Pickups. Neck scale. Set or fixed neck? Hard tail or tremolo? Body and neck mass. Heck, finish. We talk about these factors regularly, as they all affect a guitar’s tone but, of course, so does the wood. When you combine the elements of the above with the effects of specific tonewoods, the sounds you can achieve can be wonderfully varied.
Alder
I love alder. If you like single coils, you’re probably a fan, too, as it’s commonly used with Fender-type guitars. Alder somehow manages to impart a very strong midrange without calling attention to it, as the top end is very present and the lows are muscular. The grain is no great shakes so you’ll usually find it used in guitars with opaque finishes.
Ash
Another favorite among builders of single coil guitars, ash is lighter than alder and more resonant. The extended, airier top end can be very flattering. The lack of low-end oomph makes it a less rocking choice than the aforementioned alder, but the midrange is complex in a very cool way (although I’ve heard similar complexities in alder guitars with tremolos). Ash also has a very appealing grain, and you’ll often find ash guitars covered in transparent finishes. Swamp ash is a common variant, and the name comes from the fact that the trees from which it’s harvested have root systems that are underwater. Swamp ash is considered to be a little softer and smoother.
Mahogany
The wood of rawk. Frequently used as the main body wood in humbucker-equipped guitars, mahogany’s tone is dark and meaty, and the midrange takes up a lot of sonic landscape. It’s often used to make necks for those same guitars. Sonically, this wood can get spongey, but that’s why Gibson (and others) wind bridge pickups. That’s also why it’s often paired with …
Maple
A maple top paired with a mahogany body is a common combo; it’s also frequently used in semi-hollow body guitars, where its weight is minimized and its durability is maximized. Maple has a very bright attack so, when it’s combined with mahogany, you can get rich mids and low end from the latter while extending your top end via the maple. You’ll get a similar effect from a maple fret board with no cap—the attack is brighter and more percussive. The amount of snap that an all-maple neck gives you is pretty surprising if you’re used to…
Rosewood
George Harrison had an all-rosewood Tele, but the rest of us typically encounter it as a fret board on a maple neck. Rosewood has a very balanced tone. It feels a little spongier than maple, and the attack is notably smoother.
Basswood
For reasons perhaps lost to the mists of time, basswood has been considered a less desirable wood than ash or alder, but it offers a balanced tone that’s reminiscent of the latter, with a slightly more muted top end and a slightly softer low end (and I do mean “slightly”). Also like alder, the grain is nothing to write home about. That said, while basswood is frequently used by American companies for their offshore models, some builders use basswood in their top of the line builds, and do so proudly.
Korina
When you’re used to the other woods mentioned here, the even tonal balance of korina can seem odd. The present, almost-but-not-quite bright top end blends into the clear midrange, which slowly gives way to a full-but-unobtrusive low end. In other words, it seems very neutral without any notable quirks. Korina sustains nicely and isn’t too heavy, which made it a great choice for Gibson’s Explorers and Firebirds.
Pine
Pine’s been making a comeback lately. Presumably it fell out of favor because it’s a softer (thus less durable) wood. However, it can sound very nice, and, to my ears, is to ash what basswood is to alder: a less extreme variation. Pine has a gentle but present top end, is open in the midrange, and has a modest—not to say anemic—low end.
Walnut
Walnut is less common these days, but it offers a tone that’s similar to mahogany’s but with a little more definition: the low end is firmer, and the midrange and high end are a little more articulate. It also has a more attractive grain.
Ebony
A not-uncommon “upgrade” for fret boards, ebony looks and sounds similar to the more common rosewood. It has a very smooth-but-substantial feel than the more common rosewood. The lows are a little meatier, and the highs are slightly extended.
As you ponder the above, consider this information a piece of the puzzle. Putting together a guitar is, in some ways, a battle of inches, and you can use your choice of tonewood to complement pickup configurations, or to offset or enhance neck scale, ergonomics and, yes, aesthetics. With all the options we have available to us today, once you’ve determined what you want to get out of your wood you can probably create the right combination of elements to make the guitar of your dreams.