Jake E. Lee tonewood

[Sonomakeys]

Thanks- huh- well that's weird cuz for liking Swamp Ash, Jake played a hell of a lot of Alder guitars. Jake's ESP signature guitar was a Alder guitar. His Charvelized white 1974 fender was an Alder guitar as well. His Charvel both purple and blue bursts were Alders from what I understand. I do understand that the ESP Jake E. Lee signature Japanese versions came in either "white Ash" (whatever the hell that is) or Mahogany but were only released in the US as Alder.

Can anyone tell me a swamp ash guitar he played??? I've been really wanting to like swamp ash because everyone I talk to says it's really resonant and "alive" but the Swamp Ash guitars I've played have been like too bright- like in an annoying way and have had no low end at all. I've played a PRS Swamp Ash Special and a Swamp Ash Fender Strat and compared it directly to the exact same Alder Fender Strat in Guitar Center the other day ( the EXACT same guitar only difference being the tonewood) and the Swamp Ash had a lower output and a real lack of low end.

I don't get it. I like Mahogany but I'm not putting a maple cap on it and am worried about it sounding like an SG.

Maybe I'll just go for Alder then cuz it's kind of in the middle. I'm ordering my body from USACG so I'm not cutting corners on wood quality- those guys are the best.

Someone satisfy my OCD and convince me that Swamp Ash is better than Alder. I'm really open to suggestions and am just going to be building a hardtail strat with an H-H or H-S-H config used as an all rounder.

[sully]

how bout this? a guitar's tone may have more to do with the neck than the body.

[ADR]

My Custom Shop Relic

Someone say "Swamp Ash"?
Here is a beautiful example: my 56 CS Relic in Vintage Blond/Gold.(nitrocellulose) The body is Master Grade! This is the sweetest sounding Stratocaster,talk about poppy and the response is awesome,weighs under 7:00lbs too. Bell like tones like is a understatement.


ps: toejam, I didnt know that.Thats Great! TY

[dg]

You've got to go with what your own ears are telling you. Sounds like you haven't liked the swamp ash guitars you've tried. Everyone has their own taste. With regard to brightness, head to head my swamp ash strathead is less bright than my new alder pointy, a little more bright than my San Dimas pointy (Kahler probably has something to do with it), and more resonant than either of them. All three have maple necks & fretboards and a Custom in the bridge. I agree with Sully's point about the neck being the main thing, and a great example of that is if you compare a mahogany guitar with a maple neck to an all mahogany guitar like an SG. Completely different.

[toejam]

how bout this? a guitar's tone may have more to do with the neck than the body.

I'd say that's more true of a neck-thru than a bolt-on. My swamp ash Carvin SC90 is a little on the bright side (not overly bright), but I'd say it's more due to the fact of the maple neck going through the body.

[slash]

mmmmm.... Mahogany

[Firebird V]

Your Question was what woods were his Charvel and ESp Strats built from right?

Below is your first post.
__________________________________________________ ______________

Im building a hardtail strat and am going back and forth between
Swamp Ash, Alder and Mahogany for the body. I'm going to be using a H-H or an H-S-H pickup configuration.

Do you guys have a favorite?

Jake E. Lee is probably my favorite guitarist and I was wondering were his strats Swamp Ash or Alder? What would he have chosen?

Will swamp ash not have enough low end and be too ice-pickey? Will Mahogany be too muddy? Alder too plain? or just right? What would ol Jake choose do you think?
__________________________________________________ ____________

Your last post tells us what all his guitars you are questioning are made out of.

__________________________________________________ ____________
Thanks for all replies.

Thanks- huh- well that's weird cuz for liking Swamp Ash, Jake played a hell of a lot of Alder guitars. Jake's ESP signature guitar was a Alder guitar. His Charvelized white 1974 fender was an Alder guitar as well. His Charvel both purple and blue bursts were Alders from what I understand. I do understand that the ESP Jake E. Lee signature Japanese versions came in either "white Ash" (whatever the hell that is) or Mahogany but were only released in the US as Alder.

Can anyone tell me a swamp ash guitar he played??? I've been really wanting to like swamp ash because everyone I talk to says it's really resonant and "alive" but the Swamp Ash guitars I've played have been like too bright- like in an annoying way and have had no low end at all. I've played a PRS Swamp Ash Special and a Swamp Ash Fender Strat and compared it directly to the exact same Alder Fender Strat in Guitar Center the other day ( the EXACT same guitar only difference being the tonewood) and the Swamp Ash had a lower output and a real lack of low end.

I don't get it. I like Mahogany but I'm not putting a maple cap on it and am worried about it sounding like an SG.

Maybe I'll just go for Alder then cuz it's kind of in the middle. I'm ordering my body from USACG so I'm not cutting corners on wood quality- those guys are the best.

Someone satisfy my OCD and convince me that Swamp Ash is better than Alder. I'm really open to suggestions and am just going to be building a hardtail strat with an H-H or H-S-H config used as an all rounder.

__________________________________________________ _____________


If you go by what guitars you are looking at building which seems to be the Charvel/Fender or just Charvel guitars Jake had built or customized then he chose alder.

So go with alder and then.

[Ralph E.]

I've owned 2 of his guitars built specifically for him by Jackson when he was in Badlands.

They both were alder.

They both were pool routed, and he used a Duncan JB with Dimarzio singles.

[Seventh Avenged]

ralph, do you have any good pics of those?

those guitars sound killer!

why did you let go of them, if you don't mind my asking?

[Ralph E.]

I still have one, the other was giant gold flake with a matching headstock, it was hideous. Sold it back in '01 or so.

The one I kept will go to the grave...

Notice how he moves the volume knob down and covers the original hole with electrical tape...

[Seventh Avenged]

ralph, that Jake is So slammin'!

I'm actually pretty surprised that he never specified going the lower pickguard/-two knob route as he did with all his later guitars and even his white Charvel/Fender!

i bet that just sings! Natural alder, with the swimming pool route, like the holdsworths he played as well!