Slab Mahogany Bodies

[Rocky4]

I've got a humbuckered LP Special SL. A slab mahogany body with two humbuckers. The Explorer, V, and to a lesser extent, the SG, all have the same configuration. Does the body shape lend anything to the sound, or are the differences visual only, apart from upper neck access. Can you hear a guitar and say "That's a V?"

[Malchik]

Yeah, we can all have a long debate throwing around the word "tone" liberally, but I find the pickups, amp, wood species, etc. to be more tone effecting than body shapes.

 

A Gibson sounds like a Gibson, and a Fender sounds like a Fender. Why? Wood species and pickups.

[stein]

In addition to the above, the weight, or the mass has an impact.

 

For example, an SG will have a thinner body than the LP. It will weigh less. Also, where the neck meets the body. A longer neck has less support.

[Duende]

We're lucky too with an electric guitar over an acoustic... not enough treble in the guitar's tone? - turn up the treble on the amp

 

With the right graphic eq manipulation you can fool people into thinking the guitar is something completely different! - I have a recording somewhere of me playing some country on my flying v - the eq was altered and you'd think it was a tele!

 

I sense a fun guess the guitar game coming on

 

Matt

[DiamondJig]

When I hear "slab" I think thick and large, one big piece of wood. I have a LP SPL DC with what I would call a "slab" body, my SG are too thin. V's and Explr are thick but the shape does take a way a little, not too much with the Explr. The RD would also be a slab. IMHO

[pfox14]

There was a time way back when Ted McCarty used the term "slab guitar" as an insult to Fender. Guess he turned out to be wrong.

[Riffster]

All other things equal guitars of the same wood will sound different from each other based on body mass and where the neck meets the body.

 

I have an all mahogany Explorer, SG and Les Paul, they simply resonate differently because of the neck and body mass. Some of those differences do come through the amp, they all sound good and they all they they pros and cons.