Different tone from different wood, really?

[tfer]

His mention of his 2x4 bass sounding as good as a $5k bass!!!

It's a legitimate argument, if you like the acoustical properties that plywood would give!

Put a nice flame maple cap on it, and it could look great!

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

it’s as fact as your nick
Or as fake as your nick

 

[Turnaround]

That's interesting! Out of interest, how would you describe the difference, MIM to MIA?

It's like saying "aaaahhhh" with your tongue sticking out (MIM) compared to "aaaahhhh" with your tongue pulled back to your throat (MIA).

 

[dhagopian]

Geez we haven't had this conversation 9,000,560,034,872,576,285,119,000 times...

 

[pappabass]

It's a legitimate argument, if you like the acoustical properties that plywood would give!

Put a nice flame maple cap on it, and it could look great!

Yes, put some weird name like Fodenbacker or Rickendorf & say its a boutique bass!

 

[4sight]

Geez we haven't had this conversation 9,000,560,034,872,576,285,119,000 times...

I think you'll find that's 9,000,560,034,872,576,285,119,001 times, but it depends whether you're using a bathroom scale or not.

 

[pappabass]

That's interesting! Out of interest, how would you describe the difference, MIM to MIA?

Made in Mexico by Americans or made in America by Mexicans ?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I doubt they're making work permits for U.S. citizens to work in MX.

 

[pappabass]

In order, the factors that affect the tone of the bass (excluding amp and mixing):
1) player technique and ability
2) pickups
3) playing environment
4) quality of construction the bass, e.g. bolt on vs neck through vs hollow vs semi hollow
5) neck wood and fretboard
6) body wood
7) connections to amp/sound board
8) audience

#9 amount of beer everyone has drank!

You are correct about #1. We overlook it too often.

 

[Robert Darby]

I am starting to thinks its just if you get the combination right. I have modded a few basses and sometimes a bass with a rather cheap body has great tone. So it makes me wonder. I think sometimes we just get the combination right. Wood/strings/pickups/bridge. Who the hell knows for sure.

 

[pappabass]

I still say the color affects the tone! Especially pick guard color.

 

[gguillo]

This thread has the ability to go over 100 pages.

 

[micguy]

In order, the factors that affect the tone of the bass (excluding amp and mixing):
1) player technique and ability
2) pickups
3) playing environment
4) quality of construction the bass, e.g. bolt on vs neck through vs hollow vs semi hollow
5) neck wood and fretboard
6) body wood
7) connections to amp/sound board
8) audience

Far more important than many things on this list is the pickup(s) location(s) - they determine a LOT of what you hear - I'd put that at #2.

 

[WardEarth]

Man, I knew when I bought this I'd get the opportunity to post on a "sound comes from wood" thread, I just didn't realize there'd be a new on so soon ....
View attachment 3328370

Where’s the sound clips?

 

[Turnaround]

It baffles me why this topic elicits so much vitriol. Some folks seem to think that the wood makes a difference. They have no proof. They do have some observations and personal experiences though and that counts for something. Some folks think that the wood makes no difference. They have no proof. They do have some observations and personal experience. That counts for something.

So what we can say definitively is that people have different opinions, different observations and different experiences. What's to get angry about?

 

[Scottgun]

 

[chadds]

We’re back.

The science says the first pulse, your string pluck, is picked up (get it) by the pickup. The second pulse is the vibration that goes through whatever body construction and materials and diminishes or presents accurately that vibration back to the strings. This is tone. One aspect of this we call sustain. We say, “resonant” or this bass is dried out and just rings.

Of course the pickup being electromagnetic doesn’t pickup body vibrations. The strings do.

Not only do the “naysayers” never answer the question of why the Gibson Les Paul, ES335 and SG with identical electronics sound different but why do bolt ons sound different than set and neck throughs?

Let’s not ignore that everything makes sound. Put the same fork down on marble, soap stone, butcher block, concrete and Formica counter tops. Blindfolded you can hear the difference. Assuming that only in solid body instruments that their construction suddenly falls outside of the laws of physics is a bit biased.

I’m convinced that some people can’t hear it so select basses for other characteristics. I’m convinced that the music they want out of their bass this isn’t a priority. I’m convinced that some bassists eq so heavily that they wouldn’t hear any distinctions. I think their choice of gear and perhaps the sonic environment of their practice space and performance spaces obscure this. I think that the form of files of music and through what devices may deem this a lost cause because the full fidelity isn’t there.

Yet we are all out here enjoying this craft. Let’s keep enjoying music.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I still say the color affects the tone! Especially pick guard color.

I don’t know man. I’m pretty sure a mint pickguard makes anything sound better.

 

[4sight]

It baffles me why this topic elicits so much vitriol. Some folks seem to think that the wood makes a difference. They have no proof. They do have some observations and personal experiences though and that counts for something. Some folks think that the wood makes no difference. They have no proof. They do have some observations and personal experience. That counts for something.

So what we can say definitively is that people have different opinions, different observations and different experiences. What's to get angry about?

Stop being so logical and reasonable, fierce circular "debates" are the bread and butter of TB!

 

[Killed_by_Death]

people have different opinions, different observations and different experiences. What's to get angry about?

I try not to get angry, but if folks want to chase me around posting that I don't know my own personal experiences, that's sort of like calling me a liar.