I started to think about this much more after reading comments from guitar players. Many players (especially older players -- "Dad Boomers") seem to be fixated on the acoustic sound of the electric guitar and naturally correlating that back to the electric sound. This is natural if you don't understand how a pickup actually works. They are assuming the pickup is like a microphone -- picking up the actual acoustic sound, when it is not.
Of course if you listen to guitars only acoustically, the body woods and also construction do make a difference. This is because the sound you hear is from vibration of the body and all the mechanical parts moving air and producing sound. The actual vibration of the string moves so little air that this is NOT what you hear (though it IS what you hear when picked up by the magnetic pickup, EQ'ed and amplified by an amp!).
If indeed you care about this sound (which is never heard through an amp), then you can analyze it from this perspective. But all the myths still are false. A few examples:
The points above only look at the acoustic sound of an electric guitar, and the myths are false for this evaluation too. And of course, this is all moot since nobody plays the electric guitar unplugged for their sound -- it is through an amp -- via the magnetic pickups and control electronics -- that determine the sound of an electric. So the focus should be on the characteristics of the vibrating string and the subsequent electronics used to transduce this to an electrical signal -- i.e. this path:
Vibrating string --> Magnetic Pickup --> EQ/filter --> Amp --> Speakers/Cab --> Ears
The woods and mechanical parts of an electric do in fact have some effect on the vibrating string, but the downstream elements have a much larger effect.
So Physics says if you want to really make your electric sound better and to sculpt the sound, look at the electronic path above, because the woods of the guitar simply don't have as big an effect.
Hence the argument that certain tonewoods have such a big impact is really false. Change the pickups and/or the pots and caps and this will transform the guitar much much more.
So the argument then goes ... why use wood at all? Easy
Now if you could 3D print wood or other materials that meet the above, I believe you will start to see these more prominent. because people will see the benefits and they will not be able to HEAR the difference.
Of course if you listen to guitars only acoustically, the body woods and also construction do make a difference. This is because the sound you hear is from vibration of the body and all the mechanical parts moving air and producing sound. The actual vibration of the string moves so little air that this is NOT what you hear (though it IS what you hear when picked up by the magnetic pickup, EQ'ed and amplified by an amp!).
If indeed you care about this sound (which is never heard through an amp), then you can analyze it from this perspective. But all the myths still are false. A few examples:
- You need a resonant body for a good sound. This might be true if listening acoustically. But the resonance will only appear over a limited range. It isn't an acoustic guitar with a resonance chamber!
- If sustain is important, the contact points should be large to transfer the energy. But contact points to the body on a Les Paul is through the bridge, and everybody wants the ABR-1 bridge which has small screw posts into the wood! This contradicts this. Also for a Strat, the bridge is complicated, with one part only contacting a knife-point edge, while the tailpiece contacts a block which is then held by springs back to the body. Contact points are extremely small!
- The tailpiece break angle has a larger effect since it dictates the downforce on the saddles, but the actual tailpiece itself is not as important.
- Having the tailpiece screwed down against the body (like on a Les Paul) for better sustain has such a small effect to be negligible
- Look at the Strat "tailpiece." The ball-ends are held against a block which then goes through metal springs onto two screws into the body. This isn't a high contact path. Yet, Strats still have some sound when played acoustically. Nobody ever designs an electric guitar, trying to make it sound good acoustically. Else they would have never made it solid, nor chosen such mechanisms for the bridges.
The points above only look at the acoustic sound of an electric guitar, and the myths are false for this evaluation too. And of course, this is all moot since nobody plays the electric guitar unplugged for their sound -- it is through an amp -- via the magnetic pickups and control electronics -- that determine the sound of an electric. So the focus should be on the characteristics of the vibrating string and the subsequent electronics used to transduce this to an electrical signal -- i.e. this path:
Vibrating string --> Magnetic Pickup --> EQ/filter --> Amp --> Speakers/Cab --> Ears
The woods and mechanical parts of an electric do in fact have some effect on the vibrating string, but the downstream elements have a much larger effect.
So Physics says if you want to really make your electric sound better and to sculpt the sound, look at the electronic path above, because the woods of the guitar simply don't have as big an effect.
Hence the argument that certain tonewoods have such a big impact is really false. Change the pickups and/or the pots and caps and this will transform the guitar much much more.
So the argument then goes ... why use wood at all? Easy
- Availability and cost
- Looks and feels good
- Good weight and material characteristics to support string tension and general usage requirements
- Easy to machine, stain, paint, and finish
- Each piece of wood has a unique figure and grain
- Has always been done this way and works!
- Guitar companies don't want to change their supply chain and thinking
- Guitarists are conservative, nostalgic and don't like change
Now if you could 3D print wood or other materials that meet the above, I believe you will start to see these more prominent. because people will see the benefits and they will not be able to HEAR the difference.
