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Can You Tell The Difference??? ASH vs. ALDER

WHICH IS ALDER? WHICH IS ASH?

  • 1-A and 2-A are Alder, 1-B and 2-B are Ash.

    Votes: 17 15.7%

  • 1-A and 2-A are Ash, 1-B and 2-B are Alder.

    Votes: 48 44.4%

  • I can hear a difference between the "1" recordings, but not the "2" recordings

    Votes: 16 14.8%

  • I can hear a difference between the "2" recordings, but not the "1" recordings

    Votes: 3 2.8%

  • I can't hear a difference between any of them!

    Votes: 24 22.2%
  • Total voters
    108
#22
The clips don't sound that similar - if anything I'd say this proves that wood does have a significant effect on the tone. Lemon Song A has a presence in the midrange that I generally associate with alder, and Lemon Song B has a fullness to the low end that is indicative of ash. However, I've played alder-bodied basses that sound practically identical to ash, so it also has to do a lot with the specific piece of whatever wood you're using.
 
#23
Sadly, I didn't look at the possible answers before listening and making my decision. Consequently I thought 1A and 2B were partners and 2A and 1B were partners.
So I am copping to not knowing.
Nice idea for a comparison. Those with better ears than I have will get better results.
 
#25
2 def has more treble. I always thought ASH was more scooped sound(is that not why people love ash bodied jazz basses for slap?) and alder had more neutral tonalites and low mids. My vote is A is alder and B is ash. Either way I don't think tone woods have much impact.

Dan's going to come back and tell us the bodies were basswood or something..
 
#26
johnk_10 said:
i voted A=ash and B=Alder.
IMO, ash has more mids, mid bass and clarity. IME, Alder is more scooped sounding.
Click to expand...


+1 I'm with johnk 10. Although It was harder for me to tell on the first 2 files. But when I listened to the second 2 files I felt like "B" sounded softer or more mid scooped/mellow... But who knows! LOL... I really don't like voting on these types of thing because you never really know if any tweaks were done to the files. But what the hell, you only live once!! :D
 
#29
1a and 2 b seem to have that warm low bottom end while 1b and 2 a are both a bit more trebley ( is that a word?) Iwould think that 1a and 2b where the ash body and 1b 2a are alder but then again i'm deaf and blind
 
#30
I could hear a difference in low frequencies between 1a and 1b. 1b's lowest notes had a fuller, rounder sound. Couldn't really discern much difference between 2a and 2b.

It is an interesting test. I've been of the opinion for years that differences in material do make small changes that are not easy to discern, but make enough of them and they'll add up to something easily heard (electronics being equal).

But more important to me in selecting an instrument is just "how does the instrument sound without electronics". It really doesn't matter to me what woods were used, if it sounds good before it is plugged is, I'm pretty confident I'm going to make it work for me. I assume both of these instruments did sound good acoustically.

So a test I would find even more interesting is taking two instruments, doesn't matter what woods were used, where 1 has "it" acoustically and the other sounds dull, dampened and/or muddy and put the same electronics in. See if the pickups can rescue the bad one.
 
#34
I play an Ash bass and a Alder bass. The Ash bass has a boomier low-mid compared to the alder. I actually had to go through 2 pickups and settle on a SPB-1 for the ash, it had an SPB-3 which sounded to muddy and not as clear. Now my Alder bass has a SPB-3 and it sounds great for that wood...go figure. In this case there is a difference in tones from the wood. At least to my ears. Oh and I am not able to listen at this time to samples, speakers not working right. FYI
 
#40
Dan, great idea and fantastic execution!
Finaly a put up or shut up test.
I don't know (or care) which is which but did listen carfeully through studio monitors
Think that both the A samples are from the same bass and have the most character IMO.
I also believe that in a band mix it would be nearly impossible to tell them apart.

This would be a great test to continue with necks, strings, pups etc.
If you're up to it, I'd suggest use the same bodies and play the exact same parts as a constant.
 

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