Alder Body Electric Guitars

Alder is a timber typically sourced in Europe or North Africa, known for its forgiving weight, subtle grain pattern and hard texture. It is arguably the most common body wood material used by guitar companies and was originally popularised by Fender, who have used it extensively since the mid-'50s. Alder offers an incredibly even response across the frequency spectrum; balanced in the lows, mids and highs. However, its dense grain is thought to add some punchy upper mid-range bite for extra snap and clarity.

Alder is used in the construction of both affordable and high-end electric guitars, and isn't thought of as either a "cheap" or "premium" timber. Its fairly light and tight grain means that most guitar brands will paint over the material rather than leave a natural finish, however this isn't always the case.