30th Anniversary custom 24 (core) with maple neck - how will it sound??

[Deleted member 2284]

Hi guys

Contemplating adding a 30th anniversary to my collection, cause those 85/15 pups just sound amazing.

One option is a maple necked one, but I'm wondering what that will do to the tone (with these new pickups being less full in the lower mids, as I understand it).

I play mostly rock (semi-modern rather than classic).

Anybody have any light to shed on this?

 

[Whitecat]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rQe2vWzzSc

I have one with a birdseye maple neck and African blackwood fretboard and it's pretty spectacular...

 

[Deleted member 2284]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rQe2vWzzSc

I have one with a birdseye maple neck and African blackwood fretboard and it's pretty spectacular...

Thanks!

The audio in that video isn't the best, I'm afraid - I'm wondering if they just used the camera mic to pick up the amp?

Anyway, what style of music do you play mostly?

The guitar I'm contemplating has an ebony fretboard - not quite the same as African blackwood, I take it?

 

[Whitecat]

Thanks!

The audio in that video isn't the best, I'm afraid - I'm wondering if they just used the camera mic to pick up the amp?

Anyway, what style of music do you play mostly?

The guitar I'm contemplating has an ebony fretboard - not quite the same as African blackwood, I take it?

Mainly post-rock/shoegazey/ambient and variants thereof, tonally leaning towards cleans/edge of breakup rather than crazy high-gain - more Hammock than My Bloody Valentine. But I'll break out a Rush riff while I'm noodling without so much as a blink.

Ebony and African blackwood are very similar in terms of feel, actually. I think one would make a fine substitute for the other. Tonally, hard to tell if it's actually that much different, both are snappy and very solid.

 

[Deleted member 2284]

Mainly post-rock/shoegazey/ambient and variants thereof, tonally leaning towards cleans/edge of breakup rather than crazy high-gain - more Hammock than My Bloody Valentine. But I'll break out a Rush riff while I'm noodling without so much as a blink.

Ebony and African blackwood are very similar in terms of feel, actually. I think one would make a fine substitute for the other. Tonally, hard to tell if it's actually that much different, both are snappy and very solid.

Ebony DOES feel very nice under the fingers! I've never put too much stock on the idea that fretboards have a big impact on sound - but in combination with a maple neck, I could (from an academic standpoint) be afraid that it would be "too much"...?

 

[Whitecat]

Ebony DOES feel very nice under the fingers! I've never put too much stock on the idea that fretboards have a big impact on sound - but in combination with a maple neck, I could (from an academic standpoint) be afraid that it would be "too much"...?

I'm with you (probably) - woods are important, but it's more important that it's good wood, well seasoned put together with skill rather than some magical species thing. But, and especially with what I do, which involves crazy numbers of pedals, it's a super minor thing in the tone, and whatever it is or isn't doing will probably be altered with the twist of a knob or even a different pick attack. Feel, though, totally different (and subjective!) between rosewood, ebony (or blackwood!) and maple etc...

 

[WEDGE]

I have a Custom 24, not the 3oth though, that I got recently with a flame maple neck and board and dig the high end it adds, little birghter than my IRW or mahogany neck PRS's that can sound dark sometimes. I do have \m/ pickups which also help it not be dark but I believe the maple contributes also.

 

[Deleted member 2284]

Wedge: Nice fiddle!

Man, no matter the tone, those unfinished maple necks are SO nice in the hand!

 

[guitarman001]

Are 85/15s "better" than 57/08s (the holy grail)?
Would love to hear them side by side.

 

[vchizzle]

I have nothing to contribute other than that guitar is DEAD SEXY!

I have a Custom 24, not the 3oth though, that I got recently with a flame maple neck and board and dig the high end it adds, little birghter than my IRW or mahogany neck PRS's that can sound dark sometimes. I do have \m/ pickups which also help it not be dark but I believe the maple contributes also.

 

[Deleted member 2284]

Are 85/15s "better" than 57/08s (the holy grail)?
Would love to hear them side by side.

I think the 85/15 are supposed to be more modern sounding. I really dig the sound clips I've heard of them.

 

[goat-n-gitter]

I have a P22 with a mahogany neck, IRW fretboard and 57/08s, and a CU24 30th with maple neck, African Blackwood board and 85/15s (identical to Whitecat's, from the same wood library run). I prefer the 57/08 for neck humbucker and "gibby" tones, and the 85/15 for heavy bridge humbucker sounds and the clean tones in the single coil positions. Could be the maple neck that contributes to the more "Fendery" single coil clean tones, I don't know. The 85/15 neck humbucker seems a little more "woofy" without the same "stinging" quality I like from the 57/08 neck under heavy distortion (Mesa MKV lead channel).

Tom

 

[Deleted member 2284]

I have a P22 with a mahogany neck, IRW fretboard and 57/08s, and a CU24 30th with maple neck, African Blackwood board and 85/15s (identical to Whitecat's, from the same wood library run). I prefer the 57/08 for neck humbucker and "gibby" tones, and the 85/15 for heavy bridge humbucker sounds and the clean tones in the single coil positions. Could be the maple neck that contributes to the more "Fendery" single coil clean tones, I don't know. The 85/15 neck humbucker seems a little more "woofy" without the same "stinging" quality I like from the 57/08 neck under heavy distortion (Mesa MKV lead channel).

Tom

Thanks for the input. From what I hear on demos the neck 85/15 is definitely a lot different than a gibby A totally different take, which I do like.

Are your considerations mainly related to rhythm or lead playing (or both equally)?

 

[guitarman001]

I think the 85/15 are supposed to be more modern sounding. I really dig the sound clips I've heard of them.

Man I've GOT to hear them in person. My 57/08s are the BEST and for so long people have been saying they're the holy grail...
59/09s also really excellent.

Surely the difference isn't THAT great?

 

[guitarman001]

I have a P22 with a mahogany neck, IRW fretboard and 57/08s, and a CU24 30th with maple neck, African Blackwood board and 85/15s (identical to Whitecat's, from the same wood library run). I prefer the 57/08 for neck humbucker and "gibby" tones, and the 85/15 for heavy bridge humbucker sounds and the clean tones in the single coil positions. Could be the maple neck that contributes to the more "Fendery" single coil clean tones, I don't know. The 85/15 neck humbucker seems a little more "woofy" without the same "stinging" quality I like from the 57/08 neck under heavy distortion (Mesa MKV lead channel).

Tom

I think it's more the maple neck making the in-between sounds more quacky, no? Hard to tell with two different neck woods.

 

[Deleted member 2284]

Man I've GOT to hear them in person. My 57/08s are the BEST and for so long people have been saying they're the holy grail...
59/09s also really excellent.

Surely the difference isn't THAT great?

Dunno - maybe not?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOiDwXo-SuM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SEp6JNz0V4

 

[goat-n-gitter]

Michael, as a standalone humbucker in the neck position, I think I like the 57/08 better for both lead and rhythm. I tend to use the various dual pickup settings more for clean rhythm than the neck alone, the bridge for most dirty rhythm, and either the neck or bridge alone for heavy leads, but there are always exceptions.
Guitarman, you may well be right about the maple neck's influence on the quacky sounds, hard to know without swapping pickups between my two guitars. The 22 vs. 24 fret factor may play into it as well, or the hardtail vs. trem factor.
I know I could be perfectly happy with either model pickup. Each guitar just has a very slight edge in certain areas over the other.

Tom

 

[Deleted member 2284]

I think it's more the maple neck making the in-between sounds more quacky, no? Hard to tell with two different neck woods.

Hard to tell, yes

Bear in mind (regarding Fender comparisons) that the CU24 30th are set necks rather than bolt ons (smarter men than me may know how much - if any - that affects tone. Smarter men than me may also be imagining things - I have no idea ).

 

[Deleted member 2284]

Michael, as a standalone humbucker in the neck position, I think I like the 57/08 better for both lead and rhythm. I tend to use the various dual pickup settings more for clean rhythm than the neck alone, the bridge for most dirty rhythm, and either the neck or bridge alone for heavy leads, but there are always exceptions.
Guitarman, you may well be right about the maple neck's influence on the quacky sounds, hard to know without swapping pickups between my two guitars. The 22 vs. 24 fret factor may play into it as well, or the hardtail vs. trem factor.
I know I could be perfectly happy with either model pickup. Each guitar just has a very slight edge in certain areas over the other.

Tom

Thanks for the clarification

 

[guitarman001]

Ah, 22 frets will definitely make it more quackier I would have thought, but then it's 22 frets on a hog neck so the waters are still muddied.

Michael_DK - thanks, I'll listen to those two vids later

I think tone is more down to wood & pups than set/bolt-on neck. I prefer set necks (though bolt-on are easier to fix)