Koa and Pau Ferro Suhr Standard – Tone Demonstration Video
After trying to explain in words some of the inherent qualities of a guitar with a koa body and a pau ferro neck and fingerboard (similar to Reb Beach’s favorite instrument), I decided to put this video together demonstrating a guitar featuring these very tonewoods. This example covers clean, low and high gain scenarios to highlight how these woods work in different genres of music.
Guitar: Suhr Standard, Solid Koa Body, Pau Ferro neck and fingerboard, Pickups: DSH – bridge , V60lp Middle, DSV neck
Amp(s): CAA OD100 Classic + (all but final high gain clip), David Friedman Brow Eye Modded Egnater Seminar Head (final high gain clip)
Cab: CAA 1×12 with Eminence Governor
Effects: Z.Vex SHO (for clean boost section), TC Electronic Nova Delay & Line6 Verbzilla – effected clean section, Xotic Effects BB Preamp for 1st High Gain clip
Recording gear: Mic: SM57, I/O & mic pre: MOTU 896, Software: Ableton Live & Final Cut Express
Hi,
This is Carlos from Spain.
Congratulation. Cool guitar and review. Since I found out you review I am in love with koa-pau ferro guitars. In fact, I was thinking to order the GG Suhr modern and now I have changed my mind. Do you think the DSH, V60 and DSV pickups your guitar have work well in a modern model? In you opinion, are there many diferences with the GG’s ones?
Thank you very much in advance and sorry for my English 🙂
Carlos
Hi Carlos – The DSH and DSV pickups have a little more “give” or “sag” to them – they are not as “tight” feeling and sounding as the pickups in the Guthrie Govan Modern. That said, I know Andy Wood prefers the DSH and DSV because he thought the SSH+ and SSV were too tight for his style. I have a tight and active rhythm style and prefer a quicker attack in general, so I really like the pickups in the GG Modern. HOWEVER – I’m still not a huge fan of how the neck pickup sounds on a 24 fret guitar. Because the pickup is moved closer to the bridge, the neck pickups will never sound as “deep” as it would on a 22 fret or fewer guitar. Hope this helps.
KEEP’EM COMING, MAN!
Hi Carlos — I have a GG Modern that I absolutely LOVE. the “D” series pickups are not as tight as the “S” series pickups, especially in the hot models. My GG Modern has taken the place as my favorite sounding guitar in the bridge position, but I’m still not sold on the neck position of a 24 fret guitar…..I think the 22 fret standards that I have still have a better tone that the 24 fret moderns.