So What About Poplar?

[Jeremiah]

So... poplar does not seem to be a wood that people recommend or like to use, even though it is cheap and Warmoth say it has a tone similar to alder.

Is this mostly because it is not thought to look that good, because it actually has worse tone, or just because it has got a bad reputation by being used in a lot of cheap low quality guitars?

I'd consider a poplar body as I reckon by the time the sound has gone through the pickups, amp, whatever microphone gets put in front of it, the house PA, and the ears of various people in various stages of drunkenness, no-one would notice that it was 'inferior' poplar and not some more expensive wood.

[NLD09]

It's just tough to work with if you're going for a natural finish. If you're shooting a solid color over it then you won't notice too much difference, if any at all.

[Steve_Karl]

So... poplar does not seem to be a wood that people recommend or like to use, even though it is cheap and Warmoth say it has a tone similar to alder.

Is this mostly because it is not thought to look that good, because it actually has worse tone, or just because it has got a bad reputation by being used in a lot of cheap low quality guitars?

I'd consider a poplar body as I reckon by the time the sound has gone through the pickups, amp, whatever microphone gets put in front of it, the house PA, and the ears of various people in various stages of drunkenness, no-one would notice that it was 'inferior' poplar and not some more expensive wood.

My priorities for tone are about what I hear and feel. After all, I'm the one playing it.

[tfarny]

It is hard to get any kind of transparent finish to look good because it absorbs stain very deeply yet unevenly, but there are definitely some good looking ones, search around. It doesn't need grain filling, though, so that's a big plus. From the examples I've seen, it's quite a bit softer than alder (which is not that hard) and therefore not as durable if you're going for a very thin finish.
Some people do say it doesn't sound as good - but have never produced any evidence that I have seen. My poplar strat sounds just great though I don't think it looks very flash. The CIJ strats that everyone wants are poplar.
It's associated with cheaper guitars because it's not a rare wood. Lots of very highly regarded guitars have been made of poplar - just the same story as basswood, really. If fender had started making telecasters with poplar instead of swamp ash (which was cheap at the time), there would likely be a much more positive view of poplar out there.

[Zaman]

Poplar can look great if you get the right piece. Case and point attached. 100% Poplar through and through.

[RexTheDog]

Steve Morses signature Music Man is made of poplar.  Im not a fan of his playing but if he thinks it sounds ok i trust his judgment.

[jackthehack]

There's SO much else prettier wood....

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

If Poplar is similar to Alder, great.  I'm using Alder.

The Jackson Kelley Standard was a Poplar body if I remember right.