Is ash more expensive than alder?
The big difference is that ash is so much lighter thatn alder. That’s what makes it favorable for a guitar body. It is a tad bitter more expensive than alder, that’s why you never see it on low end guitars.
What is the difference between alder and ash?
The difference between alder and ash is that alder wood is well suited for solid colours rather than transparent ones. In contrast, ash wood suits transparent colours rather than solid ones. It is a lightweight wood that gives a brighter and more pronounced tone than some other varieties of wood.
Is swamp ash good for guitars?
Swamp Ash is a great sounding tone wood that takes a finish beautifully and is light enough to resonate well but strong enough to be stable. Some of the best sounding Fender Guitars were made from Swamp Ash.
When did Fender switch from ash to alder?
1956
Fender adopted alder for electric instrument bodies in mid-1956, probably for no other reason than it was there; it was readily available and more affordable than ash. Ever since, it remains the body wood for the majority of Fender electric instruments.
What is the difference between ash and swamp ash?
Concerning stiffness and stability, swamp ash is less stable and stiff than hard ash and for this reason is not used for neck construction, while it’s most used for guitar and bass bodies where its warm and resonant tone helps improve the instrument’s overall tone.
Is swamp ash heavier than ash?
Ash tree. Low cuts of heavy ash may weigh as much as upper cuts of swamp ash, and very external and low cuts of swamp ash may be so light that they weigh similar to basswood or even less and this is the reason for the great confusion there is on this subject.
Is swamp ash a good tone wood?
Swamp Ash is resonant across all frequencies but due to a slightly scooped midrange, the highs are a bit more noticeable. Swamp Ash offers a percussive quickness when flat-picked hard and balanced sweetness when fingerpicked with a light touch. The dynamic range of this tonewood is superb.
Is ash or alder heavier?
Alder. It’s a medium-weight wood, although quality cuts of alder used for guitar bodies will often weigh less than denser cuts of ash. Alder has a strong, clear, full-bodied sound, with beefy mids and excellent lows. Its highs sizzle slightly, but are rarely harsh, and it offers a decent amount of sustain.
Is there a difference between ash and swamp ash?
Is ash lighter than alder?
In general ash can tend to be heavier, but I have 2 very similar basses, one ash-one alder and they weigh about the same. Even a roasted ash body is only as light as what it weighed before the process, which makes it lighter in weight.
What is the difference between Ash and alder?
Ash can be difficult to work with, though; the pores must be filled before finishes are applied, and two swamp ash guitar bodies are more likely to differ from one another tonally than two bodies made of alder, which has a tighter, more consistent grain.
When did Fender switch from Ash to alder body wood?
Fender adopted alder for electric instrument bodies in mid-1956, probably for no other reason than it was there; it was readily available and more affordable than ash. Ever since, it remains the body wood for the majority of Fender electric instruments. It was and still is a very good choice.
Why does Fender use Alder in their guitars?
This change is most likely due to the availability and cost of Alder, but after hearing and seeing the results it has become the mainstay for Fender instruments. Alder is the most common choice for Stratocasters, Jaguars and Jazzmasters as well as the Jazz Bass due to its warmer balanced tone.
What does Swamp Ash sound like?
Swamp ash in particular is lighter than its relative Northern Ash and has larger, open pores. It produces chiming highs, clear midrange and strong low end that lets higher overtones ring through, resulting in greater harmonic content.