maple-bodied guitar or all-Maple solid body. Granted, I didn't bother to actually say that. What, you aren't a mind reader. Yeah, the Prospect is, and H-535 for that matter was, nice and bassy-yet-airy (is airy actually a word?), but the dimensions & construction had a tad to do with that. I DO love the articulate and ringing nature the wood & construction bring to the table. Of course, accurately determining what is the result of the wood vs. the design is beyond me at this point. I like it though.

-Cheers

Last edited by Halowords on Tue Mar 22, 2011 6:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

Hi David, great start to the week.

Hey, thanks SouthpawGuy!

G&L Topic: Favorite Tone Woods: Why and for What Purpose

These days I tend to favour a rosewood fingerboard, mainly for the feel. As for body woods most of my G&Ls have ash bodies though there are a couple of alder and mahogany bodies in there. I tend not to favour solid finish guitars, I really like to see the grain of the wood and ash can be very nice indeed with a natural or translucent finish.

I'm a Rosewood guy myself, but mainly for the aesthetics and some preconceived notion that the Rosewood will be warmer/rounder, which is kinda my thing. I can't hardly shut up about it. Anyway, I might end up with an Ebony fingerboard on a guitar in the near future (on a non-G&L). I also like my one-piece Maple necked Logan S-style just fine. That thing just rings out with a beautiful sound and feels fine too. I've never really noticed much difference between fretboards as far as feel while playing. I'm too busy trying to hit the right notes.

I also MUCH prefer translucent finishes with a nice (although not necessarily crazily flamed) wood grain showing. It just adds that touch of character. As for Alder & Mahogany, the Ash vs. Alder thing seems to be talked about quite a bit with the general verdict being "they're both good, just play yer dang guitar" more or less. As for Mahogany, you get opinions in hyperdrive at times for or against it. The G-200 seems interesting. I'm curious how Mahogany holds up in a 25.5" scale and what the wood adds differently in that construction. Granted, the Ibanez S-series and Dave Mustaine's Deans (V's, maybe more) are Mahogany bodied, but they also have Maple necks while Satch & Dave do not necessarily play a lot of super clean stuff for me to take notes on. But, it is kind of fun to chat about, is it not?

As always, nice guitars!

-Cheers

This one has a two piece maple body with mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. It's not heavy at all, and the tone isn't all that bright even with Heritages own HRWs which are bright sounding pickups. My ASAT Classic Custom, ash body maple neck and fingerboard, is heavier and sounds a lot brighter.

'86 Heritage VIP2