Should I go with a solid spruce body for my superstrat build?

[PlexiBreath]

I'm going to be building another partscaster from USA Custom neck and body. I've built the ideal Telecaster and now a sweet 1954 Strat, but now want something different. Basically a Superstrat with a humbucker in the bridge position and a Stat pickup in the neck, maybe no middle pickup but not sure at this point. The main divergence from a typical Superstrat is due to allergies to Floyd Rose trems I'll be using a Skyway instead.

Now I know most Superstrats are made of basswood, and that that's because it gives back some tone that's thinned out by the Floyd, but because I'll be using a Skyway trem, which tends to pump a lot of tone into the wood, maybe a basswood body may not be the way to go. My first inclination is to go with an alder body with a maple cap. But I've been hearing great things about spruce, enough to give some serious consideration to using spruce with a 3/16" maple cap. The neck will be quartersawn maple, either just a one piece maple neck or maybe with an ebony fingerboard. The humbucker will be the new one Fender is making for the EVH Wolfgang guitar, the neck pickup will be the 1950's Strat pickup from Raw Vintage with a backplate silent single coil system to cut the hum. I may change out the pickups once I hear them with the guitar if necessary. This will be the third guitar I give a french polish finish.

Thanks, I look forward to hearing your opinions.

 

[John Thigpen]

I've always wondered what a Telecaster with an Adirondack spruce (red spruce) body would sound like. It would probably be really expensive, though.

 

[PlexiBreath]

What I've read is that spruce sounds a lot like swamp ash but with smoother high end. This sounds great if this is the case, but without knowing more I may play it on the safe side and go with alder instead.