What Wood Are Fender Strats Made Of?

Most commonly alder or ash . Other woods have also been used. Most commonly maple or rosewood.

What wood is a Fender Stratocaster made of?

Alder is the most common choice for Stratocasters, Jaguars and Jazzmasters as well as the Jazz Bass due to its warmer balanced tone. More specifically, Red Alder is used by Fender as it is fast growing and readily available.

What wood are Fender guitars made of?

Typically, the bodies are composed of ash or alder , but could be made with others, such as maple, rosewood, ebony, or mahogany, depending on the specific model. Certain models come from a single block of wood. For others, two or three blocks are glued together before cutting.

Is alder a heavy wood?

Alder. ... It’s a medium-weight wood , although quality cuts of alder used for guitar bodies will often weigh less than denser cuts of ash. Alder has a strong, clear, full-bodied sound, with beefy mids and excellent lows. Its highs sizzle slightly, but are rarely harsh, and it offers a decent amount of sustain.

Does Fender use poplar wood?

Fender guitars were orignially in poplar but the furnture boom in the ’60’s made poplar to scarce and so fender switched to alder.

What wood are Mexican Strats made of?

Wood. One of the significant differences between the Mexican and American Strat is the wood used for their bodies. The American one has a three-piece body made of ash while the Mexican is made with alder .

Why is Fender not using ash?

In an interview with Guitar World, Fender’s Executive Vice President of Product, Justin Norvell, revealed that the difficult decision was made largely because of the Emerald Ash Borer beetle , a non-native invasive pest that has been destroying the unique “swamp ash” found in the American South – favored by Fender for ...

Is ash more expensive than alder?

The big difference is that ash is so much lighter thatn alder. That’s what makes it favorable for a guitar body. It is a tad bitter more expensive than alder , that’s why you never see it on low end guitars.

What wood is used for guitar body?

Basswood is another popular choice for the body of an electric guitar. This tonewood is relatively lightweight, and soft in comparison to the other popularly used materials. It’s easily sourced, and affordable. For this reason, basswood is commonly used for the body of budget, entry-level electric guitars.

Does Fender still make guitars?

Is alder an expensive wood?

One of the biggest benefits of alder wood is the cost. It’s not quite as cheap as it used to be when it was referred to as “poor man’s cherry,” but there’s still a considerable price difference between it and more expensive hardwoods, such as mahogany. Alder is about in the middle of the road of hardwood prices .

What wood is closest to alder?

Poplar is probably closer overall in grain and character to Alder, and is readily available at home improvement stores.

Is alder a good wood?

Alder can be a good wood to use for wide plank floors that are distressed , however. ... Those who want a highly durable floor can turn to Santos mahogany, which is much stronger than oak and often is used to make furniture.” “It’s a very dense wood and has a rich color,” Lessick said.

Is poplar wood heavier than alder?

Re: Alder vs Poplar

One is so heavy that I just don’t play it anymore. Every alder body I’ve used, however, is significantly lighter than any of the poplar bodies I’ve used. In my experience, though, poplar and alder sound almost identical, regardless of weight.

What is the difference between alder and poplar wood?

Fairly close to alder in look, feel and sound, poplar is a sort of ‘soft’ hardwood. Even though poplar is tonally similar to alder, it’s not as dynamic and exciting, resulting in a rather unexciting tone. ...

Are poplar guitar bodies any good?

Poplar is just as good as any other wood for electric guitars . Though, as mentioned by others, it does tend to be a softer wood, so it would likely take damage with a hard fall.