Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Players => Topic started by: treefella on January 28, 2008, 10:10:24 PM
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This is a little clip recorded last Friday night. It's the second solo from 'Comfortably Numb' played on my Orville Les Paul fitted with a calibrated pair of Mule Humbuckers. The bass player is one of my best mates and the soloist is his 17 yr old son Luke!
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Sounds nice and Mule-y :)
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very nice.
Out of interest, what was the amp/pedals used in this clip?
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oh sweet jesus i NEED some mules. That's an awesome solo tone.
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Great looking Orville too. Did you know it's a Photo Flame????
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Very nice tone - ditto the request for the details of the signal chain.
Mark.
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Great looking Orville too. Did you know it's a Photo Flame????
you nasty bar-steward - if he didn't now he'll be upset :P :lol:
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very nice.
Out of interest, what was the amp/pedals used in this clip?
The guitar straight into a Roland Micro Cube then DI'd via an Edirol UA-4FX and recorded using Cubase SX3 on a Sony Vaio laptop. The drums generated using XLN Audio's Addictive Drums
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Great looking Orville too. Did you know it's a Photo Flame????
Errm, sorry to doubt you, but when I bought it it had a huge chip out of the lacquer on the edge of the top and you could see the maple clearly underneath. My luthier repaired it and did a superb job!
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Welcome Treefella, hope you dont pay too much attention to the natives..... :lol:
The top is maple and has a very nice fotoflame trick done to it, sounds just like the 'real' thing though, most 90's MIJ flame guitars were like that.
Dont mind TF too much though, hes just found out his Les Pauls are basswood, which is quite embaressing after bragging about them here..... :oops:
:twisted:
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Hey! ... Basswood LP's rock .... kinda :)
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:wink: Well at least they wont give you a hernia as quickly :lol:
If works, dont fix it!
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Dont mind TF too much though, hes just found out his Les Pauls are basswood, which is quite embaressing after bragging about them here..... :oops:
:twisted:
eh? Which Les Pauls - when/how did he find that oot?
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That sounds great! Gorgeous Les Paul as well
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Well Indy, the japanese just make as much as possible with any wood they can get cheap enough. If theyr out of 'asian' mahagony they just keep on building with whatever is available, they even used to stain basswood.
Then there is still the process of selecting proper tonewoods and maching them together, which any luthier will agree on more or less, is not something of a mayor consearn to the japanese.
This doesnt mean the guitar is bad, just that there is alot of sample difference and its hard to pick one thats good. For that matter, basswood is an excellent kind of tonewood, im not saying that.
And by the way, i cant know if one of TF's guitars is basswood obviously, i was just trying to be a wannabe barsteward. Kind of failed at that didnt i? :oops:
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Well Indy, the japanese just make as much as possible with any wood they can get cheap enough. If theyr out of 'asian' mahagony they just keep on building with whatever is available, they even used to stain basswood.
Then there is still the process of selecting proper tonewoods and maching them together, which any luthier will agree on more or less, is not something of a mayor consearn to the japanese.
I hope there aren't any Japanese guitar builders reading this thread. :roll:
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Great looking Orville too. Did you know it's a Photo Flame????
Errm, sorry to doubt you, but when I bought it it had a huge chip out of the lacquer on the edge of the top and you could see the maple clearly underneath. My luthier repaired it and did a superb job!
Sorry matey - I mean the top is maple but the flame bit is a photo. I only know because I've seen a couple of guitars with EXACTLY the same top as yours. Which is impossible.
I wasn't very tactful was I? Many, many apologies. A rushed post over lunch :oops:
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The top is maple and has a very nice fotoflame trick done to it, sounds just like the 'real' thing though, most 90's MIJ flame guitars were like that.
Err, that's a very sweeping statement. I've heard of Orvilles with photo flame, but I'm not aware of any other MIJs with them?
Dont mind TF too much though, hes just found out his Les Pauls are basswood, which is quite embaressing after bragging about them here.....
Yeah, my Gibson's a right pile of cr@p just like yours :P
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Welcome Treefella, hope you dont pay too much attention to the natives..... :lol:
The top is maple and has a very nice fotoflame trick done to it, sounds just like the 'real' thing though, most 90's MIJ flame guitars were like that.
Dont mind TF too much though, hes just found out his Les Pauls are basswood, which is quite embaressing after bragging about them here..... :oops:
:twisted:
Thanks for the kind words and I don't know whether the top is a fotoflame or not but it sounds 'just like the real thing' because it is! Orville and Orville by Gibson guitars were made in the Fujigen Gakki guitar factory under license from Gibson and sold under the name Orville (Mr Gibsons first name). They were built between approx 1988 and 1998 and were constructed to the EXACT spec of the 1959 Les Pauls with a long tenon neck joint and mahogany body and that is why they sound so f****** great and sustain so well. Just check out the reviews of Orvilles on www.harmonycentral.com and you'll see that most owners (who also own or have, like myself, owned Gibsons) reckon they're as good if not better than their American counterpart.
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Just check out the reviews of Orvilles on www.harmonycentral.com and you'll see that most owners (who also own or have, like myself, owned Gibsons) reckon they're as good if not better than their American counterpart.
If you have a search around the forum you'll find loads of discussion of ObGs, Japanese Les Pauls and MIJ guitars generally. There are lots of fans here! :D
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Great looking Orville too. Did you know it's a Photo Flame????
Errm, sorry to doubt you, but when I bought it it had a huge chip out of the lacquer on the edge of the top and you could see the maple clearly underneath. My luthier repaired it and did a superb job!
Sorry matey - I mean the top is maple but the flame bit is a photo. I only know because I've seen a couple of guitars with EXACTLY the same top as yours. Which is impossible.
I wasn't very tactful was I? Many, many apologies. A rushed post over lunch :oops:
I'm still inclined to disagree with you and here is my reasoning. The guy who played the solo I uploaded liked the guitar so much that he bought an identical (almost!) one from the same seller in Japan. Here are pics of the two side by side and although similar, the markings display quite individual characteristics.
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They both look great!
Here's one for sale that looks very similar to yours, with the flames slipped a bit. Check out the "double stripe" going through the bridge volume pot, and the stop tail piece on yours ;)
(http://mcguitars.co.uk/shop/images/epi_lp_japan.jpg)
And see this one, which has the same flame as yours:
(http://www.thirdhandcollectibles.com/images/guitars/orv_lptiger02_lge_08.jpg)
And this one, again the same as yours. The "double stripe" is a dead giveaway:
(http://www.thirdhandcollectibles.com/images/guitars/orv_lptiger_lge_02.jpg)
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They both look great!
Here's one for sale that looks very similar to yours, with the flames slipped a bit. Check out the "double stripe" going through the bridge volume pot, and the stop tail piece on yours ;)
(http://mcguitars.co.uk/shop/images/epi_lp_japan.jpg)
And see this one, which has the same flame as yours:
(http://www.thirdhandcollectibles.com/images/guitars/orv_lptiger02_lge_08.jpg)
And this one, again the same as yours. The "double stripe" is a dead giveaway:
(http://www.thirdhandcollectibles.com/images/guitars/orv_lptiger_lge_02.jpg)
I have to concede, the second one is pretty much identical to mine. what the hell, I still think it looks and sounds brilliant!
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Just out of interest, are those "doppelflamers" all Orvilles, or other MIJ brands too?
what the hell, I still think it looks and sounds brilliant!
I'm sure it does! :) I've never read anything to suggest a flame/figured top sounds any better than a plain one.
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Orvilles and Epiphone Japan Phil. Same factory ;)
Sorry Mr treefella :( If it's any consolation, I've recently discovered that my "solid flame top" Signature LP is in fact a laminate (or photo?) top on two or three pieces of maple cap :( Still sounds and plays awesome though, and interestingly enough it was made in the same factory as your Orville LP......
(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/junkacct/SignatureLPbodybottom.jpg)
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Orvilles and Epiphone Japan Phil. Same factory ;)
That makes perfect sense - my Japanese Epis have a very similar construction style (if that makes sense) to the ObG I used to own. And of course there's the Gibson connection.
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How can you tell it's a photoflame? Other than scr@ping off a piece of course. I mean in general, not the guitars in the pictures.
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I don't know ilyti.
I was curious, so I had another look at the two guitars you posted treefella. I think they're the same photo flame, but flipped:
(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/junkacct/flippedtops.jpg)
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Yup.
I've just found out my Korean Epi LP is basswood with an alder cap and a birds eye maple veneer......
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Seems like we've sparked off quite a little debate here!!
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I don't know ilyti.
I was curious, so I had another look at the two guitars you posted treefella. I think they're the same photo flame, but flipped:
]
Hmm, maybe. Next time I see my mate and his son, who owns the other one, I'll compare them side by side.
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You'll have to let us know what you discover :)
As you said, quite a little debate and some interesting findings for a fe of us!!!!
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:idea:
I wonder if there's a guitar somewhere that has the real piece of flame maple they took that "photo" from?
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Well Indy, the japanese just make as much as possible with any wood they can get cheap enough. If theyr out of 'asian' mahagony they just keep on building with whatever is available, they even used to stain basswood.
Then there is still the process of selecting proper tonewoods and maching them together, which any luthier will agree on more or less, is not something of a mayor consearn to the japanese.
I hope there aren't any Japanese guitar builders reading this thread. :roll:
Just ask a shopkeeper that knows his guitars if your unable to talk to a luthier who has been around long enough. Preferably one who doesnt work in a shop anymore since they are often likely to defend what they are selling.....
By all means the japanese make fine guitars for the money, but theres always a tradeoff.
The top is maple and has a very nice fotoflame trick done to it, sounds just like the 'real' thing though, most 90's MIJ flame guitars were like that.
Err, that's a very sweeping statement. I've heard of Orvilles with photo flame, but I'm not aware of any other MIJs with them?
MIJ 90's(and some late 80's) Epi, ibanez, Fender's to name bigger japan brandnames, and alot of other brand names like orville and such. Koreans offcourse and so on. Just search for it and youll know.
Yeah, my Gibson's a right pile of cr@p just like yours :P
Jup, all guitars suck one way or another, were just lucky to have found the perfect pickups so they -at least- sound half decent! :wink:
:idea:
I wonder if there's a guitar somewhere that has the real piece of flame maple they took that "photo" from?
I have some books on Les Pauls, some of the most beautyfull bursts are portraid in them, and none have such a strong flame as these. Meaning the contrast between the dark and light parts. The flame as such doesnt look bad though.
Its like TF said in another thread, if you want a really strong and beautyfull burst LP your likely to pay a very large premium for it. So i actually think the whole fotoflame idea is kind of brilliant, if only they would have taken more care to make it resemble the real thing more i would be into it for sure.....
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Well Indy, the japanese just make as much as possible with any wood they can get cheap enough. If theyr out of 'asian' mahagony they just keep on building with whatever is available, they even used to stain basswood.
Then there is still the process of selecting proper tonewoods and maching them together, which any luthier will agree on more or less, is not something of a mayor consearn to the japanese.
I hope there aren't any Japanese guitar builders reading this thread. :roll:
Just ask a shopkeeper that knows his guitars if your unable to talk to a luthier who has been around long enough. Preferably one who doesnt work in a shop anymore since they are often likely to defend what they are selling.....
By all means the japanese make fine guitars for the money, but theres always a tradeoff.
OK, now that you've dismissed the entire Japanese guitar industry in a couple of sentences, can you tell me some companies who consistently mass-produce better-quality guitars at reasonable prices? Using properly selected, matched tonewoods and all that stuff. Gibson maybe? Fender? PRS (at 3 or 4 times the price)?
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There is no such brand Phil, at best you can expect from brands like Gibson that they dont make as many and that they will keep the standard of their brandname high and this way still have people willing to pay the price for that arguably better wood and craftmanship.
I dont only dismiss all japanese manifacturors in this respect, i dismiss all mass production more or less.
Its just that i often find japanese guitars to look great but sounding rather thinnish/dull/lifeless, not all though, and this is the same with Gibson or whichever, but there are less useless guitars among those IMVHO. Also i know Gibson and Fender USA have quite a strict pre-factory tonewood selection. I do think however the production of proper tonewoods gets less and less and compromises to their standard to just keep the factory making guitars is a common factor.
The only way to get a 'really' properly build guitar is to walk up to a good and well established luthier and let him do an estimate for a guitar you want and dont let him hold back on the materials. Or just try loads of guitars and give in to the time consuming hassle to find one that 'really sticks out with head and shoulders'.
So there, maybe harsh but thats what i think of the loads of guitars ive tried.
Some small brands, mind that i dont mean the small brands that come out of the same huge factories, do sometimes make a very good product. Im very eager to try those Gordon Smith guitars of which i have heard very good things. Or at least putting selected tonewoods(or at least they claim that) into a simple guitar design allways seemed the best thing to do to get good value for money.
Maybe it just another disappointment though, but im always curious about what ill find out next, beats doing crosswords :lol:
Anyway, check this video, kind of interesting i think:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThOwKVnk2pQ
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There is no such brand Phil....
...I dont only dismiss all japanese manifacturors in this respect, i dismiss all mass production more or less.
That's what I was hoping you'd say, because I don't think any of the US brands are any more consistent than the far eastern ones. Except, perhaps, in the higher price brackets.
Gibson and Fender USA have quite a strict pre-factory tonewood selection. I do think however the production of proper tonewoods gets less and less and compromises to their standard to just keep the factory making guitars is a common factor.
Well, I don't think they're as strict as they should be. Some of the worst guitars I've ever owned - in terms of timber quality - were '90s Gibsons. Bodies made of 3+ pieces of mahogany, badly matched and dead-sounding. Fingerboards made of pale, dry, splintery rosewood - the worst I've ever seen.
Fender are different, they seem to revamp their range roughly once every 10 years, then let standards slowly slip before starting the process over again. Their QC is better than Gibson's, but again I'm not so sure about the timbers. In the late '90s, just before they replaced the American Standard series with the American series, they were building bodies out of five pieces of alder or poplar, with front and back veneers to hide the glue lines. I don't think they do that any more, thankfully.
So yeah, maybe custom is the way to go, if you can afford - or are willing - to pay that kind of money.
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Maybe the answer is to not buy a mass production guitar.
Avoid Gibson, Fender, PRS and all the Japanese makes and go for something like a Gordon Smith or Patrick Eggle.
Personally I wouldn't get a GS without trying it first but I would have no fears about buying an Eggle before seeing it. Every one I've had the pleasure of playing has been of exquisite build quality and tone.
Hmmm
So why the Hell do I own a Gibson LP and not an Eggle? ......
/em scratchheadandlookpuzzled :?
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Well, I don't think they're as strict as they should be. Some of the worst guitars I've ever owned - in terms of timber quality - were '90s Gibsons. Bodies made of 3+ pieces of mahogany, badly matched and dead-sounding. Fingerboards made of pale, dry, splintery rosewood - the worst I've ever seen.
I do think there is a BIG difference between early and late 90's LP's.
My '76 custom has a 3 piece maple top, still sounds great though which is enough for me at least. My other Gibson solidbodies have a 2 piece maple cap, all of them have a single piece body, allthough i must say im not sure about my 73 SG since it has absolutely straight and very heavy grain, which could mean it just seems like a 1 piece body. When looking trough a magnifying glass i cant find any grain offset at a connection though.
So yes, my '92 gibson standard consists off a 2-piece top and a one piece body. I always though a 1-piece body sounded best and i do check that when i buy a guitar. The rosewood was a bit dry when i got it if i remember correctly though, gave it a good soak right off though :wink:
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Maybe the answer is to not buy a mass production guitar.
Avoid Gibson, Fender, PRS and all the Japanese makes and go for something like a Gordon Smith or Patrick Eggle.
Personally I wouldn't get a GS without trying it first but I would have no fears about buying an Eggle before seeing it. Every one I've had the pleasure of playing has been of exquisite build quality and tone.
Hmmm
So why the Hell do I own a Gibson LP and not an Eggle? ......
/em scratchheadandlookpuzzled :?
Yeah that or checking out so many guitars yr head will spin......
Back in the days i tried an eggle, he was making those really small ones, kind of music man luke model but smaller.
Pretty much a daft thing to say, but when i wear a small guitar i just feel a bit naked :lol:
Owell, it all sucks anyway, best plan is to sell everything and take a sabatical year i guess, but what would i do with all that time and no guitars???????
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I don't know why some people on this thread seem to be slagging off mass produced guitars - most of the well known and respected guitarists use them. Also, what's the problem with Jap guitars. Is is a globally well known fact that the Japanese take enormous care and pride in their workmanship, just look at an authentic Samurai Sword or a Yamaha Grand Piano or a Honda motor car and you'll see the build quality surpasses most others. That's the whole point I was trying to make about the Orville in the first place, it's built the same way as a '59 Les Paul but with Japanese quality control which in my humble opinion makes it better than alot of the Gibsons out there. Just listen to the sound clip and judge for yourselves!!
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I can't speak for others but I'm not knocking mass produced guitars.
I currently own 6 guitars (4 electric and 2 acoustic) and they were all mass produced. Of these 6 only 1 was made in Japan, which is my 84-87 Fender Stratocaster. Both of my acoustics are Korean - Ibanez AE45 and Yamaha CPX900. I have a Samick Stratocaster (Korean), an Epiphone LP (Korean) and a Gibson LP (USA).
What I was questioning was build quality and materials used in these mass produced guitars. This was sparked off by the revelation that your LP possibly has a photo flame top - as opposed to flame maple.
I had to hunt for my Gibson LP. I came across several 'dead' ones along the way and I only just learned that my Epi LP has a basswood body.
My MIJ strat has amost certainly got a basswood body - as has my Samick Strat.
The point I was trying to make was that sometimes it pays to avoid mass produced guitars and go for something that you simply know is going to be built correctly and be made of the materials that you both want and expect.
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The point I was trying to make was that sometimes it pays to avoid mass produced guitars and go for something that you simply know is going to be built correctly and be made of the materials that you both want and expect.
Agreed, but it's whatever suits the individual. Personally I'd rather buy three £500 Japanese guitars than one £1,500 PRS or whatever.
I can have fun customising the £500 guitars, maybe sell them on (at not too much of a loss) when I get bored. But I'd be "afraid" of the £1,500 guitar - afraid of damaging it, afraid that maybe I could've got spent the same money more wisely, afraid that I'm not a good enough player to justify the expense. What if I spent a couple of grand on a custom build and found what I thought I wanted doesn't actually work for me?
If I was a good player and actually gigging or recording, I think I'd probably try to narrow down my collection to the "essential", better quality, guitars. And maybe buy a couple more upmarket ones. As it is, I'm quite happy clumsily messing around with the cheap(ish) stuff.
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With the exception of the 2 acoustics and my Gibson LP, which I use live, that's what I do.
I did say sometimes after all :)
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I did say sometimes after all :)
Yep, wasn't arguing. I was agreeing, well sort of - but putting it badly, as usual! :lol:
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[Quote}
I had to hunt for my Gibson LP. I came across several 'dead' ones along the way and I only just learned that my Epi LP has a basswood body.
My MIJ strat has amost certainly got a basswood body - as has my Samick Strat.
[unquote]
Yeh, there are loads of 'dead' guitars around, even identical ones from the same manufacturer. When I bought my US Stratocaster they had 15 in the shop. I tried everyone of them and didn't plug one of them in - reason? I just listened to the sound of the'wood' and picked the one which sounded nicest and sustained the best. Incidentaly, basswood is actually an excellent material for a guitar. Leo Fender chose it for his first Fender Strats in 1953 because it was cheap and then discovered that it actually resonates really well and produces an excellent guitar!
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My Epi LP and MIJ Fender Strat both have excellent resonance. The Samick one slightly less so.
I can only think that the Samick one has an inferior cut of basswood to the other 2? The odd thing about the Samick is that it appears to have a mahogany neck and is a bit heavier than my Fender.
Nice point about the early Strats. I didn't know that.
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Incidentaly, basswood is actually an excellent material for a guitar. Leo Fender chose it for his first Fender Strats in 1953 because it was cheap and then discovered that it actually resonates really well and produces an excellent guitar!
I'm no Fender historian, but are you sure about the basswood? :? Maybe Leo Fender used it for some prototypes, but everything I've read says that all the early ('54-'56) Strats were ash, until they switched to alder in the middle of '56.
As far as I know basswood was never used for US-made Fenders (at least until the modern era of hundreds of different standard/deluxe/reissue/signature etc Strat models).
(Oh by the way, I never said, I really like the tone on the clip that started this thread!! :oops: :lol: )
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I don't know why some people on this thread seem to be slagging off mass produced guitars - most of the well known and respected guitarists use them. Also, what's the problem with Jap guitars. Is is a globally well known fact that the Japanese take enormous care and pride in their workmanship, just look at an authentic Samurai Sword or a Yamaha Grand Piano or a Honda motor car and you'll see the build quality surpasses most others. That's the whole point I was trying to make about the Orville in the first place, it's built the same way as a '59 Les Paul but with Japanese quality control which in my humble opinion makes it better than alot of the Gibsons out there. Just listen to the sound clip and judge for yourselves!!
I commented mainly on the materials used, japanese guitars are very well made otherwise. Actually the japanese had the most modern wood routers and machines, so there.
I personally would like to hear an example of a well known and respected guitarist using a standard MIJ production guitar. Ive heard of endorced quitarists who play a production model that is 'custom' crafted, but never a normal production MIJ one.
Anyhow, it still remains a kind of a 'what if' discussion, MIJ guitars are very good considering their pricerange, if not they would not be sold in the huge numbers they are being sold.
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Incidentaly, basswood is actually an excellent material for a guitar. Leo Fender chose it for his first Fender Strats in 1953 because it was cheap and then discovered that it actually resonates really well and produces an excellent guitar!
I'm no Fender historian, but are you sure about the basswood? :? Maybe Leo Fender used it for some prototypes, but everything I've read says that all the early ('54-'56) Strats were ash, until they switched to alder in the middle of '56.
As far as I know basswood was never used for US-made Fenders (at least until the modern era of hundreds of different standard/deluxe/reissue/signature etc Strat models).
(Oh by the way, I never said, I really like the tone on the clip that started this thread!! :oops: :lol: )
Basswood does not grow in the USA, Fender used alder and ash, Fender japan started using Basswood since they had to import alder and ash and the cost of that was just too high. Basswood was a logical choise to use, and by all means is a great tonewood, especially suited for harder types of rock or even metal.
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Incidentaly, basswood is actually an excellent material for a guitar. Leo Fender chose it for his first Fender Strats in 1953 because it was cheap and then discovered that it actually resonates really well and produces an excellent guitar!
I'm no Fender historian, but are you sure about the basswood? :? Maybe Leo Fender used it for some prototypes, but everything I've read says that all the early ('54-'56) Strats were ash, until they switched to alder in the middle of '56.
As far as I know basswood was never used for US-made Fenders (at least until the modern era of hundreds of different standard/deluxe/reissue/signature etc Strat models).
(Oh by the way, I never said, I really like the tone on the clip that started this thread!! :oops: :lol: )
Basswood does not grow in the USA, Fender used alder and ash, Fender japan started using Basswood since they had to import alder and ash and the cost of that was just too high. Basswood was a logical choise to use, and by all means is a great tonewood, especially suited for harder types of rock or even metal.
Yeh, I was talking bollocks about them being made of basswood, it was alder and ash but may I correct you on one point there. The latin name for basswood is 'Tilia Americana' and it's also known as 'American Linden'. I quote from Wikipedia: "Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere, in Asia (where the greatest species diversity is found), Europe and eastern North America"
Oh, and thanks Philly for your kind words re the tone of the clip!
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Henk:
For a guitarist that used a standard MIJ fender, Francis Dunnery used one for the 1st It Bites album. Though I can't remember if it was a MIJ Squire or Fender (it was 20 years ago)
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Jeff Healey used a JV Squier Strat as his number one for a long time.
Billy Gibbons used a few Tokais (with tape over the logos!) for a little while.
Slash's main stage guitars are two '88 Les Paul Standards.
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Robert Fripp has used a Tokai LP (with a Kahler) for over 20 years.
Kirk Hammett had a black Fernandes Strat as one of his main guitars during the mid-80s.
And, remembering an interview from my very first issue of Guitar Player (Oct 1981!) Peter Frampton toured with a variety of off-the-shelf Fernandes Strats and LPs after losing some of his older guitars in a plane crash.
I'm sure there are many others!
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OKOK, ill shut up after this, i love my JV! :harp:
Yeh, I was talking bollocks about them being made of basswood, it was alder and ash but may I correct you on one point there. The latin name for basswood is 'Tilia Americana' and it's also known as 'American Linden'. I quote from Wikipedia: "Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere, in Asia (where the greatest species diversity is found), Europe and eastern North America"
When American linden is used in guitars it does not say the body is made out of basswood but out of american linden. Only very very few are made with that though like some mexican fenders and such.
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OKOK, ill shut up after this, i love my JV! :harp:
Yeh, I was talking bollocks about them being made of basswood, it was alder and ash but may I correct you on one point there. The latin name for basswood is 'Tilia Americana' and it's also known as 'American Linden'. I quote from Wikipedia: "Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere, in Asia (where the greatest species diversity is found), Europe and eastern North America"
When American linden is used in guitars it does not say the body is made out of basswood but out of american linden. Only very very few are made with that though like some mexican fenders and such.
Why does it say that when everybody has heard of Basswood guitar bodies and i guess not many people have heard of American Linden?
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Because MIJ bodies made out of Tilia Japonica(Japanese Lime) are allready called basswood guitar bodies, or whatever hybrid those japanes grow commercially.
Its simple really, same types of woods but due to their origin are called different. Think ash vs swamp ash vs sen or maple vs hard maple or mahagony vs korina vs nato vs agathis or australian blackwood vs hawaian koa, endless list really.
And i think, not sure though, in the USA basswood has a bit of a negative ring to it and american linden probably sound much more exclusive i guess....
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My understanding is that basswood is basically the same the world over, with only slight variations in appearance.
It doesn't matter if it's Tilla Japonica (Japanese Lime) or Tilla Americana (American Linden). They are for all intent and purposes the same.
Basswood also appears to be a Western European term for this wood - not Japanese.
This is taken from wikipedia, which given it's nature can't be accepted as 100% accurate.
In the same wiki entry I noted with interest that it states that basswood gives more sustain than alder in a guitar :o
Given all this I've decided to devote the rest of my life to the study of the Tilla genus of trees and will only play guitars, drive cars and wear clothes that are made entirely of basswood.
All hail the mighty Basswood!
:D
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Because MIJ bodies made out of Tilia Japonica(Japanese Lime) are allready called basswood guitar bodies, or whatever hybrid those japanes grow commercially.
Its simple really, same types of woods but due to their origin are called different. Think ash vs swamp ash vs sen or maple vs hard maple or mahagony vs korina vs nato vs agathis or australian blackwood vs hawaian koa, endless list really.
Wow!, your quite an arboriculturist Henk, most impressive!
And i think, not sure though, in the USA basswood has a bit of a negative ring to it and american linden probably sound much more exclusive i guess....
Not at all, the basswood body of my Ibanez rings beautifully although that's probably Tilia Japonica not Americana
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My understanding is that basswood is basically the same the world over, with only slight variations in appearance.
It doesn't matter if it's Tilla Japonica (Japanese Lime) or Tilla Americana (American Linden). They are for all intent and purposes the same.
Basswood also appears to be a Western European term for this wood - not Japanese.
This is taken from wikipedia, which given it's nature can't be accepted as 100% accurate.
In the same wiki entry I noted with interest that it states that basswood gives more sustain than alder in a guitar :o
Given all this I've decided to devote the rest of my life to the study of the Tilla genus of trees and will only play guitars, drive cars and wear clothes that are made of basswoood.
All hail the mighty Basswood!
:D
(All together) "HAIL THE MIGHTY BASSWOOD"
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And i think, not sure though, in the USA basswood has a bit of a negative ring to it and american linden probably sound much more exclusive i guess....
Not at all, the basswood body of my Ibanez rings beautifully although that's probably Tilia Japonica not Americana
I don't think Henk meant negative ring in a tonal quality sense. Perhaps it's just that basswood is often perceived to be an 'inferior' wood for guitars by many people in the US (and Europe#) that don't realise how impressive it's tonal properties actually are.
I'm assuming basswood is either relatively inexpensive or readily available in bulk for Japanese manufacturers - or both. Whatever the case is, a guitar made of basswood - if it's built properly using quality grade basswood - will sound excellent and will rival the tone of alder.
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Yeah, in america people know the term basswood mainly due to it being used for cheap furniture ive heard.
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I don't think Henk meant negative ring in a tonal quality sense.
Of course he didn't, I was just being flippant in order to get a cheap laugh! :lol:
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Ah my apologies then :oops:
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Hi,
I love a robust discussion !!!!! remember that The Ibanez Jems and JS series guitars are Basswood and look what Satch and Vai ( I know there are some Alder jems out there too) can produce from them. Herman Li as well now I come to think of it with his S series. My son has a tele copy made by Legacy, which is so light it might be veneer wrapped round cardboard, but for £40 it sounds amazing, and it doesn't even have a string through body. The fact is, getting back to the original point, the photo veneers look amazing, some of the flame is so deep you can dive into them, and you guitar guys know it is all in the finger right? If the axe feels right to you and plays for you, what the hell.
j
Still not a guitar player but you should see my anorack.