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Spalted maple top bass

#2
Here's my spalted maple topped Legacy Elite:
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In comparison to maple topped instruments, I feel like the Spalted is best used in conjunction with other woods that have other sonic characteristics, an example being mahogany. The top brings out really nice highs and the mahogany emphasizes the low-mids to my ears. Really nice harmony, if you ask me.
 
#7
#8
Mine sounds OK!! LOL!


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#11
I've owned and sold two of them, and have one on order:

SOLD:
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Being built (this is just a photoshop based on the slab I chose)

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I'm not convinced that the top-wood effects the overall tone one way or another. However, there are lots that make a living playing basses that can attest that no top is better than any top when it comes to preserving the overall tone quality. I just love the look of the spalted maple. It reminds me of a really old map.
 
#13
I find that there is a difference in tone with Spalted Maple as compared to Quilt, Flame, or Burl.

The Spalt to my ears sounds softer and warms up the tone more than either Flame or Quilt. Burl seems to be in between. I've done this comparison on both Zon Sonus Custom 5's and Modulus Q5's.

At any rate, it's really beautiful stuff, and I'd like to get a bass with some Spalted Flame Maple at some point.
 
#18
BurningSkies said:
I'd like to point out that 'spalt' is not 'rotten wood' no matter what the claims you've seen are. Yes, its 'compromised' but if you get a piece of spalt that's really soft and crumbly, it's over the hill and not suitable for making a bass.
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+1
While spalted wood can be very difficult to work with (due to inconsistant hard/soft areas through out the wood), Gard told me that the spalted maple top used for my latest Roscoe was a fairly heavy piece of wood. I'm not sure how much the spalted maple top contributes to the overall weight of my Roscoe but it is the heaviest Roscoe that I've ever owned or played.
I also tend to question the effect that a 1/2 to 1/4 thick piece of wood has on the overall sound of an electric bass.
 
#19
Dan Knowlton said:
Mine sounds OK!! LOL!


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I have an NYC Modern 5 on order based on this bass. Given the thin veneers most builders use for fancy tops, I'm one who believes that they have very, very little impact on the sound of the instrument (Jerzy Drozd is one of a few exceptions who uses very thick tops that do seem to impact the tone).

So, IMO, if you like the look, go for it. The impact on the sound in most cases is so slight as to be a non-issue.
 

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