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Agathis: Bad or Good
- Thread starter Mud Flaps
- Start date
I got a Yamaha RBX170 it's agathis and it sounds good enough for me. I can't really say any bass sounds bad though I'm sorta optimistic like that though.
IMHO though I think my Yamaha which I still play hard on after three years has stood up too lots of hard picking abuse, humidity changes (live in Texas) and it's light but, very bold sounding.
IMHO though I think my Yamaha which I still play hard on after three years has stood up too lots of hard picking abuse, humidity changes (live in Texas) and it's light but, very bold sounding.
Now that Ive had more time to tweak the warlock to sound closer to the eagle I can give better comparrison. Of course itd be better if I was comparing two basses by fodera, vigier, skold, or other such where diff was just body wood.
But anyway. To me a qaulity agathis compared to a qaulity mahogany, body differs mainly in a little more treble content and perhaps just a tad more midrange. Still closer to mahogany then say alder or ash. The other diff I notice is more detail with the mahogany body bass. With a little bit harder sound to the agathis body one. This latter is like the difference between Audioquest roket 44 speaker cable compared to analysis plus oval 12. Both of which Ive owned and very much enjoyed. Though I used the analysis plus oval 12 as a small upgrade from the latter. To get more detail in the low bass and a slightly richer detailed sound overall. Oddly the better cable to my ears is also lower priced for same length pairs with banana plugs. I cant say the audioquest isnt as good overall, its even a better choice for some then the analysis plus. Those more into classical or pop music for example would prob prefer the audioquest while metal heads & electronica fans etc would more go for the analysis plus imo.
An agathis body body so long as it is a premium or othewise still high qaulity peice of agathis. Can be excellent. The same can be said for basswood, royal paulownia wood. These 3 woods however are imo less forgiving when its lower qaulity peice. Whereas with mahogany one doesnt need to be quite as picky in picking a peice for a bass body. I'll gladly pick agathis over maple, alder, or ash body for personal tone preferance. Cause I mainly orient to dark voice char.
I do agree with XtheDeadPawn in that agathis has a bold sound. Another way of say harder sound I think.
But anyway. To me a qaulity agathis compared to a qaulity mahogany, body differs mainly in a little more treble content and perhaps just a tad more midrange. Still closer to mahogany then say alder or ash. The other diff I notice is more detail with the mahogany body bass. With a little bit harder sound to the agathis body one. This latter is like the difference between Audioquest roket 44 speaker cable compared to analysis plus oval 12. Both of which Ive owned and very much enjoyed. Though I used the analysis plus oval 12 as a small upgrade from the latter. To get more detail in the low bass and a slightly richer detailed sound overall. Oddly the better cable to my ears is also lower priced for same length pairs with banana plugs. I cant say the audioquest isnt as good overall, its even a better choice for some then the analysis plus. Those more into classical or pop music for example would prob prefer the audioquest while metal heads & electronica fans etc would more go for the analysis plus imo.
An agathis body body so long as it is a premium or othewise still high qaulity peice of agathis. Can be excellent. The same can be said for basswood, royal paulownia wood. These 3 woods however are imo less forgiving when its lower qaulity peice. Whereas with mahogany one doesnt need to be quite as picky in picking a peice for a bass body. I'll gladly pick agathis over maple, alder, or ash body for personal tone preferance. Cause I mainly orient to dark voice char.
I do agree with XtheDeadPawn in that agathis has a bold sound. Another way of say harder sound I think.
- Aug 21, 2003
- 11,586
- 18,595
- Disclosures
- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
what a hoot --- this thread was started 20 years ago!
the great "tonewood" debates are meant to be eternal, no?
only one early poster was concerned with weight (for a 6-string). my, how things have changed --- yet somehow, they remain the same!
but @Turock is still with us, and i think his post holds up well after two decades:
best response, my brother --- i would support that POV today...i don't know if i had that wisdom 20 years ago!
in 2003 i might have voted differently (that wood type matters), but today, i couldn't care less (body wood has to be good enough to support the other, more important functions).
TB history in the making!
the great "tonewood" debates are meant to be eternal, no?
only one early poster was concerned with weight (for a 6-string). my, how things have changed --- yet somehow, they remain the same!
but @Turock is still with us, and i think his post holds up well after two decades:
best response, my brother --- i would support that POV today...i don't know if i had that wisdom 20 years ago!in 2003 i might have voted differently (that wood type matters), but today, i couldn't care less (body wood has to be good enough to support the other, more important functions).
TB history in the making!
