Question about basic guitar construction.

[panther]

We all talk about the type wood, how the grain runs Glues, finishes, pickups, fixed vs bolt on necks, etc.
It seems to me the goal is to get the optimum vibration out of the best possible string, with as little outside interference. It seems that the ultimate guitar would be made out of one solid piece of steel.
Just a point to ponder any comments ? What in your opinion, would make the ultimate guitar regardless of weight or appearance.
Dan

[MWaldorf]

That might make the most efficient guitar, but, just as tube amps are loved because of their engineering shortcomings, so too are guitars. The nature of the various types of construction adds character that reduces efficiency of sound reproduction, but effects timbre in ways we perceive, totally subjectively, as pleasing.

[gooberman]

Interesting topic...I don't think string vibration is completely related to body type. Really the string is tensioned between two points (nut and bridge), for optimal string vibration I would think those two points should be perfect.

[Sarah93003]

I've been lucky to have played a wide variety of guitars and been exposed to guitars of all kinds of materials. In my humble opinion it is more a factor of the quality of the componants and the quality of workmanship in building it.

For example if you like wood, it can be as simple as:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SohWrnzYqAk

I think Jack White would like that one!

Or heavy metal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3V50B1FzZA

Or fiberglass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS0JmdtUzKk

Or plastic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RdovFMnUwc

Or Carbon Fiber

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_WzrBbC ... re=related

or Ceramic (I wouldn't want to drop this one!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqln-Qdw00Y

Or Bamboo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqEfa9hAAMo



Yep, they all sound fine.

[panther]

We all talk about the type wood, how the grain runs Glues, finishes, pickups, fixed vs bolt on necks, etc.
It seems to me the goal is to get the optimum vibration out of the best possible string, with as little outside interference. It seems that the ultimate guitar would be made out of one solid piece of steel.
Just a point to ponder any comments ? What in your opinion, would make the ultimate guitar regardless of weight or appearance.
Dan

Personally I think the shape and composition of every guitar has all of the effect on how it sounds. That Is why to me the ultimate guitar would not be able to vibrate when the strings are plucked. That is what gives each type guitar it uniqueness, it individual capability to resonate at it own frequency. To get the true sound of the strings, the guitar itself must not vibrate at all, which is almost, if not impossible to create.
Dan

[olrocknroller]

Oh yeah! Material is one of the biggest parts of my experiments...I've built bodies out of aluminum, MDF, maple, walnut ash, oak, and necks out of maple and walnut...every one has responded differently to being strung up and played, all pleasing in their own ways, the aluminum mellow, and full of mid's, maple clear and crisp, walnut warm, with more of an acoustic resonance, ash clean and crisp, oak. big mid's and a bit boomy...

I have two HitchHikers, one is the painted version with tremolo, the other has Nokie's patented bridge with quilt maple and ash body. Although both guitars are thru-body maple necks, the sound is noticeably sharper/thinner on the painted guitar...and the best part is, I use them for different types of playing because of the sound differences.

As they say in France..."Vive la difference!"