As with acoustic guitars, solid wood is the best way to go since it has superior resonance and ages much better, but also of course more expensive.

Stratocaster and LP bodies

Contrary to what some novices might say, the body of the guitar has a fundamental effect on its sound. In fact, (to simplify) the pickups only amplify the vibration of the strings, and this vibration depends largely on the resonance of the string-body-neck-hardware ensemble. As a general rule, the heavier the wood, the more it sustains, but the sound will be less bright.

Mahogany

This heavy wood assures ample sustain and a warm tone. On the other hand, the signal will have the tendency to be less bright, especially when using distortion.

Typical Examples: Gibson LP, Gibson SG, Lag Roxanne. For entry-level guitars, mahogany is replaced by less expensive varieties.

Alder

This wood has a density and response similar to mahogany, but less warm and slightly brighter. It provides well balanced response across the sonic spectrum, and though not very dense it provides resonant tone with excellent sustain. It therefore comes as no surprise that fender uses alder for its famous Stratocaster model.
Typical Examples: Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster.

Telecaster alder body

Maple

Existing in many varieties (curly, birdseye, fiddle back…) and different prices, this hard wood (with a density of 540 to 700 kg/m3 ) tends have a bright and penetrating sound . It is often used for soundboards which are in turn placed on mahogany bodies to give the sound of the guitar more brilliance and brightness as, for instance, on the Gibson Les Paul.

Typical Examples: Gibson LP, Lag Roxanne Prestige

Maple LP Body

Ash

This wood is heavier than Alder (density of 580 to 690kg/m3 ), and is favored for giving ample sustain and having a bright and penetrating sound. It is therefore often used for the body of the guitar. Swamp ash, a variety of ash, gives us the best of both worlds: great sustain , and it's very light owing to its very big open pores. Of course it's more expensive.

Typical examples: Fender Telecaster, Yamaha signature Mike Stern.

Telecaster Ash Body

As for acoustic guitars, there are two main woods for guitar necks. Mahogany necks (rounder and more mediums), Maple necks (brighter). For the fingerboard/fretboard, a dense and hard wood is favored. The choices are the same as for acoustic guitars.

• Ebony : a very dark and hard wood that can be found on high-level guitars. This very dense wood (1000 to 1200 kg/m3) gives precise intonation and reinforces the neck’s rigidity.
• Rosewood : a rather hard wood(850 kg/m3) that gives a softer, less bright sound, but ideal for certain styles (blues, etc...). Brazilian Rosewood has become a scarce commodity and therefore is quite expensive, so indian rosewood is now often used in its place. Brazilian rosewood has the reputation of having more clarity in lows and a bell-like tone in the trebles.
• Maple : This wood has a drier sound than either rosewood or ebony and is mainly found on maple necks. On certain maple necks, there isn't even a fingerboard.