Wood Information?

[Ezmar]

So I figured this would be a good place to ask this mildly unanswerable question.

I'm planning on getting a custom bass built within the next few years, and am thus in the planning and fantasizing stages. I understand that it's impossible to make actual decisions on woods this far in advance, since it's based on availability, but I'm just kind of wondering how I could find out what different woods would look like, and what effect they'd have, if any at all, on tone. Or any effect other than aesthetic; feel, etc. I tend to deliberate over stuff like this a lot, but I'm not the sort where it actually matters a whole lot in the end, where I wish I'd had something different or something. What are some good resources to conceptualizing a bass, what the woods look like, the pros/cons of different neck woods, stuff like that. I understand that the look of wood is largely dependent on how it's finished, but if there's some way I can find numerous examples of different top woods, body woods, etc, I'd appreciate it.

If no such resources exist, I'll just have to fall back on Google image search, which is kind of unreliable, since sometimes the pictures aren't all what I actually searched for.

Thanks in advance.

[Toolmybass]

I would talk to a Luthier that is close to you about wood. Firstly i would decide on what sound YOU are looking for and start there...and with that i mean ELECTRONICS.....WOOD is not going to be the MOST influential part of your puzzle when it comes to the sound that YOU are looking for.

There are lots of threads that have disputes/agreements/arguments on how wood effects your tone. I wouldnt even do a TB search because alot of people seem to think they are an expert on the subject.

To put in perspective i have (had) 2 Wal basses in my possession at the same time...the build dates were just over 20 YEARS APART...one was a MKI and the other a MKII. Lacewood facings on one and American Walnut on the other. We are talking a MINOR EQ adj (not even on the head or pedals....just the bass controls) and i had a Producer/Mixer baffled as to which one he was hearing. He also had lots of time to hear each bass before hand.

So if you want to believe anyone that tells you that wood makes ALOT of difference in tone, i have some real estate in Florida for you to buy. Its minor and you should pick what woods appeal to you ecstatically. There is a billion examples on the internet so im baffled as to why you are asking here "what different woods look like"....start doing searches on companies that supply exotic woods and look at their gallery pics. FBass has alot of nice pics on their site.

Im not going to get into a discussion with anyone here on "wood and sound/tone" because of the 30-40 different basses i have "tone-noodled" with in a studio environment....the audlible difference is so small you can dial in the difference or the exact tone that YOU are looking for...

I hope this helps. Any specific wood questions you might have after reading this, you can PM me.

[Ezmar]

Originally Posted by Toolmybass

I would talk to a Luthier that is close to you about wood. Firstly i would decide on what sound YOU are looking for and start there...and with that i mean ELECTRONICS...not WOOD is going to be the MOST influential part of your puzzle when it comes to the sound that YOU are looking for.

There are lots of threads that have disputes/agreements/arguments on how wood effects your tone. I wouldnt even do a TB search because alot of people seem to think they are an expert on the subject.

To put in perspective i have (had) 2 Wal basses in my possession at the same time...the build dates were just over 20 YEARS APART...one was a MKI and the other a MKII. Lacewood facings on one and American Walnut on the other. We are talking a MINOR EQ adj (not even on the head or pedals....just the bass controls) and i had a Producer/Mixer baffled as to which one he was hearing. He also had lots of time to hear each bass before hand.

So if you want to believe anyone that tells you that wood makes ALOT of difference in tone, i have some real estate in Florida for you to buy. Its minor and you should pick what woods appeal to you ecstatically. There is a billion examples on the internet so im baffled as to why you are asking here "what different woods look like"....start doing searches on companies that supply exotic woods and look at their gallery pics. FBass has alot of nice pics on their site.

Im not going to get into a discussion with anyone here on "wood and sound/tone" because of the 30-40 different basses i have "tone-noodled" with in a studio environment....the audlible difference is so small you can dial in the difference or the exact tone that YOU are looking for...

Yeah, I'd figured that the Electronics make the most difference. The way I'd see it, the only way the wood would affect it is maybe sustain, and that's constriction, too.

I do tend to ask a lot of baffling questions from time to time. Just sort of asking impulsive questions that don't really have answers.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Ezmar

So I figured this would be a good place to ask this mildly unanswerable question.

I'm planning on getting a custom bass built within the next few years, and am thus in the planning and fantasizing stages. I understand that it's impossible to make actual decisions on woods this far in advance, since it's based on availability, but I'm just kind of wondering how I could find out what different woods would look like, and what effect they'd have, if any at all, on tone. Or any effect other than aesthetic; feel, etc. I tend to deliberate over stuff like this a lot, but I'm not the sort where it actually matters a whole lot in the end, where I wish I'd had something different or something. What are some good resources to conceptualizing a bass, what the woods look like, the pros/cons of different neck woods, stuff like that. I understand that the look of wood is largely dependent on how it's finished, but if there's some way I can find numerous examples of different top woods, body woods, etc, I'd appreciate it.

If no such resources exist, I'll just have to fall back on Google image search, which is kind of unreliable, since sometimes the pictures aren't all what I actually searched for.

Thanks in advance.

The Fodera Newborn Gallery would be about as good as it gets for cosmetics. You can see a myriad of tops, body woods and fretboards. Also neck joints. There are usually some comments about sound in the write-ups.

[Toolmybass]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

The Fodera Newborn Gallery would be about as good as it gets for cosmetics. You can see a myriad of tops, body woods and fretboards. Also neck joints. There are usually some comments about sound in the write-ups.

Wow that Belize Burl on that Emperor 5 Deluxe is sweet!