H140, mahogany vs maple cap

[Rockrink]

I'm interested in opinions on the tonal differences from those who've played both.

[Yooper]

Some will say the body wood doesn't make a difference in sound. Others say every guitar is different.

 

I've had two 57 reissue LPs. One with, and one without, a maple cap. Same with Carvin CT models. Both had the same pickups as its counterpart. I found the maple caps provided brighter tone and more bite. The all hog bodies have a warmer sound.

 

I preferred the maple cap on the LP and the all mahogany Carvin.

[DC Ron]

In my experience, the tonal difference is on average relatively small, but distinct. There are many other features that are just as important to tone, maybe more so. Opinions will vary...

[HANGAR18]

Once upon a time, there was some guy named Les Paul, who came up with this idea of joining a thick slab of Mahogany to a proportionally thinner slab of Maple to the top (which then got carved into a nice shape) of his solid body guitar design. At the time, he thought so much of the tone that this particular combination produced in his guitars that he considered the practice to be a proprietary breakthrough technology and hid this new technology from his competitors as best he could by painting his guitars with Gold Tops in order to conceal the Maple.

 

Guitar tone is produced by a combination of all the factors which go into the whole picture, including not only the materials for the fit, finish, pickups and amplifier... and room acoustics.

[Kuz]

Once upon a time, there was some guy named Les Paul, who came up with this idea of joining a thick slab of Mahogany to a proportionally thinner slab of Maple to the top (which then got carved into a nice shape) of his solid body guitar design. At the time, he thought so much of the tone that this particular combination produced in his guitars that he considered the practice to be a proprietary breakthrough technology and hid this new technology from his competitors as best he could by painting his guitars with Gold Tops in order to conceal the Maple.

 

Guitar tone is produced by a combination of all the factors which go into the whole picture, including not only the materials for the fit, finish, pickups and amplifier... and room acoustics.

Yet, he really disliked his Les Paul Signature guitar and preferred the SG model..... Which is all mahogany. The mystery continues.....

[davesultra]

Once upon a time, there was some guy named Les Paul, who came up with this idea of joining a thick slab of Mahogany to a proportionally thinner slab of Maple to the top (which then got carved into a nice shape) of his solid body guitar design.

 

Guitar tone is produced by a combination of all the factors which go into the whole picture, including not only the materials for the fit, finish, pickups and amplifier... and room acoustics.

IIRC, Les Paul originally wanted the body of the LP to be Maple with a HOG cap, but the weight was too much.

[HANGAR18]

Yet, he really disliked his Les Paul Signature guitar and preferred the SG model..... Which is all mahogany. The mystery continues.....

 

As I recall my history lessons, The SG's originally had the same Les Paul Model markings on the headstock but he (Les Paul) vehemently disliked that model and demanded that Gibson remove his name from that guitar which we now know as the SG; renamed SG because Les Paul hated it.

[ironmike]

wrong about the gold top, the gold top was chosen so that it would stand out in the black and white movie film and television and grab the eye of the viewer..and also for black and white photography ,that was the only reason..

[Polo]

wrong about the gold top, the gold top was chosen so that it would stand out in the black and white movie film and television and grab the eye of the viewer..and also for black and white photography ,that was the only reason..

 

right about the goldtop, your thinking of tv yellow.

[davesultra]

right about the goldtop, your thinking of tv yellow.

 

+1 True 'dat!

[Kuz]

As I recall my history lessons, The SG's originally had the same Les Paul Model markings on the headstock but he (Les Paul) vehemently disliked that model and demanded that Gibson remove his name from that guitar which we now know as the SG; renamed SG because Les Paul hated it.

Looks like we both might be correct.....

 

"Gibson modified the Les Paul line. For 1961, the Les Paul was thinner and much lighter than earlier models, with two sharply pointed cutaways and a vibrato system. However, the redesign was done without Les Paul's knowledge. Although pleased with the sound, he hated the design, so he asked Gibson to remove his name from the instrument until they fixed the design issue."

[tangyzizzle99]

If I remember correctly he had his name removed because of an ongoing problem with his wife.