Best wood for bass?

[Ken J]

My personal preference
Mahogony Koa and Ebony

 

[Jazzcat]

Body: Mahogany. I never played a slab body of rosewood or walnut, but I would love to try one. Rosewood is my clear preference in acoustic guitars.
Fretboard: Ebony.

 

[Rich Terry]

I think it depends of the kind of music you play.
I find this works best for metal.

 

[SteveC]

Fretted 5 = swamp ash, maple neck and board
Fretless 5 = mahogany, maple neck, diamondwood board

 

[PortlandBass77]

Spruce all the way.

But seriously, Swamp Ash, Alder, and Maple all do their job.

 

[Bassco]

Basswood is the best ! Easy to work and has good acoustic qualities. Really!

 

[Jammin Johneboy]

I think it depends of the kind of music you play.
I find this works best for metal.

Don't know what it sounds like, but that thing is cool!

 

[pacojas]

Basswood is the best ! Easy to work and has good acoustic qualities. Really!

annnd the #1 reason,... it has the word "bass" in it!

 

[Bassist Jay]

My personal favorite is koa wood. It looks great and gives you a very nice warm tone.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Walnut.

 

[GBassNorth]

For me the wood selection depends on what sound I'm after.

Classic Fender P bass tone - standard size alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, split coil in p bass sweet spot with passive controls.

Snarl/growl in your face tone - small size but heavy dense body wood, dense neck wood with matching fingerboard and EMG or MEC pickups close to the bridge and a EMG BT or MEC preamp.

Deep dark smooth tone - large size mahogany body, rosewood neck, rosewood or ebony fretboard, bartolini pickups in the precision sweet spot with an East preamp.

Strong mid presence - standard size walnut body, maple neck, maple fretboard, pickups in standard jazz position with Aguilar preamp.

Bright snappy crystal clear tone - small size maple body, maple neck through, maple fretboard, EMG dual coil humbuckers with coil split and a Pope or Audere or East preamp.

 

[Big Hoss]

Like mahogany ash alder and maple... I liked my early 2002 or so Squier but hated the agathis body... too soft. Strap button screws pulled out pretty easily.

 

[taylor16]

I prefer alder. This does not help you at all, however.

 

[decentbassbreh]

bubinga ash and maple are my faves!

 

[Stick_Player]

I thought I needed tubes.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

For me the wood selection depends on what sound I'm after.


Deep dark smooth tone - large size mahogany body, rosewood neck, rosewood or ebony fretboard, bartolini pickups in the precision sweet spot with an East preamp.

.

Amen, brother. You called THAT one .

 

[Jim Carr]

I advise playing an instrument next to others you can afford and are considering. Whichever one's sound you like best is the right one, regardless of the materials used.

An exception should be noted. If you buy an instrument using Brazilian Rosewood or other endangered materials in its construction, you will probably not be able to transport or sell it across national boundaries. There are exceptions, but they involve significant levels of documentation that the wood or other material was sourced such that it complies with international treaties protecting endangered species (CITES).

N.B., I am not an expert on this, nor am I here to defend or condemn CITES, so don't flame me. I am just bringing up an issue that is real. I know, as I have instruments that are affected by these treaties.

That said, you might ask yourself what your favorite sounding bass is made from. That would be a good place to start when choosing wood.

 

[JPeeBass]

Best wood for bass?

How 'bout morning wood?

 

[davy4575]

For me the wood selection depends on what sound I'm after.

Classic Fender P bass tone - standard size alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, split coil in p bass sweet spot with passive controls.

Snarl/growl in your face tone - small size but heavy dense body wood, dense neck wood with matching fingerboard and EMG or MEC pickups close to the bridge and a EMG BT or MEC preamp.

Deep dark smooth tone - large size mahogany body, rosewood neck, rosewood or ebony fretboard, bartolini pickups in the precision sweet spot with an East preamp.

Strong mid presence - standard size walnut body, maple neck, maple fretboard, pickups in standard jazz position with Aguilar preamp.

Bright snappy crystal clear tone - small size maple body, maple neck through, maple fretboard, EMG dual coil humbuckers with coil split and a Pope or Audere or East preamp.

Good info, probably what the OP was looking for when he asked the question.

 

[Hopkins]

Which ever wood is holding the pickups you want in the location you like them in. It has been proven on this site that people could not tell the difference between the usual tone woods and a neck bolted to a 2x4.