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I think I stop believing in expensive basses!
- Thread starter FunkyMan
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that has to be one of the du.... (er...) craziest things I've ever heard. You're actually comparing a spalt to a figure???
I'm going to find some nice, rotten barnwood to use for the top of my next bass. When they ask me what the top is, I'll call it spalted barn. 
*Some spalted woods are beautiful. I just don't agree with your statement.
that has to be one of the du.... (er...) craziest things I've ever heard. You're actually comparing a spalt to a figure???
*Some spalted woods are beautiful. I just don't agree with your statement.
I meant to say all Spalted and Burled are considered imperfections
You are correct, knots, mineral deposits, spalting are. I do not believe that quilts and flames are though.
Which they are. To certain extents, the top doesn't have a huge impact on structural integrity or sound. Of course there are exceptions. Rob Allen used mount spruce to the back of his spalt tops to prevent the top from hindering resonance.
I did a little reading and it seems that quilts, flames, curling, birds eye, etc may be caused by things like gravity, high/low temperatures, high/low moisture content. Stuff like that. The impression I get is that figuring is a disruption in the woods natural tendency to grow symmetrical cell additions. Dunno... but I guess we are out in the off topic weeds by now.
metron said:
Really? I guess I wasn't that far off the mark then.
Craig_S said:that has to be one of the du.... (er...) craziest things I've ever heard. You're actually comparing a spalt to a figure???
*Some spalted woods are beautiful. I just don't agree with your statement.
I guess your statement may be the du.....(er)..craziest things you've ever heard
95% of us just need to bang around comfortably on something with discernable notes, while we're drowned out by a guitarist who wants to crank the lows.
For this purpose, my frankenSquier is a force to be reckoned with!
For this purpose, my frankenSquier is a force to be reckoned with!
That's fine. I've had cheaper basses. But don't make threads and wild assertions that are flat out false like build quality and components and time, machining, etc. is an apples to apples comparison... That's just ludicrous.
Most of these threads seem like people who try to justify to themselves that what they have is good enough, which if it is, why are you so insecure you need to keep making threads about it. Just go with it...
Also, it's the "tone is in my hands" crowd who are constantly bragging about their 100 dollar basses. Meaning, they are such awesome hot-shot players that they could make ANY bass sound great!
This thread is actually the perfect argument for that.
OP tries multiple boutique basses and finds out they all sound the same to him. What was the major common denominator? His hands.
I think you are correct, in that, Sir.
heh! oops 
http://www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/lumber/wood-figure/
lucas vigor said:
Meanwhile, players such as Victor Wooten, Anthony Jackson, Matthew Garrison, Anthony Wellington, Alain Caron, Oteil Burbridge, James Genus, Nathan Watts, Will Lee, players who could play any bass in the world, choose boutique instruments. Hmmmm
To him.
That's the key. Because I don't hear things the same obviously. I have been playing bass for a long time, (nothing wrong with my hands or technique) and I feel I sound and play better on a higher-end bass.
The best way to tell is to use a mechanical method of sounding a string on two different basses...one, a 100 dollar chinese, the other, a 4000 boutique. So, don't use your hands...use a drumstick or something else... the open E is going to sound better on the good bass...and this has nothing to do with your hands.
I am 100% convinced that the excellent tone found on boutique instruments cannot be attributed to any one thing, but is a summation of ALL the parts and how they interact, from the wood to even the fret wire, nut and tuners. That's one explanation as to why people who build "parts" basses are able to achieve some success.
yep. But you know, Talkbass has an easy answer for that: The basses are given to the artists for free so of course they use them!
I don't agree. I think these players use the expensive basses for one simple reason: They sound and feel great.
There have been many a thread here saying that the boutique basses really don't matter....and I have always asked, "where is the massive photographic evidence showing pros using cheap gear"?
And no one has been able to explain otherwise, except for posting one rare picture of a pro using a squire.
I dunno, I would put Wooten in the same club as Les Claypool. He may have awesome chops but his tone is awful.
If tone is in the hands he needs a manicure.
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