The Church of Dan Atkinson / The Wood Doesn't Matter Club

knucklehead G · #1 02-22-2011, 04:59 PM

Before you argue, see post #70 for a message from the mods.

Sign up here if you believed already, or were swayed by Dan's three experiments, that the wood doesn't make the tone.

Dan's proven only 14% of people can tell ash from alder, and 13.8% can tell alder from a chunk of scrap wood with pickups taped on.

Show your respects (and your scrap / junk / non-fancywood basses) here, and receive numbers for your tribute!

honeyiscool · #2 02-22-2011, 05:00 PM

What if I think wood matters, but that at the end of the day, ultimately bass is an ensemble instrument where minor differences in tone really don't result in much noticeable difference?

knucklehead G · #3 02-22-2011, 05:03 PM

Then you get to argue in both threads for all eternity, I guess. I dunno. I'm not putting restrictions on this. You 14% that could pick the right answers without guessing can go join the Wood Matters club or something.

Selta · #4 02-22-2011, 05:10 PM

Saying that wood doesn't matter, at all, I think is incorrect, especially with the low population sample given. I do think personally that other factors have a bigger influence on tone, but I still think that wood has some effect on it, however small that might be.

seungkoo · #5 02-22-2011, 05:14 PM

13% were right so Dan is wrong. The other 87% just don't have the trained ear. it does matter because if it didn't those 13% wouldve been wrong too

Sent from my iPod touch using TalkBass

kesslari · #6 02-22-2011, 05:15 PM

only 11 % of people can tell Bobby McFerrin from a real keyboard.
Chips don't matter.

Marko5657 · #7 02-22-2011, 05:16 PM

He never said that wood didn't matter, in fact, he said otherwise.

What he did say, I completely agree with, and the experiment thread was a fun read.

knucklehead G · #8 02-22-2011, 05:17 PM

13% is also including guessing. I got the alder vs scrap wood correct by guessing.

I'm not trying to carry the fight over here. Some people seemed interested in a club, so I made one.

seungkoo · #9 02-22-2011, 05:23 PM

I just think there is alot of nut huggers on this forum. Who cares what matters. Everything is personal preference. If you don't care about woods go play a washtub bass and be happy.
I just don't get the same people who flame fender decal users love dans basses when he himself sold replicas for customers with those same decals.

Sent from my iPod touch using TalkBass

AltGrendel · #10 02-22-2011, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knucklehead G

Sign up here if you believed already, or were swayed by Dan's three experiments, that the wood doesn't make the tone.

Dan's proven only 14% of people can tell ash from alder, and 13.8% can tell alder from a chunk of scrap wood with pickups taped on.

Show your respects (and your scrap / junk / non-fancywood basses) here, and receive numbers for your tribute!

Heck, I'll take a number.

MrGotBass · #11 02-22-2011, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seungkoo

13% were right so Dan is wrong. The other 87% just don't have the trained ear. it does matter because if it didn't those 13% wouldve been wrong too

Sent from my iPod touch using TalkBass

Thats quite unscientific. We're all bassists here, we listen to this kind of stuff every day. If anyone should know, its us. If it was 30 to 40%, then what you said may be applicable, but 13%? Based on the numbers, those are just as likely to be lucky guesses.

What Dan has said is 100% correct: While wood may contribute to tone, its impact is minimal compared to strings, pick-ups, and technique.

RBrownBass · #12 02-22-2011, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seungkoo

I just don't get the same people who flame fender decal users love dans basses when he himself sold replicas for customers with those same decals.

Sounds like there's a need for an "If a professional luthier does it, it's cool, but if YOU do it it isn't" club

Antny · #13 02-22-2011, 05:36 PM

I've built a few basses from scratch, so I already knew that the species of the wood had minimal, if any impact to the tone of a particular bass. Dan's experiment just reinforced my experiences, and was enjoyable to read about.

UncleFluffy · #14 02-22-2011, 05:37 PM

is there a "wood matters, but only a little bit" club?

ulynch · #15 02-22-2011, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleFluffy

is there a "wood matters, but only a little bit" club?

Is there a "Wood Matters - But Not in METAL! Club"? I'd join that one.

Tendollarcat · #16 02-22-2011, 05:55 PM

So from this I can assume that only 14% of TBers actually play basses more than 5 feet away from laptop speakers, in a mix with other instruments?

Frankly, if you don't play live with other musicians or at any decent volume, it doesn't matter what the wood is......or the brand.....or the cost. You'll find some close comparisons between balsa, cheese and coal.

Take the same instrument into a rehearsal space, playing with a drummer and a guitarist at higher than bedroom volume and run this test again. If alder doesn't have a discernible dip in volume below the 5th fret of the E string and ash doesn't have a similar dip at around the 5th fret of the A, it means I have an odd sense of hearing. Which is possible. I'm cool with that

ghostjs · #17 02-22-2011, 05:57 PM

i'll take a number too

knucklehead G · #18 02-22-2011, 06:22 PM

#1 knucklehead G
#2 AltGrendel
#3 ghostjs

Apt403 · #19 02-22-2011, 06:24 PM

I'm down for some numericals.

I've been inspired. Got some old hardware and a Yamaha neck lying around, and there's plenty of firewood around here...

prd004 · #20 02-22-2011, 06:35 PM

We have around thirty some members in the Wood Matters Club, you guys have three!!!!!!!!!!

Just sayin'