What is swamp ash?

[titansfan4196]

What is swamp ash, and how does it sound compared to other woods? How would it sound with a maple neck?

 

[László]

As to what it is, the internet is your friend:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraxinus_pennsylvanica

As to how it sounds, it’s the wood lots of (and most especially) early Telecasters and Strats were made from.

So with a maple neck, there’s your tone direction, though PRS guitars won’t sound like Strats and Teles because of the many differences, they lean a bit that way.

I’ve had a couple of Swamp Ash Specials with that wood combination, both with maple and roswewood fretboards. They’re really good guitars.

 

[veinbuster]

Swamp ash makes for a really nice guitar. I agree with Les that it can get close to the strat space, especially with 3 pickups.

 

[xjbebop]

it's the best tone wood ever....

 

[Alnus Rubra]

it's the best tone wood ever....

Yay “tone-wood” hand grenade alert!!

 

[elvis]

It was the cheapest wood Leo Fender could find to build guitars out of. Luckily, it tends to hold up well and give a bright, snappy tone, vs. the more mid-focused mahogany.

I love it, have had lots of ash guitars. I pair it with maple necks and fretboards to get punchy, edgy tone and dynamics.

 

[bodia]

How would it sound with a maple neck? One word; GLORIOUS!!!!!

 

[Casi1]

What is swamp ash, and how does it sound compared to other woods? How would it sound with a maple neck?

It sounds really good but if you want specifics, it depends on what body/neck woods you are comparing the sound to (ie maple neck with mahogany, alder, korina, koa, etc). It can sound brighter than one and boomier than another. Personally, swamp ash body with maple neck is one of my favorite combinations. You can find some really nice comparison vids on youtube to give you a better idea.