Spec my guitar!... (Rewritten)

[itamar101]

Ok.
This thread was obviously too long and deterring replies. Didn't realize just I long it was.
Lets make this more like the thread title suggests. :)

I planning on ordering a Carvin DC727 in the very near future and ive almost completely decided on the specs but I'm having trouble with one or two options. Ill be using it mostly for progressive rock and metal and all of that nonsense but that includes all the touchy feely clean stuff the goes alongside it. I want growling lows and sparkly highs with present but not pushing mids.

Spec my build:

1) Maple Neck-Through w/ figured walnut top and -
    a) Swamp Ash wings
    b) Alder wings
    c) Mahogany wings (I'd probably least like this option).

2) Neck Cosmetics & Reinforcements and stuff.
    a) 5pc Maple/Walnut Neck (maple w/ 2 walnut stripes).
    b) 1pc Maple Neck

3) Guitar Finish
    a) Full Tung-Oil Neck AND Body
    b) Clear Poly Body and Tung-Oil Neck
    c) Full Poly Neck and Body
    d) Poly body and satin neck
    e) Full satin neck and body

4) Fretwire
    a) Med-Jumbo
    b) Jumbo

[Alex]

1) Mahogany, because it goes so beautifully with maple necks. I think Walnut is quite bright, so it should work well together. Alder would be my second choice.
2) I don't know what differences this would make.
3) e) Full satin; I like the feel of satin necks a lot and think it looks really good.
4) Jumbo. I'd go for tall and narrow ones.

[tekbow]

1) alder for prog, a lot of esp's use it, but if it were me, i'd have swamp ash for the raunchiness
2) Don't know much about laminated necks, but i just can't see it being better than a single lump of wood. Quaretersawn maple for me.
3) oil on the lot, am well into having an oil finished guitar these days
4) Jumbo

[Philly Q]

1) (a) To be slightly controversial, I think with a neck-through the maple is going to influence the tone a lot more than the "wings".  So I'll say swamp ash for looks and light weight.

2) (a) The laminates will add extra stiffness, look good and (maybe) help avoid dead spots.

3) I don't really have a strong opinion on this one - never had an oil-finished guitar so I don't know if I'd like it or not.

4) (b) Jumbo.  Personally I like fat and wide more than tall and narrow, just feels comfortable to me.

[itamar101]

Thanks. That's interesting, but not too surprising.
With the body wood Swamp Ash was actually my first choice, not mahogany, because its very light, pretty and tonally on a different spectrum from mahogany. Not that I don't like mahogany - I love it - but I since I already have les paul that does the job for lots of low mids and smooth highs very well and I was hoping to move away from that tone. Yet, mahogany seems like the best fit.
My heart says Swamp Ash, my brain says Mahogany and my pocket says Alder. :lol:

The 5pc neck seems more like a cosmetic difference really, although its meant to add some stability. Never had any any problems with my 1pc maple les Paul neck though :/
Ill probably get a 1pc because the price of a 5pc is ridiculous. I do like the looks though.

I was also leaning towards the jumbo frets, they seem to be best for shredding and any old w**kery.

As for the satin finish, I'm surprised. I've only ever tried one satin finished guitar before and I hated it but is was a terribly set up SG Faded with 7 month old strings. I'm surprise that you didn't go for full tung oil (which just happens to be cheapest) or poly body with tung oil neck.
This is what I'm really having trouble with and I'd love some advice here.

Anyway, thanks guys.
Keep up with the awesome replies. They really help.

[Philly Q]

As for the satin finish, I'm surprised. I've only ever tried one satin finished guitar before and I hated it.....
I'm surprise that you didn't go for full tung oil (which just happens to be cheapest) or poly body with tung oil neck.

I personally wouldn't want to match an oiled neck with a painted body (unless it was a bolt-on neck).  Just because at some point you'll have an awkward transition where oil ends and paint begins.

My Huber has a thin satin finish which (apparently!) feels similar to an oil finish, but should last longer and won't require maintenance.  Maybe that's the best of both worlds?

[itamar101]

As for the satin finish, I'm surprised. I've only ever tried one satin finished guitar before and I hated it.....
I'm surprise that you didn't go for full tung oil (which just happens to be cheapest) or poly body with tung oil neck.

I personally wouldn't want to match an oiled neck with a painted body (unless it was a bolt-on neck).  Just because at some point you'll have an awkward transition where oil ends and paint begins.

My Huber has a thin satin finish which (apparently!) feels similar to an oil finish, but should last longer and won't require maintenance.  Maybe that's the best of both worlds?

That seems ideal. The problem is that an all satin guitar is £50 more expensive than all tung oil, which on its own isn't a problem but in the end it all adds up. (But then again, it's the same cost as a poly body with a satin or tung oil neck. Another thing is protection. I would prefer for the finish to protect the wood (which is why I'm considering poly). I'd like to know how protective satin and tung oil are.

[itamar101]

Any more advice?
I would love to hear from Feline or Wezv, but any other suggestions are equally welcome. :)
I'm especially eager to hear about the wood combinations and finish options.

Thanks for your help guys :)

[itamar101]

Nothing?

[itamar101]

I would really like some help here guys.
After some thought I'm really quite undecided over the body and the finish.
I'd like to order this as soon as possible so it would really help if I could get some opinions. Particularly about Satin vs Tung Oil.

Thanks.