It's not my custom made Guitar, but here's one I just bought....

[baimun]

Docs... I was waiting for that from the time I (re)typed "variation from one piece of ash to another changes the tone and feel" [img]wink.gif[/img]

SnB... that's okay. I usually refer to them as "machines" even though they really aren't. [img]tongue.gif[/img] The Ibanez strat that I played through in college had a unique sound that no Ibanez since had... I wonder if it was Ash also, considering that many of their newer guitars are basswood or alder. I HAAAAATE basswood. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[demon138]

awesome. now all you need to do is replace those Seymour Duncan's with some nice Gibson Firebirds, toss out the neck and body and replace it with a Gretsch Anniversary, throw a Bigsby on there and you'll have a sweet fucking guitar [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[DARTH POOH]

Isn't Basswood what the Newer 'Joe Satriani Models' are? I haven't played them , but it sounds familiar, like I read it somewhere.
I played a Joe Satriani back in about '98 that I almost bought, as it played pretty well and I loved the fretboard, but didn't have the cash with me at the time which gave me time to go home and say to myself "do I really need another guitar?"
IOW I got reasonable..Hate when that happens.

[Skull-n-Bones]

bAIMUN..i HAD THE iBANEZ bLAZER SERIES..oops caps lock.

I also worked for Ibanez factory for a while. One half was all Ibanez guitars and the other half of the warehouse was all Tama drums...all made by Hoshino USA. I was the lead custom drum painter..which was a joke to be honest...All I knew was that Imron paint was killer stuff and to stay away from the isotone....

All in all what sounded like a dream job was a sweatshop hell....literally.

[DARTH POOH]

Looking forward to the pics of your Strat BTW Baimun...The stock pic is nice enough, but I always like to see the natural wood from each
guitar.
I have a vintage strat with the maple / gloss, only one I ever played like that and enjoyed..bought it from a bud in need of cash at the time. But I have played the kind you are talking about and they stick to your fingers..sucks!
I actually tend to like the grainy rosewood too
Peeks. I guess to each his own.

[Danathor]

damn dude nice guitar! i just have a yamaha pacifica [img]tongue.gif[/img] cheap guitar but it can play lots [img]wink.gif[/img]

[baimun]

Pooh... yeah, Vai and Satch both use basswood guitars. They can sure shred, but you'll notice that their tone is ALL PICKUP and gain. The body contributes very little to the tone.

To be perfectly honest, those two could probably play on a plastic Kmart guitar and make it sound good [img]wink.gif[/img] ... but honestly, I don't think either one of them have tone that I would consider "great". It just suits their style of play and the loud arenas they play in.

[DARTH POOH]

I'd agree with that. My idea of a rich tone is still best served with a Strat > cord > digital delay >Marshall stack. [img]wink.gif[/img] But I was raised on Ritchie Blackmore so what can I tell you?
I guess I could say Ditto for a good Les Paul too. Again..old fart.. Jimmy Page influence(when he was "on" IOW when the heroin was down to a moderate level in his veins) [img]tongue.gif[/img]
I have an '84 Ibanez Destroyer that also has a pretty sweet tone, but that's pre-"basswood".
I love an Ibanez neck, but I have played the Vai model (Forgot the name, the one with the little handle in it) and I didn't care for it's sound at all. Vai may be able to work miracles with it..but he's Vai [img]wink.gif[/img]