Tone block question

[mikey5]

Ok I am building up my tool shelf and buying some more soon so I can begin building my first guitar. I am going to start with a music man axis style guitar as it closely resembles the one built in my step by step martin Koch dvd. Anyway I am looking at the different models on their website when I cam across this spec on the axis super sport model



Humbucking - Basswood with bookmatched figured maple top and <<mahogany tone block>>

What does that mean structurally. I mean how does one build a guitar with a tone block and how necessary are they, or how much do they affect tone?

I mean I was just going to go with a spanish cedar body+neck maple top and rosewood fretboard.

Please let me know what you know about this

[Jonny]

I believe from my reading and limited knowledge you can build a guitar out of Spanish Cedar but with a Mahogany tone block, you'll have the tonal qualities, or close to, of Mahogany.

It's basically like the Mahogany is positioned in the middle and everything around it is Spanish Cedar, in your case.

Here's a great picture as an example:

[WezV]

I believe from my reading and limited knowledge you can build a guitar out of Spanish Cedar but with a Mahogany tone block, you'll have the tonal qualities, or close to, of Mahogany.

that would be a waste of time since spanish cedar and mahognay are quite similar - but thats the theory



the tone block idea is interesting but i cant think of any reasons to do it other than money or possibly weight control - certainly not something i would recommend doing on a first guitar build as its just extra complication you dont need

[mikey5]

Thanks wez yea just curious. The models with the tone block are way overpriced, and that is the only difference I see

[mikey5]

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How do they do that? With a router maybe. What do you think Wez. Course Im not doing it on my first build if any

[Philly Q]

It looks similar to Warmoth's chambered bodies.  They'll start with a solid body, rout out those "honeycomb" chambers then glue on a thin top.

In theory (I can only go by what I've read!) it has less of an effect on the tone than a true hollow or semi-hollow body with much bigger, resonating cavities.  Chambering is more of a weight-reduction thing.

[WezV]

thats whats going on in the cheap wood - but notice they have the bridge, neck and pickups mounted into a mahogany block just in the centre of the guitar

so the idea is mahogany tone, economic use of premium guitar wood and also a much lighter instrument.


not a bad idea really but the outer wood does have an effect so it wont sound like a chambered or solid mahogany guitar, but it doesnt mean it will sound bad either

[Philly Q]

Yeah, I was only referring to the chambered bit, not the centre block.

Since that's a Music Man (I think) and therefore pretty expensive, presumably they chose the outer wood (basswood?) to complement the tone and not just to skimp on mahogany?

[mikey5]

Wouldnt it sound better just as a solid piece of wood?

[Philly Q]

Wouldnt it sound better just as a solid piece of wood?

That's the $64,000 question!

[WezV]

Since that's a Music Man (I think) and therefore pretty expensive, presumably they chose the outer wood (basswood?) to complement the tone and not just to skimp on mahogany?

you would think so, but it doesnt make it true.... it also doesnt make the guitars bad or good  in their own right

i dont think its skimping  - just a different approach and potentially quite economical/.ecological in the long run

should we all be considering things like this?  traditional hardwood centres with something else to make up the ergonomic shape.  possiblye we should but it is always hard to say what that extra mass of wood in the body does for tone.  its quite clear it affects it but quantifying how is more difficult