What body wood is my Jem???

[Voxshall]

It has a 7wvh neck from 1997 and the body is a replacement looks like its originally black been repainted white it has Evo's in it but how can I tell what the wood is by sound alone????

I have a good ear so explain the differences in Alder and Basswood with Evo's in it please.

[David McCarroll]

You can't tell, simple as that.

[Tank]

Well some tips:

Basswood:
Basswood is light, stiff, and stable, which makes it particularly effective for necks and bass instruments thanks to its excellent low-end response. So you will have a lot of low end kick in.
Many think that Basswood is not so good, as it is relatively cheap and many low end guitars are mode from it. Far from it, basswood is an excellent choice for a wide range of guitars and basses.

Alder:
Alder is a lightweight wood that is highly resonant, producing a full rich tone. When used for solid-body construction, alder provides a very good low end and midrange with the best performance in the lower mid range. Alder also exhibits good high-end characteristics and sustain. So an alder body would be more allround sounding than basswood. Excellent choice of wood for Evos btw. Downside: Alder will age in its color which might show even on the guitars painting, though Ibanez uses an extremely thin furnier of another wood to protect the alder body from aging effects.

Mahagony
When used as a top, mahogany has a relatively low velocity of sound (compared to other top woods), considerable density and a low overtone content producing a solid tone, and responds best at the upper end of the dynamic range. Mahogany-topped guitars have a strong "punchy" tone that is well suited to blues playing. If combined with a Maple Top it will go more in the direction of an Alder body with a warmed up tone.

[Jemwielder]

Will it make the guitar sound any different or play any better if you knew?

[Tank]

Originally Posted by Jemwielder

Will it make the guitar sound any different or play any better if you knew?

The guy just wants to know what he owns. Stop picking on him. He asked a simple question that is valid and can be answered.

To answer your question: Knowing what you have will not alter the product you already own.

[Voxshall]

I heard Ibanez had a basswood veneer on all there Alder bodys so although I have lots of chips on my guitar I still can't tell by looksand the chips are to small to see any Alder markings. My strat is Ash and my Les Paul doesn't help either to compare. I just want to know incase I decide to experiment with pickups.

Some say Evo's suit Alder and Tonezone suits Basswood etc

What are peoples thoughts on JB/59 combo in Basswood or Alder????? Do they sound good split as singles or for in-between positions???

Thanks for the help so far.

[toneboy]

Originally Posted by Jemwielder

Will it make the guitar sound any different or play any better if you knew?

Knowing what the body wood is won't make the guitar play any different but it having that information does make it easier when selecting pickups for it.

Warmoth has a great list of a lot of different body woods and their characteristics: Body Woods

[screamndemon69]

Check the neck pocket next time you change strings. You might see enough of the wood or see markings that will let you know if it was a real factory body (and which one) or an aftermarket body.

If you still aren't sure, post pics.

I haven't tried a JB combo in basswood but have had stellar results from PATB-2 (parallel axis trembuckers) pups in basswood which are a close cousin of the JB. I usually stick with mahogany and maple opped mahogany for a JB set.