SB2 Body Wood Choices?

[GaryLC]

Hi,

I've got two "new" SB2's, one I ordered through a dealer, honeyburst finish, swamp ash body, rosewood board. It weighs right around 8 pounds. I recently picked up another through a local bassist, bought new in 2005, also honeyburst, with maple board, and GOT option. According to the finish and beautiful grain underneath, I assumed it also was swamp ash. But this one weighs 10 pounds! I would assume that makes it alder, not ash.....Interesting, because on the G&L site, they state that all premier finishes are over swamp ash. I can't see two "identical" basses having a two pound weight differencem unless the wood is different.
Any thoughts?

[JMDT]

They both should be swamp ash. Wood is an organic compound and as such the density can vary from tree to tree depending on the heat and moisture characteristics of the area it was grown in during its lifetime. I want to say trees grown in dry areas will by denser than the same species from a wet area, but I could have that backwards. No two peices of wood are the same, thats why no two basses look, sound, or play exactly the same; thats why I ALWAYS try before I buy.

[sunbeast]

Yeah- type of wood doesn't neccesarily mean much. Mahogany is infamous for being extremely heavy, but the 2 lightest basses I've owned as well as one of the heaviest I've owned were mahogany. My ash L2000 is pretty heavy, but I've played an ash SB-2 that was lighter than any bass I've ever owned...

Karl

[DavePlaysBass]

Ash on average weighs more than alder. But there are alder instruments that weight more than ash.