Got wood?

[HiOctane]

I prefer mahogany bodies with maple tops.

Swamp ash and ash are good tone woods but wiht anything htere's good and bad wood. I have swamp ash body that is heavy and a couple fairly light ash bodies that I use with ebony fretboards and they sound kick ass.

Also on a side note....in my experience (not a general rule per se) the heavier the guitar, the better it sounds to my ears

So it seems we must have similar tastes. I think mahogany bodies with maple tops are always a good bet.

I have used heavier ash bodies with very good success.

I know it's not a hard-and-fast rule and that many players might disagree, but the majority of the best-sounding guitars to my ears have been heavier ones as well.

[HiOctane]

What are you talking about , I love the grain on that.
I would've thought that would be really heavy though.

Agreed- it's a good-looking guitar!

[Spacehog]

I found this article on wood types in the event anyone may find it interesting:
http://www.jemsite.com/jem/wood.htm

Regards,
Spacehog

[dironifish]

I've discovered it matters greatly what you're plugging it into. I play through an old school Randall RG80 amp. My Charvel and my Jackson sound great through this amp. So does alot of other guitars I've tried. but I bought a Schecter that is made of mahogany and it sounds like mud. Les Paul sounds the same way. My buddy play my schecter through his triple rectifier and it sounded great. I'll stick to my Jacksons and Charvels, they sound and play great no matter what you plug them into.

[Cygnus X1]

I've discovered it matters greatly what you're plugging it into. I play through an old school Randall RG80 amp. My Charvel and my Jackson sound great through this amp. So does alot of other guitars I've tried. but I bought a Schecter that is made of mahogany and it sounds like mud. Les Paul sounds the same way. My buddy play my schecter through his triple rectifier and it sounded great. I'll stick to my Jacksons and Charvels, they sound and play great no matter what you plug them into.

Goes without saying, but good point. When I'm comparing the characteristics of a project, I'm using the same amp, the same setup, same cord, everything possible to get an accurate A/B comparison. After that, I can tailor the rig to best reflect the high points of the particular guitar. I play different styles, so I have different amps and guitars for many. The Hamer Phantom seems to cover the widest range best. It's some kind of mahogany.

[HiOctane]

Goes without saying, but good point. When I'm comparing the characteristics of a project, I'm using the same amp, the same setup, same cord, everything possible to get an accurate A/B comparison. After that, I can tailor the rig to best reflect the high points of the particular guitar. I play different styles, so I have different amps and guitars for many. The Hamer Phantom seems to cover the widest range best. It's some kind of mahogany.

Yes, certain amp and guitar combinations just mesh well together- even if they sound poor in other situations. That's why when I find something that works, I definitely try to stick with it AND figure out why I like it.

You've got it right- keep all factors the same when comparing guitars and you'll get a good read on what you like/dislike about a given instrument.

[j2379]

that would be hondoran mahogany.