Redgum

[Larry Davis]

I have heard that oak is a terrible tone wood.
Plenty strong, though.

You heard wrong.

 

[adderas]

I think I'm going to do a Jag-Stang shaped body of sorts.

Is there a good site/area to download templates? If not, I'm not too lazy that I can't do it myself! (Will just be a little tricky getting one to scale?)

 

[Rip Topaz]

You heard wrong.

So is oak a bad tonewood? Or should I sat, a good wood for bass building? Reason I ask is that my local yard has some really nice slabs, and I don't buy into the whole tonewood fiasco, I'm convinced the electronics play the biggest part in the sound of a solid body bass. But that for other threads.
Is oak stable enough to build a quality solid body out of?

 

[Larry Davis]

When I refer to "tonewood" I'm referring to wood application in acoustic stringed instruments, not solid body construction. There are average measured specie wood properties that can be studied, but most important is knowing the piece of wood in hand. Selecting individual good wood pieces is important. Oak has been used for solid body and acoustic instruments.

 

[adderas]

So I went to my mates and got 2 pieces of wood.
Are either decent for a body build?

I put a ruled on them in some photos so you could get a feel for dimensions.
Thanks for your help.

The Silky Oak

Manchurian Pear

Silky Oak w/ ruler. I wet it a little to see the colours come out. Didn't work on the Silky, but did on the Pear.

Oak other side. (Narrower)

Pear w/ ruler.

 

[adderas]

I'm looking for a stencil at the moment but don't seem to be doing too well. Does anyone know Jagstang dimensions? I'll just resize an image I think..

 

[adderas]

Looking to get a neck of Warmoth. What is a good wood to join with my Manchurian Pear?

 

[Mikeus]

Hi how did you go with the build?

I want to make body copies of my Zon and Aria basses, just natural wood versions.

 

[Beej]

Hi how did you go with the build?

I want to make body copies of my Zon and Aria basses, just natural wood versions.

Pretty old thread! We have a handful of builders from Australia and New Zealand around here. Tagging a couple in case they have comments regarding timbers available in your area. @reverendrally @Alex Xander

 

[emjazz]

My old Nordstrand bass with a redgum top is up for sale by the current owner. I believe three of us have owned it now. A gorgeous top indeed!
https://reverb.com/item/79434148-nordstrand-bass-sc6-mid-2000s-natural