A question about electric guitars

[Edgar Poe]

In regards to SOLID body electric guitars unplugged has a much less effect on how a guitar sounds than does the acoustic properties of acoustic guitars. Sound comes from vibrations, obviously not all wood vibrates exactly the same, also the shape can effect the vibration.
Basically that is why electric guitars rely heavily on external effects. NOT ALL PLAYERS, just many that depend on effects to make up for lack of more refined skills.

Ed

[perttime]

Originally Posted by PTony

I’d respectfully pose the question that if the pickups are what make the sound of an electric guitar than why use a variety of woods? That would suggest that any guitar maker could streamline their builds into either mahogany, or alder, korina, etc. and not offer a variety of wood choices.

....

The pickups pick up what the strings are doing. The body and neck, and the way they are joined, affect what the strings are doing. The effect on tone might, or might not, be hugely important but the effect on sustain can be significant.

[PTony]

Originally Posted by perttime

The pickups pick up what the strings are doing. The body and neck, and the way they are joined, affect what the strings are doing. The effect on tone might, or might not, be hugely important but the effect on sustain can be significant.

I agree as to sustain...but, I’d find it hard to imagine that wood choices don’t effect tone. Im certain that an all maple SG, or a Flying V made of Alder rather than Korina would produce different tones.

I also agree that how the strings respond would effect what the pickups produce tonally. Yet, the strings are going to respond differently to different wood combinations/density of the material/how resonant the particular wood choice is, hence effecting how the strings respond, which ultimately effect what the pickups produce.

[KevWind]

As many have noted more or less , the answer to the question posed in the OP is......... Yes you have made the wrong assumption BUT.

From the perspective of the science of the physics involved in both acoustical and electrical/electronic sound propagation and from a technical standpoint "Everything" in the signal path has some effect on the sound. (this is true in musical instruments as well as sound reproduction systems)

The amount of the effect and how noticeable it is, is the question. As noted the sound of the wood itself in solid body electric guitar is going to affect the the sound either plugged or unplugged but far less noticeable than in a hollow/semi hollow body electric, and significantly less than with an acoustic guitar

[Jaden]

I’ve noticed quite a bit of variation in sustain among the solid body electric guitars that have passed my way: without amplification one in particular choked off certain chords/ frequencies after full diagnostic set up. My present CV VB 50s Tele has sustain and everything works together in spades, my previous same model did not and had serious problems no regular set up could fix. Recognizing variations in sustain comes with practice I have found.

[imwjl]

Years later and after owning a few Stratocasters and Telecaster ranging from Squieir to US and Thin Skin I started to wonder if the hardware quality is part of the unplugged liveliness.

When I first experienced Collings electrics I realized everything can add up to make the instrument amazing whether unplugged or plugged in.

Setup comes to mind too. I owned a hardly used AM Deluxe Fender. When I first recognized it in a luthier shop the owner said come back after he has a chance to set it up. That made a significant difference. Our bodies and brains respond to that too.

Really, I think it's just a situation where you should buy and keep what knocks you out.