Ordering Custom Kelly

[Brooke]

Poplar can actually vary all the way up to pure black. I assume it's caused by minerals in the water or something, but at the place I used to work, they sold dimensional poplar and poplar trim, and I saw tons of pieces that were almost totally black. There was nothing wrong with it, it was just black. Some pieces were multicolored, and contained dark yellow, green, black, and everything in between. They looked really cool.

What the stuff that was black more dense or pores?

[zeegler]

What the stuff that was black more dense or pores?

Neither. It seemed to be exactly the same as the regular colored stuff, just black. Like I said, it's probably just mineral staining.

[roodyrocker]

I have a few Poplar bodied Jacksons, they sound great and I don't think anyone could tell what wood it is just by the weight. No way! Anyway, its funny what people think of various woods. Seems the PRS guys are now hunting down rosewood fretboard guitars because PRS won't build the Brazillian Rosewood models anymore or something. While the Jackson guys look down on Rosewood custom shops for example. truth is there is no better or worse, just different.

[Brooke]

Neither. It seemed to be exactly the same as the regular colored stuff, just black. Like I said, it's probably just mineral staining.

That's awesome. imagine a guitar made out of that with a transparent finish? Maybe nice? Maybe not?

[Bri]

I'm with RD. If I order a CS Kelly it will be a mah king with quilted maple top.

[Treachery]

Interesting replies... Thank you.

Putting weight aside, what wood would be ideal for a custom Kelly playing Metal music?

[StukaJU87]

Have them pour you one out of concrete. Non more heavy.

[Brian]

Interesting replies... Thank you.

Putting weight aside, what wood would be ideal for a custom Kelly playing Metal music?

Either one would be fine. Take your pick really.

A lot of people say EMG's sound the same regardless of what they're put in. I agree that they're much more consistent in that sense than a passive pickup but they do indeed sound different in different woods/shapes.

I put an EMG 81 set in an Alder KV1 I had and hated the tone. Sounded terrible. Switched it back to the stock JB set and it sounded great again. Others have had better luck with that combo I am sure, but for me... never again .

Never tried EMG's in a Poplar guitar, but for what it's worth the Duncan Distortion in my 93 Poplar KV sounds great through my Peavey 5150.

I would keep weight as your highest priority at this point since Kellys do seem to have a tendency to want to neck dive. I might even go as far as requesting that they use slightly heavier selections of whatever wood you choose to help alleviate that issue.

[Evil Homer]

Metal music...
More rhythm or more old school?

alder/poplar maple is the classical old school guitar. It may lack a bit of bass, for modern rhythm playing.

Maybe go with Maple-neck-thru Mahagoni-body?
Although I've never heard one. Does anybody know, what it sounds like compared to alder-maple?