help on choosing core wood

[Benberg]

I'm going to be making a custom bass via warmoth, but I'm having a hard choice between an alder or ash core. I want to know what you guys have to say about it, weight wise, sound, the works. It would be a Jbass with walnut or padauk facings. (probably walnut) If the core I choose is alder I'll Have white pinstripe binding. If it's Ash, I'll have black pinstripe.

 

[kb9wyz]

I got an ash bass and I really like the tone. It's just a hair clearer sounding to me in the upper mids than alder. The weight of wood can vary a lot according to some smart people I once paid attention to. Of course Warmoth will let you select whatever they got and give you the weight. So I guess that you can kinda win on that from either way. I think that Ash just works better for a Jazz bass, IMO.

 

[mark roberts]

Tried them, prefer Honduras Mahogany over Alder and Ash (whether swamp ash or northern hard ash)

 

[Benberg]

thanks for the feed back

 

[line6man]

I'm going to be making a custom bass via warmoth, but I'm having a hard choice between an alder or ash core. I want to know what you guys have to say about it, weight wise, sound, the works. It would be a Jbass with walnut or padauk facings. (probably walnut) If the core I choose is alder I'll Have white pinstripe binding. If it's Ash, I'll have black pinstripe.

What are "facings?" The lam top?

Do you intend to leave the back clear? If so, Alder is a hell of an ugly wood. Conversely, Ash looks great with a clear finish.

FWIW, I would not use white pinstripe binding with either wood, you need a contrast.

 

[MusicBear]

I have a (graphite fretless) neck on a white ash J-Bass body that sounds amazing, but it is heavy.

I have a Warmoth maple/pau ferro 5-string neck on an ash J-bass body that sounds "dark" as well as being heavy.

I just picked up a poplar-bodied P-J bass with a maple/rosewood neck that is light weight and sounds amazing - no lack of sustain + great tone!

I'd talk to Warmoth and pick a lighter-weight body - poplar, alder or even mahogany.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

What are "facings?" The lam top?

Do you intend to leave the back clear? If so, Alder is a hell of an ugly wood. Conversely, Ash looks great with a clear finish.

FWIW, I would not use white pinstripe binding with either wood, you need a contrast.

Alder ain't pretty to look at, but I think ash looks like plywood!

White ash is really heavy too. Pumpkin (swamp) ash is lighter, but I'd still prefer alder.

Since he says he's going to have walnut or padauk facings, I say go with the lighter alder, which also sounds better to me as well. The color would be more harmonious too, and you wont see those ugly open pores on the ash.

 

[line6man]

Alder ain't pretty to look at, but I think ash looks like plywood!

White ash is really heavy too. Pumpkin (swamp) ash is lighter, but I'd still prefer alder.

Since he says he's going to have walnut or padauk facings, I say go with the lighter alder, which also sounds better to me as well. The color would be more harmonious too, and you wont see those ugly open pores on the ash.

I'm sure that Warmoth grainfills, lol.

But come on, David, I know how much you would love a nice green finish over Swamp Ash.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

I'm sure that Warmoth grainfills, lol.

But come on, David, I know how much you would love a nice green finish over Swamp Ash.

Not green... anything but green!

My Tele is swamp ash. But that's orange.

I'm actually making a bass with a white ash body and quilted maple top.

You can't see the back here though.

I'm just not crazy about certain woods like ash, wenge or lace wood. I really hate the look of lace wood.

 

[line6man]

Not green... anything but green!

My Tele is swamp ash. But that's orange.

I'm actually making a bass with a white ash body and quilted maple top.

You can't see the back here though.

I'm just not crazy about certain woods like ash, wenge or lace wood. I really hate the look of lace wood.

I said green!
I'm buying you a green bass and I'm going to be deeply offended if you don't play it every day.

Lacewood is nasty! One of the ugliest woods I know of.

I'm not fond of the "pile of vomit" Burls. Burl woods can be the most beautiful or most hideous thing in the world, depending on the piece.

I love Wenge, but I wouldn't want a body made from it, or any sort of finish over it. Raw Wenge necks are downright sexy, at least aesthetically speaking.

 

[Benberg]

What are "facings?" The lam top?

Do you intend to leave the back clear? If so, Alder is a hell of an ugly wood. Conversely, Ash looks great with a clear finish.

FWIW, I would not use white pinstripe binding with either wood, you need a contrast.

yes laminate tops. Can you get a laminate back too? I'm new to the site, but yeah, I'll most likely go with walnut facings and a black pinstripe binding if i do ash. Also i love your basses, i was looking on the unofficial warmoth forums and saw yours hanging around. Do you have any ideas on what would look nice? i really like the look of the lighter colored Walnut, And padauk is just down right gorgeous. I also thought about mahogany as a core, but i like a brighter sound than a warmer sound, also i hear mahogany can be pretty heavy. Thanks
- Alex

 

[Benberg]

Alder ain't pretty to look at, but I think ash looks like plywood!

White ash is really heavy too. Pumpkin (swamp) ash is lighter, but I'd still prefer alder.

Since he says he's going to have walnut or padauk facings, I say go with the lighter alder, which also sounds better to me as well. The color would be more harmonious too, and you wont see those ugly open pores on the ash.

Thanks for the info, Also how are your mock Wal pickups coming? I'm a fan of Wals as they are very beautiful basses, I'm subscribed to the "Won thw Wal pickup on Ebay" thread and i haven't noticed much action recently

 

[Benberg]

@line6man
@SGD lutherie

which do you prefer, padauk or walnut?

 

[line6man]

yes laminate tops. Can you get a laminate back too? I'm new to the site, but yeah, I'll most likely go with walnut facings and a black pinstripe binding if i do ash. Also i love your basses, i was looking on the unofficial warmoth forums and saw yours hanging around. Do you have any ideas on what would look nice? i really like the look of the lighter colored Walnut, And padauk is just down right gorgeous. I also thought about mahogany as a core, but i like a brighter sound than a warmer sound, also i hear mahogany can be pretty heavy. Thanks
- Alex

I don't think I've seen any laminate backs, though I've seen quite a few Warmoths over the years, so I may be forgetting something.
Give them a call and ask. They might be able to do it.

@line6man
@SGD lutherie

which do you prefer, padauk or walnut?

I've been known to have a Padouk fetish. I'd call it my favorite of the more commonplace exotics. I would not want a Padouk laminate top, though. It's too plain. You wouldn't want to put a finish over it, either!

For a core, I was actually considering a Padouk Jazz bass body a while back, but Warmoth did not have any Padouk in stock for a body.

Walnut can be cool, depending on the piece. I like plain Black Walnut for bodies, but a lot of the fancier figured pieces for laminate tops don't do much for me, aesthetically.

Personally, if I were ordering a body from Warmoth with a non-exotic core, I would choose one of the Bubinga tops over clear Ash.

Either that, or one of their Redwood tops.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Thanks for the info, Also how are your mock Wal pickups coming? I'm a fan of Wals as they are very beautiful basses, I'm subscribed to the "Won thw Wal pickup on Ebay" thread and i haven't noticed much action recently

I just have to sit down and start machining parts for the Wal pickups now. I have all the intricacies worked out.

Souring parts for something like this is always a chore, but this took longer than I expected.

So hopefully real soon now.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

@line6man
@SGD lutherie

which do you prefer, padauk or walnut?

I like both. Walnut is very pretty is you get a nice piece. Claro walnut has nicer grain. Regular walnut is nice too, but lately you see a lot of it that has been steamed so it's missing all the color variation.

Padauk is nice if you want more of a red color.

Bubinga is a beautiful wood as well.

I use cherry for my bodies, but you don't see that too often, and no one was doing it back in '93 when I started using it.

 

[low2groove]

Ash is my favorite and that’s pretty much all I use on my builds. Swamp Ash, NOT that Northern White ASH it’s very heavy compared to Swamp Ash.

Northern White Ash is not really suitable for guitar builds and I don’t know why it’s even offered at some places, it’s a furniture wood.

Now walnut for a Top I would never use! It has strange tonal characteristics and is unpredictable as far as what you'll really get for a tone from it.

 

[throbgod13]

i'd do claro walnut with a spanish cedar core..

 

[Rodent]

Northern White Ash is not really suitable for guitar builds and I don’t know why it’s even offered at some places, it’s a furniture wood.

yikes I guess I need to ditch my Stingray since it's not made of 'instrument grade wood'

my early Stingray weighs in at over 13 pounds and is an incredible example of a well designed and built bass. I have also built a few of my own basses utilizing the heavier Northern Ash, and all of them are simply incredible sounding.

my back complains about the weight, but weight isn't a high concern on everybody's list of priorities. a recent poll on my FB page revealed that less than half of the responders felt that weight was a significant factor in choosing a bass. for those with back problems weight is critical, but for many others who don't suffer (yet) they are choosing their basses on sound, playability, and aesthetics

all the best,

R

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Ash is my favorite and that’s pretty much all I use on my builds. Swamp Ash, NOT that Northern White ASH it’s very heavy compared to Swamp Ash.

There's no such thing as swamp ash. It's either pumpkin ash, or white ash that has been picked for light weight.

White ash can be very heavy, as with the old natural finish Fenders. Some of those old ash basses weigh a ton.

Northern White Ash is not really suitable for guitar builds and I don’t know why it’s even offered at some places, it’s a furniture wood.

???? All wood is furniture wood, that includes mahogany and maple, two favorites of luthiers.

You can use any wood in instruments.

Here's a Les Paul Jr with a curly oak top, white limba body, and poplar neck. It sounds great.

Now walnut for a Top I would never use! It has strange tonal characteristics and is unpredictable as far as what you'll really get for a tone from it.

Walnut makes a great sounding bass! All the original Spector basses had walnut bodies. What "strange tonal qualities" does it have?

How long have you been building? What do you make, Jazz bass copies?