What Makes Guitars Sound Like The Do
Anyone who plays a Telecaster, Stratocaster, Les Paul, PRS or Rickenbacker will quickly notice that they all have a distinctive sound. The sounds of these different guitars are legendary and iconic. We associate them with the music and artists we love. So what goes into these guitars that make them sound different from each other? They all have 6 strings (well most do) and are made primarily from wood (well again most are). So why do they sound different? Which aspects make a difference?
I have read for many years how some makers, players, collectors and guitar buffs with claim that ONLY the pickups matter or that its the “tone” wood or that its the nitro finish…