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bass woods
- Thread starter K Dubbs
- Start date
1) Purple heart neck-through, ovankol body wings, maybe a rosewood fretboard. Undecided pick ups, 4 strings
2) Maple body, maple neck, maple fretboard. MM pickup, 4 strings
3) Purpleheart, Ash, and Walnut body, maple neck rosewood board, 5 string.
2) Maple body, maple neck, maple fretboard. MM pickup, 4 strings
3) Purpleheart, Ash, and Walnut body, maple neck rosewood board, 5 string.
Cherry Wood!
I love the stuff. It works easily, it's a common North American tree, is a beautiful rich brown-orange colour, and sounds great. Wood is alive, and so it's hard to say "This wood sounds like THIS", but to my ear cherry is punchy and full sounding. The "B" string response is really clear, I can get good slap and warm finger tones out of my basses.
Back in the 80's I bought a Koa fretless from Toronto builder Peter Elias, and when I ordered my second it was made of cherry. When I asked why, he said that he had found out he was allergic to koa, and liked the sound of cherry better. I came to agree with him.
I love the stuff. It works easily, it's a common North American tree, is a beautiful rich brown-orange colour, and sounds great. Wood is alive, and so it's hard to say "This wood sounds like THIS", but to my ear cherry is punchy and full sounding. The "B" string response is really clear, I can get good slap and warm finger tones out of my basses.
Back in the 80's I bought a Koa fretless from Toronto builder Peter Elias, and when I ordered my second it was made of cherry. When I asked why, he said that he had found out he was allergic to koa, and liked the sound of cherry better. I came to agree with him.
what i found is i like synthetic bodies a lot! and most of the time prefferably over wood bodies... unless the wood is hard and resonant after i purchased my IBANEZ EDA 905.... i realized what this "luthite" (what Ibanez calls thier material) can really sound like ... i suppose it could also be that since my new bass has "piezo" bridge pickups.. the luthite material compliments it.. gives it super punch.
www.ibanez.com
Hey Domenic, welcome to Talkbass. I think you'll like this place. When you get a chance, fill out your profile so others have a better idea of what gear you own and what music you're into.
Enjoy.
Mike J.
Enjoy.
Mike J.
- Mar 22, 2002
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- KISSBASS CEO / Formerly JPBasses founder.
Hi guys,
I would like to comment about what Brad, Geshel or Geoff have said about wood influence on the bass sound.
In fact, the back of the neck is submitted to more stress. Many years ago, instruments builders were adding strong wood veeners to the back of their neck to reinforce them. This is also the concept used by parker with the carbon fiber layer that is laminated to the back of the instrument. However, I don't think that knowing this allows us to find if fingerboard wood has or not more influence on the sound that neck wood.
Back when I was a student I had a job in a bass shop where I did many blintests with customers. I had many peopole coming and telling me they wanted to buy a maple board stingray bass because of the better "slap sound". During the blindtest, no one was able to tell me if I was playing the maple board , or the rosewood one. Some times, I unplugged the bass and plugged it again, and I had people sayed...wow, the first one is brighter, this is the maple board!!! (in fact this was the same bass sometimes with the rosewood board!)
This shows how, when it comes to sound, we are often ruled by what we think is true over what we really hear.
As Brad says, he can hear the difference between ash and alder bodied Jazz Basses but he has never done it as a blindtest. Just try to do so Brad...results can be very surprising
I truly believe that wood HAS a role to play in the overall sound. Pickups, even if magnetic, play the role of an human ear. Make an experience: Take a ruler, put it on whatever support you find, hanging on the air by 2". Make it ratle and you'll hear a sound. Now take the ruler on another support, place it in the same position (2") and you'll hear a different sound because it is not vibrating the same way. Bass pickups are catching differents sounds depending on the way the string vibrates. I think we all agree with that.
Given that fact, wood influence on the sound is difficult to measure because sepaking of electric bass, a greater part of the sound is coming from "pu type and position, strings and electronics".
Moving a pickup by 1/4" may alter the sound much more than using another fingerboard wood.
Two basses using the same woods, pickups, electronics, strings...may sound different. Two pieces of wood from the same log may be different and give a different type of sound.
What I feel very hard to do has a builder is to tell customers that a bass with A or B wood is going to sound brighter, warmer... How can I predict that the piece of padauk (yeah I love it too Dave !) I'm using for a new bass will sound the same way has the one I used for the same bass model a year ago? I think I can't!
I really like Carl Thompson's thoughts on woods and bass building: Invalid Link Removed
Apologizes for the long reply!
Peace, JP
I would like to comment about what Brad, Geshel or Geoff have said about wood influence on the bass sound.
Originally posted by Fuzzbass
Thanks, geshel, this makes sense. I would nitpick on one thing: seems to me that the convex side of the neck (almost always the side away from the fretboard) undergoes more stress: bend a loaf of bread, and it will break on the convex side, not the concave. I suppose one could argue that the loaf might collapse on the convex side, but I've never known a bass neck to collapse (have I gotten too silly yet?)
In fact, the back of the neck is submitted to more stress. Many years ago, instruments builders were adding strong wood veeners to the back of their neck to reinforce them. This is also the concept used by parker with the carbon fiber layer that is laminated to the back of the instrument. However, I don't think that knowing this allows us to find if fingerboard wood has or not more influence on the sound that neck wood.
Back when I was a student I had a job in a bass shop where I did many blintests with customers. I had many peopole coming and telling me they wanted to buy a maple board stingray bass because of the better "slap sound". During the blindtest, no one was able to tell me if I was playing the maple board , or the rosewood one. Some times, I unplugged the bass and plugged it again, and I had people sayed...wow, the first one is brighter, this is the maple board!!! (in fact this was the same bass
sometimes with the rosewood board!)This shows how, when it comes to sound, we are often ruled by what we think is true over what we really hear.
As Brad says, he can hear the difference between ash and alder bodied Jazz Basses but he has never done it as a blindtest. Just try to do so Brad...results can be very surprising
I truly believe that wood HAS a role to play in the overall sound. Pickups, even if magnetic, play the role of an human ear. Make an experience: Take a ruler, put it on whatever support you find, hanging on the air by 2". Make it ratle and you'll hear a sound. Now take the ruler on another support, place it in the same position (2") and you'll hear a different sound because it is not vibrating the same way. Bass pickups are catching differents sounds depending on the way the string vibrates. I think we all agree with that.
Given that fact, wood influence on the sound is difficult to measure because sepaking of electric bass, a greater part of the sound is coming from "pu type and position, strings and electronics".
Moving a pickup by 1/4" may alter the sound much more than using another fingerboard wood.
Two basses using the same woods, pickups, electronics, strings...may sound different. Two pieces of wood from the same log may be different and give a different type of sound.
What I feel very hard to do has a builder is to tell customers that a bass with A or B wood is going to sound brighter, warmer... How can I predict that the piece of padauk (yeah I love it too Dave !) I'm using for a new bass will sound the same way has the one I used for the same bass model a year ago? I think I can't!
I really like Carl Thompson's thoughts on woods and bass building: Invalid Link Removed
Apologizes for the long reply!
Peace, JP
Bryan R. Tyler
TalkBass: Usurping My Practice Time Since 2002
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- May 3, 2002
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Now, I know Carl Thompson is a well-respected luthier and all, but that article makes him sound like a senile cabinetmaker. He just seems very much like a stereotypical New Englad old-timer; sort of rambling and very set in his ways. It seems almost like he's saying, "You crazy kids with your tone woods and brass hardware and multi-piece necks!"
BTW, my favorite quote of Carl's was "I really don't know anything about sound."
BTW, my favorite quote of Carl's was "I really don't know anything about sound."
My next bass will likely consist of:
Body-Half Mahogany (top) and Half Swamp Ash (bottom)
Neck-Maple
Fingerboard-Ebony
Can't wait!
Body-Half Mahogany (top) and Half Swamp Ash (bottom)
Neck-Maple
Fingerboard-Ebony
Can't wait!
I can see how some feel that fingerboard wood affects sound greatly while others feel it does not. In my limited experience, I feel that even the finish on the fingerboard affects the sound. Not just type of finish (oil, epoxy,...) but how thick as well. Regardless, the point about style and placement of pups cannot be ignored. Where the pup listens to the vibrating string and the inherent brightness or lack thereof within the pup itself is a major factor.
You missed 2 options - "Whatever my bass is made of" and "Carrots".
Seriously though, I've been wondering what difference the material (and shape/size I suppose) of the body of bass makes to the sound. Surely to be able to really say what difference it makes you'd have to have a range of basses identical except for the wood they're made of. And you'd have to try different pickups and different strings with the different woods too. Have all you guys who are saying what wood you like actually done this? Or is it just that you like the sound of the bass, so you say you like whatever wood it's made of the best?
Seriously though, I've been wondering what difference the material (and shape/size I suppose) of the body of bass makes to the sound. Surely to be able to really say what difference it makes you'd have to have a range of basses identical except for the wood they're made of. And you'd have to try different pickups and different strings with the different woods too. Have all you guys who are saying what wood you like actually done this? Or is it just that you like the sound of the bass, so you say you like whatever wood it's made of the best?
i have a bass made entirely of ebony from Wesson Hammacher. it is estimated at $17,643.00. it is locked away at my bank. it is one of two of the models made in the united states.
Better late than never!
I've always prefered Swamp Ash until I tried Spanish Cedar on my second Roscoe. It has a more acoustic sound and isn't as bright sounding as my 1st Swamp Ash (core) Roscoe (it also has a great look). I haven't really seen anyone other than Keith using Spanish Cedar wood but I love the weight and sound!
I've always prefered Swamp Ash until I tried Spanish Cedar on my second Roscoe. It has a more acoustic sound and isn't as bright sounding as my 1st Swamp Ash (core) Roscoe (it also has a great look). I haven't really seen anyone other than Keith using Spanish Cedar wood but I love the weight and sound!
AHHH HA HA,,, yeah buddy, and i have a $175,000 bass jaco and wooten and jamerson ALL got together on and made, then i made a secret shed for it to be locked away in, ah ha, and then i.........Oh dear god.......your serious.......sweet jesus........
