Are veneers a turnoff?

[BHughes81]

Heya! Long time lurker here. I’ve owned a ton of high quality basses over the years. USA and Euro Spectors, Zon, MTD , Lull etc. I find the price “sweet spot” to be between )$1000-$1500. I’ve owned many basses with incredible tops and I’m not sure I really buy in to the whole tonewood thing. Sure, I think general wood density plays a role in how the strings vibrate in the magnetic field of a pickup but won’t put much money on that horse.

Recently some of the basses I’ve tried/bought have had veneers of some variety. Some better than others. One was an Ibanez EHB1505MS with a poplar burl top…. Looked great but at the same time I can’t help think that it’s just a funky piece of common wood. Do you think veneers cheapen your experience? A decent veneer still isn’t a match for the 3D appearance of a well selected piece of wood. I also don’t think a veneer can sub for a great solid paint job or a good piece of ash. Is this because quality woods are becoming harder to source? Are they a turnoff to you implying a “budget” experience?

I recently got a Kingston Super 5 with brown burst and flame maple veneer. It’s super subtle and it made me question the build quality of the bass. It’s an exceptional instrument but I’d rather just see the ash if it was actually a decent piece.

Thoughts?

 

[Clark W]

Veneers don't bother me at all.

 

[BHughes81]

Veneers don't bother me at all.

Fair enough. They don’t bother me, per-se but I wonder where they could upgrade other components and skimp on the aesthetic top….

I dunno. That’s why I’m asking for opinions. For the MTD Kingston, for the cost of the veneer could I have gotten an upgraded bridge? Granted the solid colors have the same bridge. I have a Sterling Sabre guitar that is amazing… Fluence electronics and locking tuners, stainless frets but for $1500 manufactured overseas on a nato body I’d like a chunk of maple!! I know it’s competitive and you have to source a competitive product. Just want thoughts.

 

[Killing Floor]

What about on a headstock? It can make the head match the body wood. That can look nice.

 

[Clark W]

Fair enough. They don’t bother me, per-se but I wonder where they could upgrade other components and skimp on the aesthetic top….

I dunno. That’s why I’m asking for opinions. For the MTD Kingston, for the cost of the veneer could I have gotten an upgraded bridge? Granted the solid colors have the same bridge. I have a Sterling Sabre guitar that is amazing… Fluence electronics and locking tuners, stainless frets but for $1500 manufactured overseas on a nato body I’d like a chunk of maple!! I know it’s competitive and you have to source a competitive product. Just want thoughts.

Well I got both of these Fender Player Series on sale for 649 each. And I've been pretty happy with them. Other than changing the guards to smoked mirrors, knurled speed knobs on the controls, and Schaller strap locks, I have no intentions or desire to upgrade anything about them.

And out of my 5 Fender electrics, these are the only two with veneer tops.

 

[BHughes81]

Well I got both of these Fender Player Series on sale for 649 each. And I've been pretty happy with them. Other than changing the guards to smoked mirrors, knurled speed knobs on the controls, and Schaller strap locks, I have no intentions or desire to upgrade anything about them.

And out of my 5 Fender electrics, these are the only two with veneer tops.
View attachment 6988982

View attachment 6988983

They look great, my friend. Well executed veneers for sure!

 

[Clark W]

They look great, my friend. Well executed veneers for sure!

Fender did a great job with them wish they offered stuff like this more often.

 

[Iridescentone]

Veneers don't bother me, but if I'm having a fancy top I like it to be a thick slab, instead. I figure they're just about appearances anyway. A thick hunka nice wood tells me the maker didn't cheap out, even if I'm the only one who can see it. I wouldn't pay extra for it, but I've stumbled into some that just happened to have nice tops. This type thread needs gratuitous pics!

Carvin Bunny, claro walnut...

LTD, spalted maple...

Look, they did the headstock, too...

 

[J Wilson]

Squiers, Sires, $500 axes, a veneer is fine, they're working to that price point.

Start spending serious money, no, I'd expect a laminated top wood, preferably with a pinstripe veneer separator.

 

[MPU]

There’ss no difference in looks between a 1/4” top and wood veneer. Unless you have some kind of x-ray vision you can’t see below the surface of the wood. They both have that 3d- looks as long as the wood has it.

 

[SharpCat]

I once had a Strat with a photo-flame, that was kinda lame. A real veneer that has the chatoyancy, I'm OK with that.

I think a lot of the nicer instruments are using an actual cap to give structural support, and can allow a chambered body for lighter weight. Could also affect the sound--I think it's mostly agreed that all-mahogany LPs sound different than maple-capped ones, whether or not it's weight-relieved.

 

[Malak the Mad]

I, for one, don't mind veneers at all, even if they're a bit roughed up.

I'm no luthier, but from what I can tell, veneers are more about "visual flair" than anything else, ja? Some go for 'em, some don't. It's just a matter of taste.

Oh, and for the record, I recently bought a used Fender Player Plus Top Jazz. It would probably sound just as good without the transparent-green-over-flamed-maple, but the veneer gives it that extra bit of "OOMPH!" that makes it even sweeter.

 

[Watchootognbout]

..............One was an Ibanez EHB1505MS with a poplar burl top…. Looked great but at the same time I can’t help think that it’s just a funky piece of common wood. Do you think veneers cheapen your experience?.............

No.

 

[pepj]

AAA and above...qtr inch..?
What are we calling veneers...a stick on?

I can go for the look but whether I'm totally convinced soundwise is another thing.
All my basses with proper tops aren't among my best sounding basses so I'll go for a nice piece of solid wood. If its Ash...then you can have a translucent finish and still benefit from the solid one piece.
You need very nice Alder for that too...
My best sounding bass is Alder with Rosewood.
So as much as I want to go with a top, my experience is that I'll go otherwise.

My feeling is that you can get lucky with combos...but more often that not, you don't, or you need to pay for better wood stock which is my preferred way to go now.

 

[BHughes81]

No.View attachment 6989048

Gorgeous!

 

[Clark W]

I, for one, don't mind veneers at all, even if they're a bit roughed up.

I'm no luthier, but from what I can tell, veneers are more about "visual flair" than anything else, ja? Some go for 'em, some don't. It's just a matter of taste.

Oh, and for the record, I recently bought a used Fender Player Plus Top Jazz. It would probably sound just as good without the transparent-green-over-flamed-maple, but the veneer gives it that extra bit of "OOMPH!" that makes it even sweeter.

Those green and blue Player Plus basses are pretty sweet. I've enjoyed owning both of them. They've been really good basses so far and I got them in Dec 2021(blue/GC Xmas sale) and Feb 2022(green/GC President's Day sale). Got to put my hands on both before buying them.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Got to put my hands on both before buying them.

Yeah, I got to try a couple out while hanging on this-or-that store's walls and they were very nice. But, all the overwhelmingly positive feedback from people here on TB is what made me think grabbing one was a good idea. (...well, that and finding one in the Classifieds at at stoopid-fine price may have impacted my decision-making process.)

 

[Snert]

Do you think veneers cheapen your experience?

No. They look much better to me than a cheap front rout with a control plate and/or PG to cover it up and the same old, same old ancient car duco colours.

 

[vinlander]

Veneer is one thing, with a certain thickness I find it acceptable, now a photo flame...

 

[Nolan Tremblay]

I'm not clear on what @BHughes81 means by veneer. Are we talking 1 mm or so vacuum laminated wood veneer on top of the body? The EHB1505MS appears to have a proper top, meaning 3+ mm thick.

@SharpCat - nice one with the photo flame! I hadn't thought of that stuff for a long time.

Could a builder skip the veneer (or top) and upgrade other components - possibly. I believe they either have the market experience or research that's telling them that the veneer is the way to go from a sales volume perspective. It's also questionable if a bridge upgrade (meaning a more expensive bridge) translates into a better instrument.