I was having this conversation with an old playing buddy. He claims that if he picks up an electric guitar and it doesn't "sing" acoustically then he won't even plug it in, no matter how nice it plays. I contend that you have no idea how an electric actually sounds unless it is plugged in (and two of mine are absolute crap acoustically but sound magical through an amp, and I've played others that rang out beautifully unplugged but were dogs when jacked). What say you TTR'ers?
I put my ear against the body and listen, I can tell quite a lot about it.
The wood and the shape definitely has the most influence on the sound of an electric guitar.
The pickups are only a reflection of how the guitar wood itself sounds.
The sound quality does not come from the pickups or the electronics.
if you want to call this a "tone wood" argument, go right ahead.
The best sounding electric guitars are from very carefully selected woods.
I have had guitars that sounded totally dead.
And no matter what PUs, or nut, or anything else did not change that at all.
It still sounded dead.
I learned that it's the wood from long experience, much trials, many pickups, and much listening.
It "is" the wood.
If you don't believe this:
try building an electric guitar out of particle board.
Or, plywood for that matter.
Even if you put a $10,000 PU on it, it will still sound like crap. No matter what, it's crap.
PS I know Paul Reed Smith.
He modified my guitar for me many years ago.
He picks the wood by tapping and listening.
So did many other famous Luthiers....including Stradivarius.
Now listen to a kick ass guitar. (because of the wood)
Now check this out:
Paul Reed Smith carved these bass and the guitar by hand.
These are 2 of the fist guitars he ever sold.
Listen to them closely.
