Which One would you choose, Tonewood or Pickups?

[guigan]

Okay, so I have been GASing for Schecter Solo II lately. My choice is down to Schecter BlackJack ATX solo II vs Schecter Platinum Solo II. They both have similar features. But two features that set them apart are the tone wood and pickups. Blackjack ATX has Swamp-ash wood and duncan Blackouts, on the other hand platinum has Mahogany and EMG 57/66.

I have tried both of them, and they both play and sound great. I am now really confused of which one to get. In terms of tonewood, I much prefer Swamp Ash. for that airy and snappy tone. On the other hand, I like EMG 57/66 better than the blackouts for that paf sound.

So If you were to choose between tonewood and pickup, which one would you pick? Cheers.

 

[thedonal]

I Would say go for the guitar with the wood you like.

Get the best sounding guitar unplugged- you can replace the pickups later.

 

[guigan]

Guitars : Blackjack ATX Solo-II

VS

Platinum Series : Solo-II Platinum

 

[Badside]

You can replace pickups at will so that should be less of a factor (though I much prefer SDs myself so that would conclude the deal).

But be weary of assuming what wood species will do. While I firmly believe that tonewoods affect tone, the result is not always as predictable was we think. I've often struggled with swamp ash guitars when playing with a band (a bit of a hollow tone).
Also, totally my opinion, but import Schecter guitars tend to have such a thick and hard finish that wood resonance is all but gone and doesn't matter much anymore.

Neck wood (and thickness IMHO), as well as scale and bridge type tend to have more impact, and that is the same between both models.

I'd say don't fret it, stop over-analyzing and buy whichever feels and sounds the best to you.

The only noticeable difference is that the Platinum has nice inlays as far as I'm concerned

 

[fogcutter]

I'm gonna be all "zen" about this, so I apologize in advance for the trite, New Age booshat.

Your hands will tell you things that your ears will not.

Your ears will tell you things that your hands will not.

Your eyes are lying, deceitful bastards.

Pick the instrument that ignites your imagination.

 

[Fryderyczek]

Tonewoods are BS. Play both and see which one you like more.

 

[RustInPeace]

Get the one with the 57/66 set.

 

[Darren James]

Get what you like the best, not what others like and tonewood does make a difference. I have three guitars with the same pickup configuration, same bridge/nut configuration, same scale length etc yet all made from different woods. There is a noticeable difference in all three. I prefer mahogany back maple top myself but that's my opinion.

 

[pantsaregood]

Get what you like the best, not what others like and tonewood does make a difference. I have three guitars with the same pickup configuration, same bridge/nut configuration, same scale length etc yet all made from different woods. There is a noticeable difference in all three. I prefer mahogany back maple top myself but that's my opinion.

This doesn't prove tonewood makes a difference. It only proves three different guitars sound different.

Pickups are made within certain tolerances. Even pickups with an "identifiable" sound like EMGs who enough variation to be audible.

Potentiometers have tolerances, too. Some as high as +/-20%.

 

[Promit]

I love mahogany and I love EMG X series pickups and dislike Blackouts so it's an easy one for me. EMGs, even X ones, will tend to flatten the tonewood difference anyway.

 

[Darren James]

So your saying the same guitar (brand wise) with the same pickups such as a Prs cu22 which is maple top mahogany back vs a Prs standard 22 which does not have a maple top just mahogany body will sound the same? My ears must be playing tricks on me.

 

[marcwormjim]

This doesn't prove tonewood makes a difference. It only proves three different guitars sound different.

Before this gets ugly, let's at least concede that the guy's different guitars likely sound different unplugged. But you've seen how these wars go - Explaining that someone's preferred species of wood isn't going to affect the electromagnetic field generating the signals an amp receives rarely goes over without name-calling.

 

[pantsaregood]

So your saying the same guitar (brand wise) with the same pickups such as a Prs cu22 which is maple top mahogany back vs a Prs standard 22 which does not have a maple top just mahogany body will sound the same? My ears must be playing tricks on me.

No, I'm saying that you can build two guitars out of the "same" materials, pickups, and hardware and observe a difference in tone. The idea of "everything else is the same so it must be the wood" is flawed because everything else is not the same.

 

[Darren James]

Ok, I get what your saying now and see your point. Personally, I still like the mahogany body maple top as to me it just sounds the way I like it.

 

[Hbett]

For what it's worth, the mahogany body will most likely be significantly heavier. If you're gigging or have back issues, this can matter a lot.

 

[guigan]

I am a firm believer of tonewoods do matters. Otherwise every guitar will sound the same unplugged.

I am more lenient towards SOLO II Platinum. It's a les paul shape guitar, I reckon it will give me a better les paul sound/tone with mahogany and solid maple cap rather than swamp ash. Especially with EMG 57/66 has a great PAF sound.

The BlackJack ATX sounds way to aggresive. Which is good, but not the tone that I'm after in a les paul.

 

[Badside]

Here's the thing, I have 2 identical Ibanez RGs, both 400-series with 3-piece maple neck, rosewood board with the sharktooth inlays, both have the Edge Zero II trem.

However, one is swamp ash with a very thin natural satin finish (almost like an oiled finish, but probably just a very thin poly coat). The other is the more traditional basswood body with a painted finish (white, if that matters).

Both came stock with Infinity pickups (granted, the swamp ash one has the Alnico V models, the basswood has the Ceramic ones).

But here's the thing: when I bought the swamp ash one, I couldn't get rid of the stock pickups fast enough, the thing was MUDDY as hell, no clarity. After redoing all the electronics and leaving just a CTS 500k volume knob (no tone) and a Seymour Duncan Alternative 8 pickup, then it became usable. At the time I blamed the lower quality trem.

Enter the basswood one... that thing is BRIGHT. Instant 80's metal tone, no muddiness on this one, with all stock electronics.

And here's the thing: the difference is clearly audible unplugged, so it's not the electronics. The swamp ash one sounds darker naturally, nothing I can do about it except use brighter pickups.

But isn't swamp ash supposed to be a brighter tone compared to basswood?

My point: although woods make a difference, it's not as predictable as one may think. Some alder/maple Fenders are dull, some all-mahogany Gibsons are bright as hell.
Buy the one that sounds the best, forget what wood species is under the finish, just play it and feel it and go with the one that speaks to you.

 

[ZeroS1gnol]

Ah this debate...lovely. While it's a pointless debate, love to say a few things...

Tonewood probably does affect tone to some extend, but you should ask yourself how much compared to the impact of a pickup swap, your playing ability and the amp you are using. Tonewood impact is very marginal compared to those things.

Even if type of tonewood would impact your tone a lot, then for example not every piece of basswood RG will sound the same. Hence Badside's argument that his RGs sound different unplugged because they are different types of wood is not completely correct - it's just because they're different pieces of wood in the first place. My 3 basswood RGs also don't sound the same, due to different wood density/weight and all.

How a guitar sounds unplugged is really pointless, because you are going to use it for its plugged capabilities.

To make a choice, I'd just choose a guitar that looks good and plays well, then put pickups in it to get the tone you desire. Tonewood has absolutely almost no impact on this.

 

[Badside]

Hence Badside's argument that his RGs sound different unplugged because they are different types of wood is not completely correct - it's just because they're different pieces of wood in the first place. My 3 basswood RGs also don't sound the same, due to different wood density/weight and all.

Mostly my argument was that the ash bodied RG did not sound brighter like it "should", hence: you can't predict

 

[ZeroS1gnol]

Mostly my argument was that the ash bodied RG did not sound brighter like it "should", hence: you can't predict

Then we kind of agree, every piece of wood is different, even if it came from the same type of tree.