Body Wood Question

joey the possum · #1 11-04-2006, 11:48 AM

Hello all, I've been searching this forum for a few days now looking for the answer to this question, and while I've had some success I've not found this exact question answered...

Presently I play an LP with the standard configuration of mahogany body and maple top, and I dig the tonality of it; but I've been wanting to get back into Ibanez guitars again. So my question is, what single (non capped) wood will most closley mimic the sound of a mahogany body with a maple top?

Is this a futile quest?

Thanks for reading and for any help in this search.

Sorry if this isn't the best forum to ask this question in, please let me know if there is a better place on jemsite to go with this. Thanks

taracatac · #2 11-04-2006, 04:02 PM

The MIJ 520QS may come close. It is a mahagony body with a quilted sappele top. I used to own one, and it sounded great.

joey the possum · #3 11-04-2006, 04:24 PM

Thanks for the response. Does anybody know of a non "topped" wood. That would come close tonally? Like mahogany, alder or basswood alone?

eviltwin · #4 11-04-2006, 05:16 PM

how about ash?

nocluejimbo · #5 11-04-2006, 05:24 PM

A mahogany body with a maple neck would come as close as you'll get. The problem is that the construction of an LP is totally different. The LP has a set neck, made of mahogany, with a shorter scale.

joey the possum · #6 11-04-2006, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nocluejimbo

A mahogany body with a maple neck would come as close as you'll get. The problem is that the construction of an LP is totally different. The LP has a set neck, made of mahogany, with a shorter scale.

Sorry for the ignorance, do you mean a mahogany body with a maple neck or maple fretboard? Or both maple neck and fretboard? Or maple neck with say, a rosewood fretboard.

Thanks for any clairification.

Big Red · #7 11-05-2006, 01:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eviltwin

how about ash?

Ash is even brighter than alder.

Here is a list of woods from brighter to darker:

Maple
Ash
Alder
Basswood
Mahogany

I'm not a expert on woods, so if the pros out there that need to correct me, then please do so.

Cheers and play on.

nocluejimbo · #8 11-05-2006, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joey the possum

Sorry for the ignorance, do you mean a mahogany body with a maple neck or maple fretboard? Or both maple neck and fretboard? Or maple neck with say, a rosewood fretboard.

Thanks for any clairification.

Maple neck. Rosewood fretboard. The standard.

joey the possum · #9 11-05-2006, 11:50 PM

Oh, Okay, thanks for the clarification.

eviltwin · #10 11-06-2006, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Red

Ash is even brighter than alder.

Here is a list of woods from brighter to darker:

Maple
Ash
Alder
Basswood
Mahogany

I'm not a expert on woods, so if the pros out there that need to correct me, then please do so.

Cheers and play on.

The thing is joey wants a single wood body to emulate maple capped mahogany, that's why I suggested ash. Besides that, of all the materials on your list ash and mahogany are the most variable. Swamp ash for example could well fit in between Basswood and Mahogany.

t1r12003 · #11 11-06-2006, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nocluejimbo

A mahogany body with a maple neck would come as close as you'll get. The problem is that the construction of an LP is totally different. The LP has a set neck, made of mahogany, with a shorter scale.

I second this statement. It's going to be tough to mimic a set neck 24 3/4" scale length very thick bodied LP in an Ibanez, but I do have a bolt on mahogany guitar with a maple neck and it comes close to this sound.

rty13ibz98 · #12 11-08-2006, 03:26 PM

you will have a hell of a time finding an rg to get the "les paul" tone. those are truly different guitars. the rg's with mahogany bodies will come close as they are fatter more midrange spongy guitars. ibanez's artist series are as close as you will find to a les paul. i use the arc300 for my les paul tones as well as an sz520. both loaded with duncans. a jazz and jb, alnico 2 pro and jb respectively. they give me an identical les paul tone out of an ibanez. but the specs are very close to a les paul as well. the arc300 being the closest. now, the ar300 is ibanez's truest les paul alternative(according to them), but i actually prefer the arc300 as it is a single cut. it has a better bridge/tailpiece combo for tone transfer as well, but only your preference will determine which is better for you.

rich