I find it interesting we are seeking tone, but in different ways. The reason I am using these StewMac "vintage's" I go on about in the first place is because they a) sound pretty good and b) they are inexpensive (I have to drop 3 in a guitar at a time =P). I am using them to establish a baseline: all guitars will be consistent. I plan to build 3 guitars: First has been Swamp Ash Body, Maple neck, second will be Alder body, Maple neck, third is Mahogany body (neck undecided maple or mahogany; depends if I glue-in or not). I already purchased a sweet piece of mahogany 13 1/2" by 24" and 2" thick for my third build.)
So my plan has been - and is - to insert identical pick-ups into each of these builds to see what all this tonewood discussion amounts to. I realize no two pieces of wood from the same tree are the same, but I think I should get some kind of idea on tone-from-tonewoods from 3 distinct species with otherwise identical configurations.
We are chasing the same squirrel up different trees :D
...so ever since then, I always hang on to the buckle.