Rosewood/Maple Finger Boards - Tone difference?

[Fuzzbass]

In the context of this thread, some are saying basses made with identical woods can sound different. That makes the contention that different woods don't sound different that much more "interesting".

You keep saying this. Who is saying that "different woods don't sound different"?? Many of us (Ken Jung and myself, for example) are simply arguing that there's variety in wood... there are no absolutes such as "maple bright, rosewood warm" even when all else is equal.

For (what feels like) the twentieth time: in my experience, an ash/maple Fender P is sometimes brighter than an ash/rosewood Fender P (all else being equal). But sometimes it isn't! Sometimes the ash/maple is "warmer" than the ash/rosewood.

 

[Fuzzbass]

And now let the "but it's not an acoustic instrument" silliness begin.

Since 1951, how many electric bass tracks have been recorded with an unplugged electric bass?

 

[Fuzzbass]

What do you think about this, Fuzzbass? If Roger is saying what you say he is, this guy is clearly calling him a f***in idiot.

I was actually asking *you* if you agreed with Roger Sadowsky: that the fingerboard affects tone more than the body or neck. Do you agree?

 

[Moo]

In the context of this thread, some are saying basses made with identical woods can sound different. That makes the contention that different woods don't sound different that much more "interesting".

I see you're following along perfectly. You are absolutely correct, we are all very impressed and you can now move on to the next challenge.

Thank you.

 

[Moo]

Since 1951, how many electric bass tracks have been recorded with an unplugged electric bass?

I'm guessing thousands of rock albums, Jermaine Jackson solo and the Partridge Family.

 

[Fuzzbass]

I'm guessing thousands of rock albums, Jermaine Jackson solo and the Partridge Family.

And of course throughout rock history unplugged electric bass has often been used for gigs: consider all those "live" teevee performances that faded out just like the record!

 

[Brad Johnson]

You're whole posting method has zip to do with normal human interaction. You want talk about having nothing to do with the thread then you could look in the mirror. Your statements about all nighters and pancakes are definitely out of the thread and you're the one brought up the screws in the first place.

You're also the most antagonistic poster here and you're now trying to see if you can turn another thread into a verbal fistfight like last year.

If you want to drag everyone through that again then go ahead. Maybe you can get us both banned next time on top of getting another thread closed.

I didn't drag anyone through the stupidity you initiated in the Lobby. That was your apparently conscious decision. If you make that decision again it's on you.

 

[Brad Johnson]

4th time these have been posted.

These are arguably extreme statements and are on-topic by virtue of all the "+1, that settles it!! Everyone who disagrees is a poo-head." coat-tail riders to the "extreme", too few of whom had the decency to then answer and admit they didn't actually agree at all, at which point he amended his comments with the qualification/retraction "on my basses" upon which everyone seems to have let it go.

Whose basses did you think he was basing "IMHO" on?

 

[rob_the_bassist]

wow this is still going ! intense!

 

[Brad Johnson]

You keep saying this. Who is saying that "different woods don't sound different"?? Many of us (Ken Jung and myself, for example) are simply arguing that there's variety in wood... there are no absolutes such as "maple bright, rosewood warm" even when all else is equal.

I keep saying it because it's true

Start with post number 9. There's more but that should be a clear answer to you question... and a pretty absolute one at that. And how many times didn't you see Jobo4 say it?



That is who's saying it. So when exactly did I say Ken Jung and yourself said this? I didn't. That might explain your confusion.

For (what feels like) the twentieth time: in my experience, an ash/maple Fender P is sometimes brighter than an ash/rosewood Fender P (all else being equal). But sometimes it isn't! Sometimes the ash/maple is "warmer" than the ash/rosewood.

Say it again... maybe I'll disagree for the first time.

 

[Brad Johnson]

wow this is still going ! intense!

Not really. I don't come here as often, just catching up on the festivities.

 

[bigd4207]

Somebody please KILL THIS THREAD! PPPPLLLLEEEEAAASSSSEEE!!!!!!!

 

[Brad Johnson]

Since 1951, how many electric bass tracks have been recorded with an unplugged electric bass?

How many vocals have been recorded with an unplugged mic?



Your turn. No doubt you've proven something.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I just played my Fender P-bass with a rose wood fb and nickel strings thru my pod into my computer and then played my active ibanez roadster with stainless strings thru my ampeg rig and still can't tell the difference.

More proof that wood makes no difference.

Of course, no point in considering everything that could genericize your sound, is there?

 

[Brad Johnson]

Just because two identical woods don't sound exactly the same doesn't mean it's more of a difference than between different woods. It just implies that any change in tone could simply be no more than the same wood's own differences.

Is that your final answer. Time's up. Gotta argue that one. The fretboard absolutely makes no difference in sound. Fretting and playability yeah, but think about it. The pickups are down in the body, that is where you get the tonal differences in your wood on the bass. When a note is played on a fretted instrument, it is pushing off of metal, that is where the vibration ends. You cannot get any different tone from a different fretboard only different playability. The neck however can probably make a difference.

I'm loving this one. Apparently, while the strings don't touch the fretboard, it affects playabilty. Must be that whole edge thing. Identical edge finishes could render that a non-factor too.



And metal vibrates while the wood it's set in doesn't... yet the wood in the rest of the instrument does. Deep.

 

[Brad Johnson]

"This is true regardless of the fret size, type of finish, or anything else. This is not "IMHO". This is "just the facts m'am"." - Roger Sadowsky


Regardless of what basses he was talking about, which was never made clear until late in this thread, the "+1 Roger is right and everyone else is wrong" brigade were applying his statements to this discussion of basses in general.

If he had said "This is true regardless of the bass, the design, the fret size, type of finish, or anything else. This is not "IMHO".

Maybe, just maybe that's simply the way some people read it. I didn't.

When I first read it I honestly thought he was talking about his basses. I didn't think for a minute he was referring to Alembics, Peavey Cirruses, Gibson EB's, etc.

A few of that "+1" crowd, when pressed, had the moxy to admit they actually did not agree with his statements if applied to all basses. Most didn't step up, and that's where it rests no matter what spin is put on it.

Considering he didn't say it applied to all basses.... "regardless" is a good word to keep in mind.



Or did he? Did I miss Roger saying it applied to all instruments? I didn't see that... or any hint of it. I can see someone not knowing he was a luthier possibly drawing that conclusion. Possibly.

And who doesn't know that?

 

[Brad Johnson]

I see you're following along perfectly. You are absolutely correct, we are all very impressed and you can now move on to the next challenge.

Thank you.

 

[Brad Johnson]

"This is true regardless of the fret size, type of finish, or anything else. This is not "IMHO". This is "just the facts m'am"." - Roger Sadowsky


Regardless of what basses he was talking about, which was never made clear until late in this thread, the "+1 Roger is right and everyone else is wrong" brigade were applying his statements to this discussion of basses in general.

A few of that "+1" crowd, when pressed, had the moxy to admit they actually did not agree with his statements if applied to all basses. Most didn't step up, and that's where it rests no matter what spin is put on it.

Did you read his first post in this thread?

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2996490&postcount=46

He mentioned what he was basing it on and also mentioned not hearing anything to the contrary from any other reputable builder. He seems to clearly be talking about his basses.

Of course according to an early post of yours, they're just trying to sell you something. Considering there's rarely an upcharge for either very common wood...

not sure what the "sale" is?

 

[Brad Johnson]

He didn't say what it applied to. You presume it only applied to his basses, and perhaps you're right in saying everyone should have presumed that, but it doesn't seem like anyone else who commented did and by no means were his statements clear, initially, in that regard.

Actually he did. He clearly talked about building the same instrument... his.

Look one post up

So I asked around, eventually getting clarification from him and the few who stepped forward to clarify their own views beyond a "+1" they later recanted.

We all know he is a builder, arguably the most respected on this site, which is why some were so quick to "+1" - and those people clearly meant in re: all basses not just his - and why I was very interested in understanding what *exactly* he was, and they were, really saying.

So, no confusion here. If you want to press that point further, you'll have to direct it towards the "+1" guys.

Actually there may have been some confusion or you just didn't read his first post.

 

[SamJ]

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