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Maple or Rosewood??

#101
OK. OK. Some clarification:
Ebony is much harder than maple or rosewood, so it's used in fretless models because it's more resistant to putting a groove on it due to string friction.
I've always preferred rosewood because that's what I started on 40 years ago so I cannot even play a bass live and know where I am on a fingerboard made of maple.
 
#102
itsmecraigl said:
I am really confused by this thread. It makes NO sense to me.
What really is happening when you play a note?:
1. The end of the string at the note you're hitting is resting on a fret.
2. The other end of the string is by the pickups and rests on a bridge. So,
the string is vibrating in the air between two pieces of METAL...NOT WOOD.
So how can a fretboard wood affect sound?
Explain to me how the fretboard wood comes into play. I don't get it.
Click to expand...

There have been so many threads on this before, and you can go back and look at all of the arguments. Actually, I can't believe I'm jumping in yet again.
But my quick response to your point is: Have you ever rested your chin on the body of the bass while practicing? Yes, that's right-- the wood vibrates! So does the neck, including the fingerboard. The bridge, and the frets, are firmly attached to wood. Everything is linked.
 
#103
itsmecraigl said:
I am really confused by this thread. It makes NO sense to me.
What really is happening when you play a note?:
1. The end of the string at the note you're hitting is resting on a fret.
2. The other end of the string is by the pickups and rests on a bridge. So,
the string is vibrating in the air between two pieces of METAL...NOT WOOD.
So how can a fretboard wood affect sound?
Explain to me how the fretboard wood comes into play. I don't get it.
Click to expand...

Yet again, with the bridge, which rests on the body, the strings to necessarily make contact or vibrate against it, but we can hear the differences in tone with different body woods...And the overall resonance of both neck and body come into some kind of play.

As in:

ksandvik said:
Some part of the bass sound has to do with the resonance of the body and neck together. And different kinds of woods have different density and other characteristics. Heck, even the the same wood type could sound different based on what part of the tree it was carved from, what year, what region in the world and so on...

Ultimately we are talking about microscopic sound differences that few could hear -- especially when amplified. Most bass players select the type based on how the neck/fretboard feels like playing. Sometimes that might also impact the playing style and indirectly the sound based on let's say soft maple versus hard maple.

BTW I use both.
Click to expand...

I'm not a believer that the body/neck woods are a HUGE factor, like say, the pickups and any other electronics...but I think "they're in there" too. All the hand wringing over the fretboard wood is for the most part hand wringing, especially after we put it through an on-board preamp, an amp, some speakers, etc. Many of which also color or allow color in some direction or another.
 
#104
itsmecraigl said:
I am really confused by this thread. It makes NO sense to me.
What really is happening when you play a note?:
1. The end of the string at the note you're hitting is resting on a fret.
2. The other end of the string is by the pickups and rests on a bridge. So,
the string is vibrating in the air between two pieces of METAL...NOT WOOD.
So how can a fretboard wood affect sound?
Explain to me how the fretboard wood comes into play. I don't get it.
Click to expand...

What’s underneath that metal effects the tone very much. The metal (fret & bridge) vibrate from the wood. Bolt that bridge down to a piece of brick and what type of tone do you think you'll get? Oh wait, a brick wouldn't change the tone either huh?

For illustration purposes, lets take it to an extreme:

Put the bridge on a piece of ash body and the fret on a rock hard maple fretboard and record.
-now-
Put the bridge on that same piece of ash body and the fret on an extremely soft, squishy & rotted piece of pine left out in the rain that is so soft, wet and moist, it’s about to fall apart in your hands – and record.

Think you won’t hear a difference? You sure will! - What’s underneath the fret matters!

Softer woods embrace the vibrations more and yield a “warmer” tone and have more “give” to the tone – while Harder woods like Maple have a very snappy response and notes "spring" off that tonewood.

Tonewood matters folks. If you can’t hear it – well, you just can’t hear it. But don’t spread propaganda that it “doesn’t matter and is only for looks.” Highly trained ears can even hear the 1/8th inch thick top wood effecting the tone (very subtle) but its there like on MTD basses, Roscoe, Sadowsky exotic tops, etc...

Truly cannot believe some of the post here… really.

EVERYTHING effects tone. Even shimming a neck will effect tone in some way.

Wow people - just wow.
 
#107
Sometimes I think the playing technique and strings are 80% of the sounds -- it's easy to realize this in real life watching two different players playing the same bass. Or let's say compare Geddy Lee's tone with anyone else using A Geddy Lee Fender....

I would not sweat so much about purchasing redwood or maple neck bass guitars. Try one you like and go for it and just ignore all these boutique comments.
 
#108
dj5 said:
And the people who say that putting green felt-tip on the edges of cd's "tightens up the bass and makes the mids more present" etc?
What I'm saying is that these people believe they can hear a difference too - even down to the special crystals which you dot around the room to improve the accoustics, and the gold plated mains outlets. I hope we'd mostly agree that they have, to put it kindly, let their imaginations run away with them. They can hear it, we can't. So they could, and do, say their ears are more sophisticated than ours. I'd say they're just nutters with more money than sense, but who am I to say? (Just look at some of these audiophile sites - you'll be stunned)
I don't need to set up tests - plenty have been done on TB with regard to bdy woods, neck woods, and fretboard woods (not double-blind though), and as far as I know, they haven't shown any variation from guesswork levels, with most golden ears keeping a low profile until the results are out.
Click to expand...

You are using extreme examples that are basically myths anyway. Plus they have nothing to do with wood.

Your arrogance is incredible. Think about what you are saying, you are saying that every guitar builder, every pro (and non pro) player that claims they can hear a difference between woods are liars. Just because you can't hear, you want to try and make your point by discrediting others? That is beyond arrogance. Please post some clips of your playing. You must be better than God! And play that scrap wood bass that you always seem to promote on these threads. And thanks again for outing all those liars. I will no longer be purchasing their gold/platinum CD's.

Also,
any "Tests" done on an online forum are hardly scientific let alone feasible. Unless of course you can tell me of PC speakers or ear buds that can reproduce low bass frequencies to help distinguish between the various test criteria. Not to mention the fact that the files are compressed. A real test would need to be a live one. I often wondered why people who cant even hear even bother to play an instrument.
 
#109
Modern Growl said:
What's underneath that metal effects the tone very much. The metal (fret & bridge) vibrate from the wood. Bolt that bridge down to a piece of brick and what type of tone do you think you'll get? Oh wait, a brick wouldn't change the tone either huh?

For illustration purposes, lets take it to an extreme:

Put the bridge on a piece of ash body and the fret on a rock hard maple fretboard and record.
-now-
Put the bridge on that same piece of ash body and the fret on an extremely soft, squishy & rotted piece of pine left out in the rain that is so soft, wet and moist, it's about to fall apart in your hands - and record.

Think you won't hear a difference? You sure will! - What's underneath the fret matters!

Softer woods embrace the vibrations more and yield a "warmer" tone and have more "give" to the tone - while Harder woods like Maple have a very snappy response and notes "spring" off that tonewood.

Tonewood matters folks. If you can't hear it - well, you just can't hear it. But don't spread propaganda that it "doesn't matter and is only for looks." Highly trained ears can even hear the 1/8th inch thick top wood effecting the tone (very subtle) but its there like on MTD basses, Roscoe, Sadowsky exotic tops, etc...

Truly cannot believe some of the post here... really.

EVERYTHING effects tone. Even shimming a neck will effect tone in some way.

Wow people - just wow.
Click to expand...

I agree that everything affects tone, and I can hear a difference between any two basses when I'm playing them, I just can't ascribe any characteristics like "warm" or "snappy" to it.

I'd ordered my '57 RI on talkbass, and before it arrived I'd asked a lot of fellow musicians what I could expect from an ash body, as all my former basses were alder. I was told it'd sound "bright," "snappy," "less warm than alder," etc. Got it, plugged it in, an guess what - it sounds like a P bass!! It sounds every bit as warm and mellow as any alder body with rosewood fretboard p bass I've ever owned. Different in some ways, but just as warm and mellow and not at all what I'd describe as snappy or bright in comparison.

Flats versus rounds makes a much bigger difference that way than wood. Much, much bigger difference. In my experience!

That's not propaganda (seriously, is there a political issue here?? Why are we taking an issue like this seriously at all??), just my perception based on my experience. Yours differs, and that's cool with me.
 
#110
ksandvik said:
Some part of the bass sound has to do with the resonance of the body and neck together. And different kinds of woods have different density and other characteristics. Heck, even the the same wood type could sound different based on what part of the tree it was carved from, what year, what region in the world and so on...

Ultimately we are talking about microscopic sound differences that few could hear -- especially when amplified. Most bass players select the type based on how the neck/fretboard feels like playing. Sometimes that might also impact the playing style and indirectly the sound based on let's say soft maple versus hard maple. Or the type of finish used for maple boards.

BTW I use both.
Click to expand...

+1, good post.

I use both too.

And I agree that any actual differences that may exist are very subtle indeed. Many other factors making a bigger impact.
 
#111
Modern Growl said:
What’s underneath that metal effects the tone very much. The metal (fret & bridge) vibrate from the wood. Bolt that bridge down to a piece of brick and what type of tone do you think you'll get? Oh wait, a brick wouldn't change the tone either huh?

For illustration purposes, lets take it to an extreme:

Put the bridge on a piece of ash body and the fret on a rock hard maple fretboard and record.
-now-
Put the bridge on that same piece of ash body and the fret on an extremely soft, squishy & rotted piece of pine left out in the rain that is so soft, wet and moist, it’s about to fall apart in your hands – and record.

Think you won’t hear a difference? You sure will! - What’s underneath the fret matters!

Softer woods embrace the vibrations more and yield a “warmer” tone and have more “give” to the tone – while Harder woods like Maple have a very snappy response and notes "spring" off that tonewood.

Tonewood matters folks. If you can’t hear it – well, you just can’t hear it. But don’t spread propaganda that it “doesn’t matter and is only for looks.” Highly trained ears can even hear the 1/8th inch thick top wood effecting the tone (very subtle) but its there like on MTD basses, Roscoe, Sadowsky exotic tops, etc...

Truly cannot believe some of the post here… really.

EVERYTHING effects tone. Even shimming a neck will effect tone in some way.

Wow people - just wow.
Click to expand...

And are those differences in woods significant? Significant enough to make any real world difference?

IMO - No
 
#117
scubaduba said:
I bet we all can agree that a bass line played by a digital keyboard sounds the best. Whether ivory or plastic keys.
Click to expand...

i can surely agree with that sentiment. just ask Ray Manzarek...

raymanzarekisrael-296x300.jpg


oh wait...maybe not...
 
#119
Modern Growl said:
What's underneath that metal effects the tone very much. The metal (fret & bridge) vibrate from the wood. Bolt that bridge down to a piece of brick and what type of tone do you think you'll get? Oh wait, a brick wouldn't change the tone either huh?

For illustration purposes, lets take it to an extreme:

Put the bridge on a piece of ash body and the fret on a rock hard maple fretboard and record.
-now-
Put the bridge on that same piece of ash body and the fret on an extremely soft, squishy & rotted piece of pine left out in the rain that is so soft, wet and moist, it's about to fall apart in your hands - and record.

Think you won't hear a difference? You sure will! - What's underneath the fret matters!

Softer woods embrace the vibrations more and yield a "warmer" tone and have more "give" to the tone - while Harder woods like Maple have a very snappy response and notes "spring" off that tonewood.

Tonewood matters folks. If you can't hear it - well, you just can't hear it. But don't spread propaganda that it "doesn't matter and is only for looks." Highly trained ears can even hear the 1/8th inch thick top wood effecting the tone (very subtle) but its there like on MTD basses, Roscoe, Sadowsky exotic tops, etc...

Truly cannot believe some of the post here... really.

EVERYTHING effects tone. Even shimming a neck will effect tone in some way.

Wow people - just wow.
Click to expand...

Many experts think that the exquisite tone on a Stradivarius is because of the density of the wood caused by the colder than normal climate of Central Europe in the Middle Ages. I'm with the "makes a difference, sorry you can't hear it" group.
 

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