Anyone else have a 'type'?

[J.Wolf]

I guess it's finally time to admit that the only basses that stick around long term here are ash body basses. Some of them are heavy norther, some are super light swamp. Honestly, most of the time it's ash/maple, provided that they have a good midrange voice and aren't too scooped. I think for solid body fretted basses, Im really only comfortable with the attack and frequency presentation of ash, when it's done right. I always want to love alder, mahogany etc. as a body wood, but 9/10 it just doesn't quite sit right. 4, 5, 6, J, P, humbuckers, bolt on, neck thru, theyre all just ash. Minus that nice Koa Taylor in the back.

Anyone else find that they gravitate to one type of wood for a body or fingerboard? Besides neck wood, the body and board seem (to my ears) to have most impact on tone. Unless you're one of those that believe 'all woods sound the same and anyways, its all in the fingers', in which case, perhaps this thread may not be for you

 

[stigbeve]

I only have basses with 3 knobs or less.
My favorite layout was on a Warwick Corvette I had, Volume (pull for passive), Blend and stacked Treble and Bass.

 

[JKos]

My ‘type’ seems to be 4-string, passive, ‘Jazz’ neck. I’ve had a number of active and/or > 4 string basses and all have gone out the door.

 

[GTHintz]

Since getting my 1st 5string now that's all I want. I think they just sound better as opposed to the tighter string spacing that i also want in everything i play now. Since the necks are usually a little bit bigger and wider i feel like it translates to a bigger tone. A little bit deeper tone im going to say. Ive definitely noticed. Also i love the tone of every Warwick ive ever heard so i guess that counts as a type.

 

[ajkula66]

All of my basses have mahagony bodies and necks. Tight string spacing. Passive electronics, although this aspect seems to be the most variable one with vastly different pickups being involved.

If all of the above qualifies as a "type" I guess I'm in...

 

[etoncrow]

Natural wood (burl myrtle, ash, bubingo, mesquite, walnut, mahogany) unlined fretless

 

[J Posega]

As my collection has grown, I've tried to diversify. I've got super short scales, fanned frets, octave-course, medium scales, fretted, fretless, EUB, headless, Bass VI, 4, 5, 6 and 10 strings, etc.

I guess the 1 thing that's consistent across the majority is that they have maple necks, either regular or roasted, with only a couple outliers.

 

[bass12]

I guess my "type" would be more Jazz than anything else but it really comes down to the individual bass. Wood-wise it's the same. I do think the wood makes a difference, but it seems to be more about the specific piece of wood than the type (making predictions based on wood type a roll of the dice as much as anything). Having said that, if I special order a bass chances are pretty good that the body is going to be ash.

 

[JRA]

Anyone else find that they gravitate to one type of wood for a body or fingerboard?........Unless you're one of those that believe 'all woods sound the same and anyways, its all in the fingers', in which case, perhaps this thread may not be for you

i'm definitely "one of those" however, i still "gravitate to one type of wood for a body" = paulownia/empress. it's so lightweight: i only want lightweight EBs --- so that's the "type" i am!

 

[RGerhart]

I guess it's finally time to admit that the only basses that stick around long term here are ash body basses. Some of them are heavy norther, some are super light swamp. Honestly, most of the time it's ash/maple, provided that they have a good midrange voice and aren't too scooped. I think for solid body fretted basses, Im really only comfortable with the attack and frequency presentation of ash, when it's done right. I always want to love alder, mahogany etc. as a body wood, but 9/10 it just doesn't quite sit right. 4, 5, 6, J, P, humbuckers, bolt on, neck thru, theyre all just ash. Minus that nice Koa Taylor in the back.

Anyone else find that they gravitate to one type of wood for a body or fingerboard? Besides neck wood, the body and board seem (to my ears) to have most impact on tone. Unless you're one of those that believe 'all woods sound the same and anyways, its all in the fingers', in which case, perhaps this thread may not be for you

View attachment 5274288

I'm with you on this one. I've found that I gravitate towards ash bodies (and necks, sometimes), too. My favorite so far is my Fodera Emperor Standard 5 Classic--ash body, maple neck, rosewood board. It has just the right midrange bite, and I don't really mind the weight (it's just shy of 11 lbs).

 

[Pilgrim]

I can hear the difference between a hollowbody and a solid body, but it's hard to say I can hear any difference between a semi-hollow and a hollow.

On a solid body bass I believe that strings and electronics make more difference to the sound than anything else, making wood irrelevant to me on solid bodies.

If I have a type, it's Gretsch. I have three of them: one hollow, one solid, one chambered. I simply like the way all of them sound.

 

[Bassdirty]

I'm definitely not too fussy bout "wood" type. (as long as its not too heavy).

But my "Bass" type would have to be 5 strings with narrow spacing. It turns out that Ibanez has always had exactly what I NEED in a bass.

Like this, for instance:

T$

 

[pepj]

Ash is ok... its has a nice grain but Alder is where its at for me.
Compromise is Alder with a nice facing, but even then, a nice full paint job on plain Alder body does it better. imv.

Alder and RW.

 

[juancaminos]

My type would be Jazz Bass, unlined fretless neck, Dimarzio pups, highmass bridge, J retro electronics.
Half of my arsenal are set up this way.

 

[TheReceder]

My type has become anything for sale at 60% of what I think it's worth...

(And anything that isn't so conspicous that my wife will think it's something new)

 

[Slade N]

Main type preference is Thinner width necks like Jazz or Warwicks and a master volume

 

[Jeremy Crockett]

My type has become anything for sale at 60% of what I think it's worth...

(And anything that isn't so conspicous that my wife will think it's something new)

I completely respect this "type".

Myself, I am fairly pedestrian. Sunburst, White Pearloid, FSOs, & Stingrays.

 

[Medicine Man]

Love the one you're with.
Dodododododododo
Dododo dododo.

 

[BtaylorTheRogue]

For a long time, 5 strings.

Then light 5 strings.

These days, light, multi-scale 5 strings.

 

[bylar13]

Neck Through construction seems to be my thing.