Any opinions on agathis???

[Ianreed99]

I got a new guitar the other day and have fallen in love with it. After a few days of searching I found the solid body I admired so much was made of agathis. I also have a maple bodyand an ash body. Can't really see why all the hate for this wood. I play it acoustic more than plugged in. But everyone compares it to plywood. I have 2 plywood guitars and there not even close to the same.
So any opinions on agathis?

[skydive69]

plywood? really........its a huge tree, has nothing at all in common with plywood, look it up.......

[JoeyM]

Isn't agathis used in boat construction? Never knew they built guitars with it...

[skydive69]

yes, its very resistant to rotting like teak....

[_xxx_]

It's a cheap wood and used in masses for cheap asian guitars. BC Rich use it for many low-end models.

Keep away from it where possible, in terms of tone it's pretty much the worst wood you can use for guitars.

[Rick S]

While it isn't known as a great 'tone wood' it is hardly crap wood. Also, if it sounds good to you then it sounds good.

[Ianreed99]

plywood? really........its a huge tree, has nothing at all in common with plywood, look it up.......

I know it's not plywood I have looked it up. It's a rainforest wood grown in Asia, I think
When I search guitRs made of agathis. I found a lot of people "comparing" it to plywood. I can tell by looking at it it's nit plywood.
I think it's a fairly new material for cheap guitars. It's very soft, judging by the dents in my guitar. Just wondering what other people think of it? In a low budget (solid wood) guitar

[Ianreed99]

While it isn't known as a great 'tone wood' it is hardly crap wood. Also, if it sounds good to you then it sounds good.

I do like the tone it produes. It dosnt sound bad at all to me. (playing unplugged) I will chime Back in on this when I get new pickups.
Ive also heard that some of the ltds coming out now are made of this wood.

[da5hcharl]

one of my first ibanezes was definitely made out of it. usually low end asian guitars that are painted solid colors are made of it.

Usually it's a bit firmer then basswood, so it doesn't dent so much (many of my basswood ibby's have been far more dent prone)

It may depend on the type of bridge and how the neck is affixed. or it may depend on the cut of wood your guit is made out of, or a magic pickup combo.

I always got the impression that agathis was looked down upon because it's an ugly looking wood (don't strip the finish, usually ugly grain and green mineral streaks.) It also doesn't stand out as far as a tone wood with any major characteristics. I guess i'd describe it predominantly (to my ear) as a little bit of a duller and much more cost effective alder.

Hey it beat pine and plywood by a country mile.

[fett]

We all get woodies when talking about tone woods. I can understand that with acoustic guitars. Once you electrify it, you get into weight and balance and electronics and amps and looks and how cool you look. I don't care if the body is made of OSB. If it sounds good unplugged it will sound even better amped.

[Kramer James]

I've only seen it on lower quality imports, never played it myself.... but if it works for you, that's all that matters. Alot of people also bash basswood, but some actually prefer it. Basswood isn't my favorite overall, but the right piece with a JB can produce a killer late 80s early 90s thrash sound that I can't get out of anything else.

[Ianreed99]

Got a new neck on! Now I gotta get some single coils/ pots and were in bussiness. Thanks for your opinions. I supoSe if it's not plywood I'm not to concerned about it being agathis. Ugly wood but the body really seems to be the least important determiner of tone. I'd think fingers, electronics, neck, amp, body, would be the order?
Oh no did I go there??? The "what makes tone question?" I did yep!

[_xxx_]

Actually the body is a major factor for tone, but if you play mostly high-gain with some very hot pups, it's less important.

[da5hcharl]

the type of wood and the size of the body do have some say in tone, especially when you're cleaned up.

smaller body guitars tend to not sustain, especially when fit with a bolt on, and especially when floyded.

you can fix this by adding mass to other things, like that trem, hence brass blocks, and while this adds sustain it brings out the brass and the "chime" in the guitar. you lose some of that warm woody goodness.

the other thing that'll affect the tone of the guitar is the neck and it's thickness. when you build a speed demon with a think neck you sacrifice sustain with that thin neck, and the thinner neck joint.

that's where the rub with the ibanez change over from the square heel to the AANJ come in. sure you have better fret access, but it sounds different to some people.

[Keen Anthony]

I think the whole "plywood" thing in general is just a way of calling something cheap and undesirable. Plywood isn't a bad thing. Think of all we build with plywood, but plywood is cheap, industrial, meant to be used to construct things, though not meant to be appreciated. It's functional, not artistic. I've heard some crappy agathis guitars though, all of which were BC Rich. But really, those BC Rich guitars were 80s and 90s era guitars that had more going against them than just the wood. We often knock basswood as a cheap, undesirable wood, but I love basswood. My basswood guitars (vintage Charvel, Fender, and Ibanez) have been heavy and absolutely toneful. The great thing about basswood is that it's warm and smooth. It really lets the pickups talk in their own voice, I find.

So, the trick is to figure out what agathis' sound is. Is it a warm wood? Does it cuts out mids or boost them?

[dodkrone]

We all get woodies when talking about tone woods. I can understand that with acoustic guitars. Once you electrify it, you get into weight and balance and electronics and amps and looks and how cool you look. I don't care if the body is made of OSB. If it sounds good unplugged it will sound even better amped.

I absolutely agree! I always strike a chord and put my ear up to the body when I try something new out.

[pel666]

Acceptable for low end guitars, slightly warm sound. Not very pronounced tone...Indeed for ultra high gain metal, using very hot or active pickups it works pretty good. But that's the setup where body wood is bypassed as much as possible to get that 'refrigerator' sound. No match for the tone and resonance of South American Mahogany or African Limba for example...

[mmmtacos]

I think any wood type can sound good with the right pup in it.

I tried every one I had in my poplar 5150 (less paintjob) and finally when I dropped the Duncan Dist in it came alive.

This was after a Tone Zone, JB, Custom, 84T (purchased just for this guitar build), and an HP Special pup.

All sounded terrible until I found the right one.