Alike Yet So Different...

[Bogner]

Anybody Ever Sit Back And Ponder This In Detail? How Can Something Be So Similar Yet So Different At The Same Time? What Am I Referring To? Guitars Of Course! Strats, Tele's, Single Cuts And So On. How Can They Be So Similar Yet So Different? Even More Intriguing Is How Can The Same Exact Model Be So Similar Yet Completely Different?

 

[d4rkst4r]

Great point....even more trippy to me is that those subtleties can actually be noticed by some lost on others.

 

[Bogner]

Great point....even more trippy to me is that those subtleties can actually be noticed by some lost on others.

Ahhh....Very True!

Some Evoke Different Styles And Tones And So Forth Yet The Strings, Woods, Etc. Etc. Could All Be The Same. Very Interesting To Me!

 

[deepender]

Ahhh....Very True!

Some Evoke Different Styles And Tones And So Forth Yet The Strings, Woods, Etc. Etc. Could All Be The Same. Very Interesting To Me!

This treads into the popcorn inducing discussion involving wood tone characteristics. The videos of guitars made from 2x4s and cardboard ought to show up any minute.
I am of the party that believes in the theory of subtle differences in wood density, coil winding idiosyncrasies, tight or loose joints, thickness of finishes, etc., all have a hand in creating that “magic” that some guitars have and some identical guitars don’t. I’ve even seen differences in old verses new guitars; especially in much played versus case creatures. And I have to believe that the guy who puts his name on these guitars believes pretty much the same, since he is constantly working on bringing more “magic” out of his guitars.

 

[Lewguitar]

My mom and dad made both me and my brother out of the same selection of raw materials and shared DNA.

We do look similar.

But we resonate and vibrate differently.

 

[FragileThunder]

Sure, I'll play!

If we ask:

How Can Something Be So Similar Yet So Different At The Same Time?

And accept that:

....even more trippy to me is that those subtleties can actually be noticed by some lost on others.

We come to understand that the answer to the specific question in the OP, as it relates to guitars, is really found in the truth that we are made:

...out of the same selection of raw materials and shared DNA.

But we resonate and vibrate differently.

Things can be so similar yet so different precisely because the filter through which we view them features the fatal flaw of being human. "All else remains equal" requires the lens to be identical, which becomes an impossibility when more than one human is involved. Therefore the reality of those differences, subtleties and variances yielded by that same selection of raw materials is governed only by your own mind and how it resonates and vibrates. Beauty, beholder and all that.

Hmmm...nice work FT, that almost doesn't sound like a load of BS you just made up.

 

[Lewguitar]

Things can be so similar yet so different precisely because the filter through which we view them features the fatal flaw of being human. "All else remains equal" requires the lens to be identical, which becomes an impossibility when more than one human is involved. Therefore the reality of those differences, subtleties and variances yielded by that same selection of raw materials is governed only by your own mind and how it resonates and vibrates. Beauty, beholder and all that.

Hmmm...nice work FT, that almost doesn't sound like a load of BS you just made up.

I dunno if there's a soul without limits in each body (like a Buddha/Christ) being limited and filtered through that brain and body, or what the deal is.

But I think we're a lot more than we think we are.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

How Can Something Be So Similar Yet So Different At The Same Time?

Ironic that we’re discussing this here, in the forum of a guy who has based his life on the pursuit of this very question .

 

[FragileThunder]

I dunno if there's a soul without limits in each body (like a Buddha/Christ) being limited and filtered through that brain and body, or what the deal is.

But I think we're a lot more than we think we are.

Humans: The only species to think it is superior to every other one on the planet and still fail to live up to its potential.

 

[Greywolf]

my rosewood neck McSoapy and my standard 10 while similar in ways have a much different vibe.

 

[deepender]

My mom and dad made both me and my brother out of the same selection of raw materials and shared DNA.

We do look similar.

But we resonate and vibrate differently.

My twin sister sounded much different than me.

 

[deepender]

Sure, I'll play!

If we ask:


And accept that:


We come to understand that the answer to the specific question in the OP, as it relates to guitars, is really found in the truth that we are made:


Things can be so similar yet so different precisely because the filter through which we view them features the fatal flaw of being human. "All else remains equal" requires the lens to be identical, which becomes an impossibility when more than one human is involved. Therefore the reality of those differences, subtleties and variances yielded by that same selection of raw materials is governed only by your own mind and how it resonates and vibrates. Beauty, beholder and all that.

Hmmm...nice work FT, that almost doesn't sound like a load of BS you just made up.

Impressive…

 

[László]

One Day In Acoustics Class

"So who can tell me why guitars sound different from one another?"

"Oooo! Ooo! I know! I got this! Call on me, professor!"

"OK...Laz......what's the answer?"

"It's the result of natural selection, natural enabling and preordination."

"Whaaat?"

"Well, it's like this: We want to select more than one guitar, but it's only natural to make a selection of more than one if they sound different. Nature enabled us to select several guitars by preordaining that they sound different from one another."

"So you're saying Nature preordained your guitar shopping habit by making guitars sound different from one another so you and your internet buddies could shop for more guitars?"

"Exactly."

"Laz, you didn't take any of the prerequisite science courses before enrolling in this class, did you?"

"I didn't need to. Because I know stuff already."

"I see. I suggest you drop this course."

 

[Bogner]

This treads into the popcorn inducing discussion involving wood tone characteristics. The videos of guitars made from 2x4s and cardboard ought to show up any minute.
I am of the party that believes in the theory of subtle differences in wood density, coil winding idiosyncrasies, tight or loose joints, thickness of finishes, etc., all have a hand in creating that “magic” that some guitars have and some identical guitars don’t. I’ve even seen differences in old verses new guitars; especially in much played versus case creatures. And I have to believe that the guy who puts his name on these guitars believes pretty much the same, since he is constantly working on bringing more “magic” out of his guitars.

I Firmly Believe That Everything Matters To Some Degree. It Is Fascinating To Ponder.

 

[Moondog Wily]

Category	Genetic Similarity
Humans and Humans	99.9%
Humans and Chimps	98.8%
Humans and Dogs	94%
Humans and Cats	90%
Humans and Cows	80%
Humans and Fruit Flies	60%
Humans and Bananas	60%

This is NOT DNA similarity, but genetic similarity. However, it reinforces the idea that things can be VERY similar, but worlds apart!

 

[László]

Category	Genetic Similarity
Humans and Humans	99.9%
Humans and Chimps	98.8%
Humans and Dogs	94%
Humans and Cats	90%
Humans and Cows	80%
Humans and Fruit Flies	60%
Humans and Bananas	60%

This is NOT DNA similarity, but genetic similarity. However, it reinforces the idea that things can be VERY similar, but worlds apart!

I can't help noticing that a dog will hump just about anything. Other dogs, anyone's leg, a tree, whatever.

There must be a connection.

Woof.

 

[Bogner]

I can't help noticing that a dog will hump just about anything. Other dogs, anyone's leg, a tree, whatever.

There must be a connection.

Woof.

The Question Is This Though...Is Said Dog Humping With "Tone Wood" And If So, What Tone Is It? Hopefully It Is Not B Flat...

 

[Lewguitar]

Humans: The only species to think it is superior to every other one on the planet and still fail to live up to its potential.

I sure don't feel that way. My dogs look up to me but they're the ones giving all the unconditional love.

 

[Ed Gardella]

It’s the wood … ridiculously inconsistent. Go to a big box store, blindfold yourself and have a rep put 4 identical models in front of you. You will inevitably pick one as your favorite. One will have more “life” than the others. Before you take off the blindfold, say a prayer that you haven’t selected the pink hello kitty model.

 

[Lewguitar]

It’s the wood … ridiculously inconsistent. Go to a big box store, blindfold yourself and have a rep put 4 identical models in front of you. You will inevitably pick one as your favorite. One will have more “life” than the others. Before you take off the blindfold, say a prayer that you haven’t selected the pink hello kitty model.

That's how I bought my SE Silver Sky. I played every one in the store both unplugged and plugged in. And I compared them to the CORE Silver Skys too.

One always stands out. Has a little more life. Rings longer. Sounds deeper.

A lot really is the body wood. Lighter usually sounds better to me. But not always.

A lot is the hardware and set up too.

Now that I've upgraded my SE Silver Sky with locking tuners and '61 style pickups, it's easily as nice as a CORE model.

I've compared it. It really is.

I didn't change the vibrato though. I like the two point system the SE came with better than the more finicky vintage style 6 screw mount.