Guitar Adventure/Another d@mn tonewood post

alex1fly

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Hate to rehash age old debates, but couldn't find an answer - do tonewoods affect unplugged tone? I know there's a variety of perspectives on amplified tone and different woods, that there are many other aspects to tone, etc. But I haven't found any specific dialogue on unplugged\acoustic sound. If you "hear the wood" plugged in, do you also "hear the wood" unplugged?

Again, not trying to invoke a battle, just musing. Thanks for indulging.

Extra:
I'm getting to know a couple new (used) mahogany based guitars. I played basically one Strat for all of 18 years so this is a big adventure for me. One Santana SE that appears to have a maple top (2010) and a second that is all mahogany, plus a Custom 24 SE that looks to be all mahogany on the body but with a maple neck. Also a Gibson SG reissue. They're all previously owned, and I'm selling other gear to help pay for them, so I'm having fun comparing and I suppose will have to get rid of at least one (or not).

Alex
 
I would tell you yes, some would tell you no. We all hear differently and have different sounds in our heads.
 
According to PRSh, each component subtracts from the tone. Knocking on a component (providing an impulse) you hear the frequencies less attenuated. If it sounds bassy, then the highs are being more attenuated. Comparing a component made from two different materials, the louder one has less attenuation. It is the sum of the losses for all the components that give the instrument its tone.

So for tone woods, follow the old adage, “knock on wood”.
 
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