DeTrumpify yourself app

[stevil]

When it comes to electric guitars, the wood used in construction can have a significant impact on the instrument’s overall tone and performance. Different woods can produce different timbres, and so choosing the right wood for your guitar is an important consideration. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most common woods used in electric guitars, and discuss their sonic characteristics.​

​

The Different Woods Used In Electric Guitars – Mozart Project

www.mozartproject.org

It's certainly a misnomer, a belief spread from guitarist to guitarist without any substance.

 

[Bradskii]

I would say wandering around the store, conspicuously scanning barcodes, and then when the big picture of Trump with the red X shows up saying "That's made in the USA, so I'll put that back" (and desperately hoping someone will ask what they're doing so they can tell them all about it or race home and brag about it on facebook) would qualify.

This is nothing more than effectively saying, when you put the Jack Daniels back on the shelf and reach for the Canadian Club 'Hey, Trump? Go stick it where the sun don't shine'.

I guess if someone flips you the bird when you cut him off in traffic and your kid says 'Daddy, what's that man doing?' you can tell her 'Well, umm. He's just virtue signaling, dear'

 

[probinson]

It's certainly a misnomer, a belief spread from guitarist to guitarist without any substance.

Cool video. I especially appreciate his scientific approach by slowly narrowing down the differences between the various types of guitars he built and tested.

 

[probinson]

This is nothing more than effectively saying, when you put the Jack Daniels back on the shelf and reach for the Canadian Club 'Hey, Trump? Go stick it where the sun don't shine'.

How does not buying Jack Daniels in any way harm Trump? Now not only are you doing something that is, by your own admission, completely futile, but your futility is aimed at the wrong target.

 

[Bradskii]

It's certainly a misnomer, a belief spread from guitarist to guitarist without any substance.

Fascinating. I'm a pretty average guitar player. But I know that there are multiple reasons why there are subtle differences in tone. From pickup and amp (obviously) to the condition of your cable, the material of the connections, string construction, tension, age, how clean they are, spacing, thickness, the action, pick material and thickness, strength of the neck, down to humidity and temperature. Even the mood you're in when you play. It's a huge list. And one aspect will affect another. And the differences are sometimes so tiny as to be meaningless.

And I will include what wood has been used for the body. But that would be so far down on the list of variables that it would be swamped by all the others. I'd say that it would have as much difference as the colour of the laces on your running shoes would have in running a marathon.

I will note that the type of wood might have an impact on the weight of the guitar. And that will influence your playing to some extent.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

This is nothing more than effectively saying, when you put the Jack Daniels back on the shelf and reach for the Canadian Club 'Hey, Trump? Go stick it where the sun don't shine'.

I guess if someone flips you the bird when you cut him off in traffic and your kid says 'Daddy, what's that man doing?' you can tell her 'Well, umm. He's just virtue signaling, dear'

The difference being, when someone flips you off in traffic, you actually see it.

When you buy some other brand of soda than Faygo, 3,000 miles away, to "stick it to Trump", he doesn't know the difference. Which means, that it's for the benefit of showing other people.


It's like wearing a "Proud to be Vegan shirt" to a PETA meeting, and claiming "no, it's not to virtue signal or brag about on social media... it's to 'flip the bird' to the owner of the steakhouse 50 miles up the road" (who will never see it, and doesn't likely even know that individual exists)


If it's not virtue signaling, at best, it's flipping the bird to someone who will never see it. Might was well just go to an empty parking lot and yell "I hate Trump, look at how cool I am"

 

[stevil]

How does not buying Jack Daniels in any way harm Trump? Now not only are you doing something that is, by your own admission, completely futile, but your futility is aimed at the wrong target.

If people in countries that Trump is putting tariffs on, retaliate by not buying USA products, then USA will find their approach of putting tariffs onto countries results not only in high inflation in USA but also results in lower export sales and hence increased Trade deficits.

People volunteering to buy less USA products means that we can avoid inflation in our own countries (because we are not necessarily putting retaliatory Tarrifs back onto USA products), but can also punish USA for putting tarrifs on our exports to USA.

You can call that "virtue signalling" if you want, I don't care. But I'm not going to take the bait, get worried about being accused of "virtue signalling" and just roll over and take USA extorting my country and do nothing about it.

 

[stevil]

I will note that the type of wood might have an impact on the weight of the guitar. And that will influence your playing to some extent.

The guitar is on a strap around your neck and shoulders. It doesn't impact your arms, hands and fingers and hence your playing.

Of course you don't want a guitar with a wobbly neck, and you don't want a guitar shape that makes it difficult to get to some of the higher frets but other than that, the guitar body is totally unimportant.

 

[probinson]

If people in countries that Trump is putting tariffs on, retaliate by not buying USA products, then USA will find their approach of putting tariffs onto countries results not only in high inflation in USA but also results in lower export sales and hence increased Trade deficits.

People volunteering to buy less USA products means that we can avoid inflation in our own countries (because we are not necessarily putting retaliatory Tarrifs back onto USA products), but can also punish USA for putting tarrifs on our exports to USA.

Good luck with that.

You can call that "virtue signalling" if you want, I don't care.

Thanks. I wasn't really looking for your blessing, but I will indeed call it virtue signaling, because that's what it is.

But I'm not going to take the bait, get worried about being accused of "virtue signalling" and just roll over and take USA extorting my country and do nothing about it.

Sure. You're "doing something", just like I said. However, it doesn't seem to matter to you that the something that you're doing is meaningless and ineffective. Which is certainly your prerogative. Perhaps you find it cathartic. But beyond that, it does nothing.

 

[stevil]

Sure. You're "doing something", just like I said. However, it doesn't seem to matter to you that the something that you're doing is meaningless and ineffective. Which is certainly your prerogative. Perhaps you find it cathartic. But beyond that, it does nothing.

I don't think it is meaningless and ineffective. It means less money is going to the USA. It means your export sales will decrease.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

No, I'm absolutely right.
The guitar body makes absolutely no difference to the sound. (if we are talking electric guitar)
The electronic components make a difference, and you should use fresh strings. But what wood is used, what brand of guitar is bought, makes absolutely no difference.

In an electric guitar, the pickups convert string vibrations into an electrical signal, and most people assume that’s the whole story — but the wood affects how the strings vibrate, sustain, and interact with the body and neck.

How wood affects tone:​

• Body woodinfluences resonance, sustain, and tonal color.
  • Mahogany: Warm, rich mids, softer attack.
  • Alder: Balanced, clear, slightly scooped mids.
  • Ash: Bright, snappy, with good sustain.
  • Basswood: Neutral, smooth, not super bright.
• Neck woodaffects sustain, attack, and feel.
  • Maple: Bright, snappy, fast attack.
  • Mahogany: Warmer, more rounded.
  • Rosewood fretboards: Smooth, warmer highs.
  • Ebony: Crisp, tight, fast response.

Why American Strats sound different than Squier Strats:​

1️⃣ Wood quality and type:

• American Strats typically use higher-grade tonewoods like select Alder or Ash bodies and Maple necks. The wood is usually better seasoned, denser, and more consistent.
• Squier Strats often use lower-cost woods like Basswood, Poplar, or heavier, less resonant Alder. These woods might not vibrate as freely or evenly as higher-grade tonewoods.

 

[probinson]

I don't think it is meaningless and ineffective.

Whether or not you choose to buy Lay's potato chips has an extremely insignificant impact on US exports.

It means less money is going to the USA. It means your export sales will decrease.

I suppose that's what every boycotter would like to think, but in reality, boycotts rarely hurt revenue.

Do Boycotts Work?: Institute for Policy Research - Northwestern University

www.ipr.northwestern.edu

 

[Bradskii]

How does not buying Jack Daniels in any way harm Trump? Now not only are you doing something that is, by your own admission, completely futile, but your futility is aimed at the wrong target.

Good grief, it has absolutely no effect at all. But if someone else said 'Hey, good idea. Let's set up an app whereby we can determine what goods are made in the US then we can release it for free. Stick it to the man!' does that in itself do anything? No, it doesn't. But say a few thousand people use it, will that make a difference? No, it will not.

But if you get a news station running a short segment on it and a local paper picks it up and then the nationals pick it up, it becomes news. The international papers might run it. So will that make a difference? Well, yeah. There's a gradual realisation that there is a degree of push back in the community. And that will spread. And that might, in some way, actually make a difference. A local politician might pick up on that and run with it. And there may be an election and she gets in partly based on her position.

You've seen what just happened in Canada. There was a backlash against Trump in that the conservatives took a hit. The same thing just happened last weekend in Australia. Our equivalent of the Republicans ran on some policies that could only be described as MAGA. They were thought to be the favourites to form a government. They were hammered. It was a landslide for Labor. And one newly formed party, backed by a local billionaire, farcically named 'Trumpet for Patriots' (gee, you'd never guess what sort of policies they ran on in regard to immigration, gay rights and climate change) were wiped out.

One small action, one vote will not make a difference in itself. But if no-one took that small action, if no-one cast that vote, then nothing would change. Your attitude seems to be that unless what you do specifically makes a difference in itself, then it's not worth doing.

 

[Bradskii]

Body woodinfluences resonance, sustain, and tonal color.

• Mahogany: Warm, rich mids, softer attack.
• Alder: Balanced, clear, slightly scooped mids.
• Ash: Bright, snappy, with good sustain.

Yeah, right. My latest guitar is alder. I've almost lost count of the number of people who now say my playing sounds balanced and clear. And gee, Bradskii, unless I'm mistaken, those mids are slightly scooped!

 

[probinson]

Good grief, it has absolutely no effect at all. But if someone else said 'Hey, good idea. Let's set up an app whereby we can determine what goods are made in the US then we can release it for free. Stick it to the man!' does that in itself do anything? No, it doesn't. But say a few thousand people use it, will that make a difference? No, it will not.

Exactly.

But if you get a news station running a short segment on it and a local paper picks it up and then the nationals pick it up, it becomes news. The international papers might run it. So will that make a difference? Well, yeah. There's a gradual realisation that there is a degree of push back in the community. And that will spread. And that might, in some way, actually make a difference. A local politician might pick up on that and run with it. And there may be an election and she gets in partly based on her position.

I suppose. Hope springs eternal, after all.

You've seen what just happened in Canada. There was a backlash against Trump in that the conservatives took a hit. The same thing just happened last weekend in Australia. Our equivalent of the Republicans ran on some policies that could only be described as MAGA. They were thought to be the favourites to form a government. They were hammered. It was a landslide for Labor. And one newly formed party, backed by a local billionaire, farcically named 'Trumpet for Patriots' (gee, you'd never guess what sort of policies they ran on in regard to immigration, gay rights and climate change) were wiped out.

And you think any of that has to do with people not buying Jack Daniels? It seems you may have a problem understanding causation as well.

One small action, one vote will not make a difference in itself. But if no-one took that small action, if no-one cast that vote, then nothing would change. Your attitude seems to be that unless what you do specifically makes a difference in itself, then it's not worth doing.

You've slowly but methodically moved the goalposts through this post from "I'm not going to buy Jack Daniels" (something that we agree will make no difference) to "I'm going to vote for change" (something we agree can make a difference). How you can even think those things are in any way related is beyond me.

 

[stevil]

Whether or not you choose to buy Lay's potato chips has an extremely insignificant impact on US exports.



I suppose that's what every boycotter would like to think, but in reality, boycotts rarely hurt revenue.

Do Boycotts Work?: Institute for Policy Research - Northwestern University

www.ipr.northwestern.edu

Well, I can't control what everyone else does, but I can do my part. Rather than just take it on the chin.

 

[probinson]

Well, I can't control what everyone else does, but I can do my part. Rather than just take it on the chin.

If you think not buying US sourced food products is "doing your part", by all means, carry on.

 

[stevil]

In an electric guitar, the pickups convert string vibrations into an electrical signal, and most people assume that’s the whole story — but the wood affects how the strings vibrate, sustain, and interact with the body and neck.

How wood affects tone:​

• Body woodinfluences resonance, sustain, and tonal color.
  • Mahogany: Warm, rich mids, softer attack.
  • Alder: Balanced, clear, slightly scooped mids.
  • Ash: Bright, snappy, with good sustain.
  • Basswood: Neutral, smooth, not super bright.
• Neck woodaffects sustain, attack, and feel.
  • Maple: Bright, snappy, fast attack.
  • Mahogany: Warmer, more rounded.
  • Rosewood fretboards: Smooth, warmer highs.
  • Ebony: Crisp, tight, fast response.

Why American Strats sound different than Squier Strats:​

1️⃣ Wood quality and type:

• American Strats typically use higher-grade tonewoods like select Alder or Ash bodies and Maple necks. The wood is usually better seasoned, denser, and more consistent.
• Squier Strats often use lower-cost woods like Basswood, Poplar, or heavier, less resonant Alder. These woods might not vibrate as freely or evenly as higher-grade tonewoods.

I can see why guitar manufacturers would want people to believe that. I can see why some guitarists are scared to buy cheaper guitars. But there is no evidence showing that this is the case, and the guy in the video was creating evidence and presenting it, which shows that the guitar body doesn't matter. He ultimately completely did away with the guitar body and to me, I couldn't tell any difference.

 

[stevil]

If you think not buying US sourced food products is "doing your part", by all means, carry on.

Not just food products, pretty much anything you guys sell to my country, if I have an alternative then I'll be picking the alternative.

 

[Bradskii]

If it's not virtue signaling, at best, it's flipping the bird to someone who will never see it. Might was well just go to an empty parking lot and yell "I hate Trump, look at how cool I am"

Well, if you think that people do these things to just 'look cool' then there's nothing I can say that will change that somewhat dreary opinion. But the next time that you do something that you think is right, even though, in itself, it will have no effect on any outcome, just make sure that everyone knows that you're not doing it for the wrong reasons. Make sure that you tell the cashier and everyone else in the line 'No sirree, me not buying that other brand is not me being cool! Just want to make that absolutely clear.'

Or maybe you won't do what you think is right. Because it will have no effect! And heaven forbid you don't want to be accused of 'virtue signaling'. The horror...