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Are veneers a turnoff?
- Thread starter BHughes81
- Start date
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Veneers are not only a cost effective way of providing a nice looking body, but allow you to get better wood underneath. Untreated spalted wood is softer, and any irregular grain can be harder to work, may not hold fasteners as well, is rarer, and is more expensive.
Veneers have been used in woodworking for centuries (since 3000 BC) according to the internet.
Since the effect of veneer (even a thicker "drop top") on the sound of solid body guitars and basses is minimal at best, and quite possibly non-existent they don't bother me in the slightest.
Since the effect of veneer (even a thicker "drop top") on the sound of solid body guitars and basses is minimal at best, and quite possibly non-existent they don't bother me in the slightest.
This is a glued on top but then you get into how the 2 woods combine. Body is Ash, Flame top is Maple, iirc. But at least its a substantial facing.
I actually get what you mean.
I think a fancy top can make a cheap bass feel cheaper, but a nice bass feel nicer in some cases. If it looks "slapped on" then I would rather have a nice solid paint job. Or if the bass feels cheap then it may make you feel that it's trying to be something it's not. Like luxury features in a Kia.
On the other hand, I think a well done vernier can look really nice, and I think MTD Kingston should be well above the quality level where I would have any concerns about the bass or question "what are they hiding under that vernier?"
I think a fancy top can make a cheap bass feel cheaper, but a nice bass feel nicer in some cases. If it looks "slapped on" then I would rather have a nice solid paint job. Or if the bass feels cheap then it may make you feel that it's trying to be something it's not. Like luxury features in a Kia.
On the other hand, I think a well done vernier can look really nice, and I think MTD Kingston should be well above the quality level where I would have any concerns about the bass or question "what are they hiding under that vernier?"
Totally a personal preference, but they are a turnoff for me. Not to be all armchair psychologist but something about perfect exotic figuring and book-matched top grain that doesn’t match the back doesn’t sit well with me. Honestly, I think it traces back to the Fender photo flame basses that came out in the 90s…which just felt artificial and superficial. The hamburgler just took it to the next level.
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Agreed, appearance does count and cosmetics help sell basses. As far as bridges, my parts Jazz has a cheap bent metal Squier bridge and sounds fantastic. I see no reason to upgrade other than wanting a quick release model.
I agree. I really don’t care for it myself but to each his own. Basses are not one size fits all.
Well you know how Guitar Center can be, instruments in dire need of a setup...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.)
The blue one, walked out the door with it in Dec of 2021 and went till this last summer before touching the setup on it.
The green one (Feb 2022), same thing, except I called ahead and they had it waiting at the checkout counter for me, even gave me a Gator hardshell case for free.
And of course the best part was I got both on sale at 649 each. Definitely changed my attitude about American vs MIM. I own one Am, one CIJ, three MIM, and one Indonesia (acoustic) made Fenders.
That could apply to other components too, right? I mean, a bass doesn't "need" pretty knobs, fancy fret markers, or an elaborately carved headstock, and the time and money that went into those features could instead have been spent on extra time fine-tuning the setup and feel of a plainer instrument.
As always, implementation is everything. I'm fine with a veneer as long as the wood underneath resonates appropriately.
That said, I do have a problem with that thing where they just lop off the whole top corner for the forearm bevel. That really takes away from what could have otherwise been a primo build IMHO.
Kudos to Roscoe for going the extra mile with an accent strip and a bend.
No complaints about the tonal response from this specimen. ^ In fact, the consistency across all registers puts most of my non-veneered BGs to shame.
I like how my Warwick Streamer Stage I incorporates solid chunks o' flame maple – all the way to the back! Probably not the most cost-effective or lightweight solution, but it really makes this model stand out from the crowd. (Along with the 20mm spacing. It's a 5-string many people will run away from screaming, but I freaking adore it.)
That said, I do have a problem with that thing where they just lop off the whole top corner for the forearm bevel. That really takes away from what could have otherwise been a primo build IMHO.
Kudos to Roscoe for going the extra mile with an accent strip and a bend.
No complaints about the tonal response from this specimen. ^ In fact, the consistency across all registers puts most of my non-veneered BGs to shame.
I like how my Warwick Streamer Stage I incorporates solid chunks o' flame maple – all the way to the back! Probably not the most cost-effective or lightweight solution, but it really makes this model stand out from the crowd. (Along with the 20mm spacing. It's a 5-string many people will run away from screaming, but I freaking adore it.)
Finally got to see a Cort GB Custom today. It has a Spalted Maple top veneer in a natural gloss finish. I would not rate it above AAA grade. Pretty good looking but felt kinda weird for me as I seemed like a sticker. Would have been better if it were say 1/8” thick at the least or have a dark edge burst, that would mask it
But I think I can live with it. Was so tempted to purchase it.
But I think I can live with it. Was so tempted to purchase it.
A lot of people charge a lot of extra money nowadays for gluing some rotten wood to the front of an otherwise decent instrument - burl or spalting is precisely that, and somehow it raises the price a lot.
I have one bass that has a walnut top - not sure if it's a thick veneer or a thin "top". The rest of the body is roasted swamp ash. One of the odd things about a lot of walnut nowadays is it loses much of its color in the drying process they use on it. So....I ended up staining the body with "walnut" stain to make it look like....what it actually is. Odd thing is that the ash, after staining, looks a lot like the walnut - it's really hard to see where one ends and the other begins.
I have one bass that has a walnut top - not sure if it's a thick veneer or a thin "top". The rest of the body is roasted swamp ash. One of the odd things about a lot of walnut nowadays is it loses much of its color in the drying process they use on it. So....I ended up staining the body with "walnut" stain to make it look like....what it actually is. Odd thing is that the ash, after staining, looks a lot like the walnut - it's really hard to see where one ends and the other begins.
Veneer is a good thing in the realm of basses because of density. Most of the woods used to pretty up the front of a bass are much more dense than swamp ash - if you make a bass that's solid from most of those woods, the thing would be ungodly heavy. A veneer allows you to have the "pretty" without the weight.
I wish I still had a pic of it, but an otherwise nice Skyline 4402 Deluxe came here with a natural finish. "Deluxe" versions featured nicely figured maple tops. But the natural finish revealed where the two woods met at the front edges. It was not a good look, as the figured maple veneer looked paper thin and well, "cheap". Since a thin figured veneer is meant soley for cosmetics, to my eyes it would have looked great with a burst finish to cover up the edges. Or just plain ash, no top.
my 16-year-old kia affords no luxury whatsoever....except the part where i don't have to walk to the beer store.sounds like you're being practical = i like practical! let the end user mod the look he/she wants...and pay for it!
i sure get your point, and i'm inclined to agree, generally. that said, i have nothing against veneer. i enjoy looking at all of the NBD threads as i catch them, and of course, they're loaded with veneered EBs.... and they look super!
somehow, your observation and the discussion prompted me to recall charley tuna who was always being rejected by starkist tuna: he claimed he had good taste, but no one else thought that he'd taste good, too:
What I don’t like about veneers is it gives manufacturers a justification to charge a lot more money for a wafer thin piece of veneer.
Are veneers a turnoff? Well...
I guess they might be - if they were poorly done. On anything. But, as for a veneer top on a bass? Out of 28 basses, I own only one bass with veneer top. A Lefty Schecter Stiletto Studio lined fretless. A Mahogany neck-thru with a Bubinga veneer top. It's pretty plain, as it's a Studio model, but still... rather pretty. The Bubinga veneer seem thick enough to be sturdy and stable; we'll just have to wait and see. The only other bass I own that might sorta qualify, is the "Hippie Sandwich" body of my Alembic Epic. The top piece of very well-figured Maple, is the same thickness as the nice piece of Walnut that is the back of the bass. The only "veneer"? The thin piece of Purpleheart that forms the "meat" in the Maple/Walnut sandwich. Sorry, but that's it in my herd...
I guess they might be - if they were poorly done. On anything. But, as for a veneer top on a bass? Out of 28 basses, I own only one bass with veneer top. A Lefty Schecter Stiletto Studio lined fretless. A Mahogany neck-thru with a Bubinga veneer top. It's pretty plain, as it's a Studio model, but still... rather pretty. The Bubinga veneer seem thick enough to be sturdy and stable; we'll just have to wait and see. The only other bass I own that might sorta qualify, is the "Hippie Sandwich" body of my Alembic Epic. The top piece of very well-figured Maple, is the same thickness as the nice piece of Walnut that is the back of the bass. The only "veneer"? The thin piece of Purpleheart that forms the "meat" in the Maple/Walnut sandwich. Sorry, but that's it in my herd...
Ibanez SR400EQM
Quilted maple over nyatoh
Dragon Eye Burst.
They did a nice job on this model.
Quilted maple over nyatoh
Dragon Eye Burst.
They did a nice job on this model.
