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05-18-2010, 10:23 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Wickham, UK | | | 5 String Body Wood Choices?
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My college has a load of hardwods that are looking as if they are going to go to waste, so my teacher knows that my dad and I are into making things, so he offered me 'first dibs'. Here are my choices:
Oak
Mahogany
Ash
Lyme
Teak
Beech
I am looking for something that is light(ish) and looks quite nice. I intend to match it up with a rosewood fretboard on a maple neck (purchased) and some MusicMan style pick-ups.
Also, a suggestion for a bridge would be useful.
Cheers guys 
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by behndy  BruceBass is about 42 inches tall, nearly as wide. rippling muscle beating the hell out of a bass twice his size. FUNK GNOME |
Last edited by BruceBass3901 : 05-18-2010 at 11:18 AM.
Reason: Don't want to start a Tonewar
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05-18-2010, 11:03 AM
| | Registered User
Luthier of Michael Wayne Instruments, Shop Manager ChromeDomeMusic | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cincinnati OH | | | Tone is not a building material.
__________________ Blunt: a:abrupt in speech; b:being direct Quote:
Originally Posted by christw My hair is ready. | Quote:
Originally Posted by Musiclogic geeeeeez Sometimes you should put a "common sense dictates NOT doing this" disclaimer | |
05-18-2010, 11:05 AM
| | | | I like alder. |
05-18-2010, 11:06 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Wickham, UK | | | I've just been reading alot of entries on here about the wood influencing the sound. Is that not true?
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by behndy BruceBass is about 42 inches tall, nearly as wide. rippling muscle beating the hell out of a bass twice his size. FUNK GNOME | |
05-18-2010, 11:07 AM
| | Registered User
Luthier of Michael Wayne Instruments, Shop Manager ChromeDomeMusic | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cincinnati OH | | | Search "Tonewars" here and you will become educated.
__________________ Blunt: a:abrupt in speech; b:being direct Quote:
Originally Posted by christw My hair is ready. | Quote:
Originally Posted by Musiclogic geeeeeez Sometimes you should put a "common sense dictates NOT doing this" disclaimer | |
05-18-2010, 11:13 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Wickham, UK | | | So, am I correct in thinking that in most cases, it is unwise to comment of the tone of the wood on here?
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by behndy BruceBass is about 42 inches tall, nearly as wide. rippling muscle beating the hell out of a bass twice his size. FUNK GNOME | |
05-18-2010, 11:14 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: OH | | | If I had access to teak i'd be stoked. It is runs about $30 a bdft here... =( Would make a nice top on that mahogany. Aesthetically speaking. |
05-18-2010, 11:16 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Wickham, UK | | | I was thinking that the mahogany would make a really nice looking bass, but was unsure what to have on top, or if it would be better have the mahogany for the top?
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by behndy BruceBass is about 42 inches tall, nearly as wide. rippling muscle beating the hell out of a bass twice his size. FUNK GNOME |
Last edited by BruceBass3901 : 05-18-2010 at 11:19 AM.
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05-18-2010, 11:17 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Wickham, UK | | | @ mikeyswood - I can only apologise for my error here. I guess that at the moment, I am more asking for opinions as to which woods would look nice and not make a bass that is like having a horse over my shoulder. Are these better questions to ask?
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by behndy BruceBass is about 42 inches tall, nearly as wide. rippling muscle beating the hell out of a bass twice his size. FUNK GNOME | |
05-18-2010, 11:20 AM
| | Registered User
Luthier of Michael Wayne Instruments, Shop Manager ChromeDomeMusic | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cincinnati OH | | | They would all look nice. In order I would go for:
Mahogany
Ash
Teak
Beech
Lyme
Oak
95% of tone will come from your electronics and strings.
__________________ Blunt: a:abrupt in speech; b:being direct Quote:
Originally Posted by christw My hair is ready. | Quote:
Originally Posted by Musiclogic geeeeeez Sometimes you should put a "common sense dictates NOT doing this" disclaimer | |
05-18-2010, 11:24 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Wickham, UK | | | Would you say that going for a single piece of wood would look nicer, or would you use one as a top / bottom section and then have a centre section in another wood?
I think that a contrasting dark - light - dark would look quite nice. Any suggestions for which woods to go for?
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by behndy BruceBass is about 42 inches tall, nearly as wide. rippling muscle beating the hell out of a bass twice his size. FUNK GNOME | |
05-18-2010, 11:34 AM
|  | Supporting Member
Owner/Builder: Regenerate Guitar Works | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Upper Left Corner (Seattle) | | Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceBass3901 So, am I correct in thinking that in most cases, it is unwise to comment of the tone of the wood on here? | o you're more than OK to post comments on the tone of wood, just recognize that doing so will attract even the deepest lurking wood tone experts to come out of their hiding and pontificate their volumous credentials with robust authority ... without them ever disclosing that most have yet to have personally owned more than an SX or two and have yet to even assemble a parts bass, let alone actually build one of their own designs from rough lumber. internet based 'learning' can sadly be a 'glorious' thing at times
posting about wood tone draws more attention for the 'tone experts' than a Coleman lantern in a Lousiana swamp can draw bugs on a hot July evening
all the best,
R |
05-18-2010, 11:41 AM
| | Registered User
Luthier of Michael Wayne Instruments, Shop Manager ChromeDomeMusic | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cincinnati OH | | Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceBass3901 Would you say that going for a single piece of wood would look nicer, or would you use one as a top / bottom section and then have a centre section in another wood? | Entirely up to you. That is where your personal touch and art exist.
__________________ Blunt: a:abrupt in speech; b:being direct Quote:
Originally Posted by christw My hair is ready. | Quote:
Originally Posted by Musiclogic geeeeeez Sometimes you should put a "common sense dictates NOT doing this" disclaimer | |
05-18-2010, 11:47 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Wickham, UK | | | Ok, in which case, are there any woods there that are particularly difficult to work with or are quite heavy?
Also, is it advisable to make the body out of more than 1 section of wood in order to pervent the body warping, or is it ok to make it out of one piece?
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by behndy BruceBass is about 42 inches tall, nearly as wide. rippling muscle beating the hell out of a bass twice his size. FUNK GNOME | |
05-18-2010, 12:12 PM
| | Registered User
Luthier of Michael Wayne Instruments, Shop Manager ChromeDomeMusic | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cincinnati OH | | | None of the woods that you have listed will make an instrument out of themselves. All of the genera listed will require you to work them. They are all equal in ease in my opinion regardless of density.
The second part is up to you again. There are builders that make one piece bodies and there are also plywood bodies. Without any experience with evaluating woods it may be best to plan for a three-piece body.
__________________ Blunt: a:abrupt in speech; b:being direct Quote:
Originally Posted by christw My hair is ready. | Quote:
Originally Posted by Musiclogic geeeeeez Sometimes you should put a "common sense dictates NOT doing this" disclaimer | |
05-18-2010, 01:12 PM
|  | Registered User
Owner and builder Clementbass | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Central Florida | | | Just my 2 cents.......... My guess would be the Ash you have is hard ash and will make for a heavy body. "Mahogany" can vary widely in weight. Tell me more about the length width and thickness of the various pieces you have.....t
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05-18-2010, 01:17 PM
|  | quid verum atque decens
Builder: Rickett Customs | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Southern Maryland | | Swamp ash FTW (light weight). It just dents easy take care......... and leave the tone at the door  |
05-18-2010, 06:56 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Huntington | | | As Mikey said, the way you layout the wood is totally up to you and a way to show off your artistic side. As for the woods you mention I would choose ash or mahogany. As TJClem said, Mahogany can vary in weight. So, if it too heavy you could always chamber it and add a "decorative" top. If you choose ash, you can make a solid ash body to keep it simple. Bu it really depends on you. As for the others I have not seen a lot of it used although I did play a bass once with an oak neck. It was nice but the bass itself was HEAVY. |
05-20-2010, 08:10 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lafayette, LA | | | If you can get some teak for me, I'd really appreciate it.
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My posts are definitive. Reality is frequently inaccurate.
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05-20-2010, 12:21 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Wickham, UK | | | I'm afraid to say that my teachet informed me today that the Workshop Tech guy came into college yesterday and took almost all of the wood that I had been looking at.
I have no decided to visit a couple of timber yards in the area. I am almost certain that I want an alder centre section, but am still unsure what to place on the fron and/or back of the bass. Any suggestion?
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by behndy BruceBass is about 42 inches tall, nearly as wide. rippling muscle beating the hell out of a bass twice his size. FUNK GNOME | | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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