What are the best guitar websites?

  • Thread starter Thread starter GarpJarp
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Muttley, everyone knows how hard you are to get along with. Don't go trying to play "Mister Nice Guy." :D
 
wbcsound said:
Thanks again! So I guess this is the quote which has upset you:

"There are clear and well documented tonal characteristics of different types of wood. But these are very general guidelines and do not make any one species of wood absolutely superior to any other wood in a given application; especially when referring to an electric guitar played though a medium to high gain amp. "
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No it wasn't that quote at all. That quote on its own is fine to a point. It was more as I said earlier that you start by saying you internet experts who learn it in an afternoon and then come across that way yourself. I meant no offense by it. Re read my earlier post.

The worry is that you are trying to convey some truth for want of a better word , on the subject of alternative tonewoods in such a concise way and concluding that they are all the same to such an extent that it really doesn't make a difference or matter. Well I'm afraid that just isn't the case either physically acoustically or in my experience. You could fill a site the size of this one on the subject and still not cover everything. Thats why I said be wary. You also make some claims that are just wrong, from memory that Cherry is similar in density to maple and close to mahogany in sound. You have obviously never tried carving maple or cherry let alone looked at the stats. Its just plain wrong.;)

I guess I should have been more clear in what I was saying. I'm more than familiar with the traditional tonewoods and the associated tonal claims. I understand the properties of some wood make it more preferable for certain applications, just not absolutely superior. Your example of balsa being a primary example, even if somehow it provided a unique sound it's much to soft to be viable. However, if one wood was absolutely the best why use anything else? At one point, alder was considered an alternative tone wood.
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They are not tonal claims. Most are documented and can be substantiated with acoustic modeling and research. Why one is not used over another in all cases is precisely because they ARE different. Thats the whole point. Alder IS a fine tonewood it has and does make fine solid body instruments. It has also been used for fiddles and other bowed instruments with success along with willow and other similar timbers. One note about timber, you also have to be careful what name you give them. What the American continent call alder, poplar and many others is not the same as elsewhere in the world. Its a good idea to give Latin botanical names if you are being specific. The African, Asian and American mahoganies are classic examples of this. There are also at least three types of cherry used in instrument construction and more varieties of walnut. Again you can see how it is no good to be vague about this.
Asking people to pick out guitar models on a recording is often impossible much less the wood it was made out of as there are there is so much manipulation of an electric guitars sound. And any extra oomph or snap can be completely eliminated using a single tone control. As far as "being careful" about presenting a challenge, why? I'm not afraid of being wrong. I also don't see why yourself or anybody else whould claim that I am trying to present myself as the be-all-end-all expert on guitar. Just another voice.

The title of the editorial is "Challenge the Norm and Form Your Own Opinion", and that's exactly what I try to encourage people to do. If we sat back and accepted tradition, there would be no innovation.
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That is not the case with acoustic guitars and like I said there have been many blind listening tests done on many types of instruments. I've done some myself.

Take it from me I have been challenging the norm and forming my own opinions for thirty years on this all that will not change science or fact.;)

Anyway aside from all that my offer does stand if you want some specific info on tonewoods or other luthier matters I'll be glad to help where I can and good luck with the site.
 
Another thought, wbcsound -

Have you considered reviewing one of the 85 dollar Squier bullets yet? I hear the initial run had truss rod issues, but that the problem has now been sorted out.

Also, what about buget acoustics? It seems to me (and this is a very general statement, I admit :D) that cheap acoustic instruments tend to be more problematic than cheap electric ones. Put it this way, in my personal experience I have had better luck with 200 dollar electrics than with 200 dollar acoustics. If you could review some cheap steel strings, that might be cool. I'm thinking of budget brands with solid tops - Art & Lutherie, Seagull, etc.

Good luck with the site.

Edit: Oh, and while I think of it, I notice that you have looked at recording equipment. How about a review of some of those all-in-one/palmtop recording devices, such as the Zoom H4 or the H2
 
Stirring up some shit again, eh Muttley?



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
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