Squier JJ Jazz...what's so bad about basswood?

You shouldn't worry at all. All personal choice, really.

 

Because there aren't reason, simple that. Looks like a Fender fanboys talks, I think not... Fender build a very impressive basses across this story, no doubts, but there are others brands, and others woods. Like a guy wrote somewhere here in TB: I can not hear the logo write in headstock. I like basswood and I have a CV J. Johnston Squier with Aguilars HC splits, it's a very better bass than two 70's Fenders I owned. Well, i'm suspect because I love the mahogany tone.

Fender basses are a successful project, works in many ways, with various woods and with different prices and brands. Follow your ears.

 

It dents easy and I think it's too light. Honestly, nothing wrong with it. A lot of high end ibanez's and musicmans are made out of it. Even the mm bongo is.

 

Yes but Alder is a "soft" wood as well, I have alder bodies that are dented too.
I've owned some of the basswood basses. No complaints from me

 

Nothing. Swamp ash and mahogany seem to be more popular for bass guitars, but the high-end EVH electric guitars are made with basswood.

 

One of the best Jazz Basses(Fender MIJ) I've ever owned is basswood. The worst ones I've ever owned were alder and ash. Go figure.

 

This.

Also, basswood isn't very good looking as it has little grain. Very boring looking. Better for a painted finish than natural for sure.

My Bongos sounded killer and EBMM picked basswood for the tone, not because it was cheap.

 

No idea how basswood sounds for bass but I
have owned several basswood Strats and they sounded quite a bit different than the traditional Strat tone.

Otoh, I've owned several Peavey Strats that were poplar that sounded much closer to alder or ash Strats to my ears.

 

Bass wood is generally light and gets the job done. I wouldn't say all bass wood bodied basses sound great but it doesn't automatically disqualify them from being great. There's a significant amount of variation in most species of wood and considering the other important variables(neck, electronics, construction)I try to keep an open mind.

 

I would think bass-wood would be the perfect bass wood

 

Owned a JJ bass in the past and thought it sounded great. The only problem I had with a previous basswood bass was that the strap pin came out and stripped the pin hole because of the soft wood.

 

I have a basswood VM jazz. It's light and comfy. I do think it has less snap, pop, growl, articulation than other Jazz basses I have played. It's almost more... looser sounding, it has definite low end but it is less defined. Some might hear it and call that "warm". It could be the Duncan Designed pups that contribute to that, of course, but the 70's VM Jazz in maple has a noticeable snap so the wood is at work too.
I do believe that a Stratocaster sounds noticeably different when it is not alder or ash, the ones I have played lacked the mid range punch or "quack" many players love. Jeff Beck might have used a basswood model, but a lot of strat players would prefer not to for that reason, even if basswood works perfectly well in other guitar models. Basswood is just different, not necessarily worse.

 

If you like it, dont ask too many questions.

 

[QUOTE="jd56hawk, post: 16771080, member: 201831"
What's so bad about basswood?
I found this on the internet...

• Softer woods have a mellower, warmer tone. Softer woods include Alder, Swamp Ash and Basswood. These woods are commonly used for bass guitar bodies as they have very resonant qualities.[/QUOTE]

All "tonewood" differences are minor but they do enter into personal preferences. A major "problem" with basswood is that it's softer than alder or swamp ash and dents easily.

Swamp ash is the brightest wood and my personal favorite (after mahogany). Alder is next with a warmer more mellow tone. And my least favorite is basswood which has an even warmer even more mellow tone. I call it a "foofy" tone, but that's just my opinion. Some like that tone just like some like to play with their tone control rolled off a lot. Also basswood tone can be compensated for in the bass design and electronics. A Bongo bass that is basswood is far from "foofy"! In my book the denting thing is a concern and basswood for passive basses is something I'd never buy.

Also let me note that Swamp Ash qualities depend on where it was cut from the tree. The lower parts are much like basswood while the higher parts are heavy, and solid and make very bright but very heavy (12 lbs) basses.

So you just play them and see what you like. As for dents, even though I try to treat my basses with care somehow they end up with dents. Cripes I've got headstock dents all over the place and I've even put dents in hardrock maple necks! How do I do that? So that's one reason I'm not a fanboy of basswood. (Though I'd never kick a free bongo bass out of bed with me!)

 

LOL, well for a bass I would want basswood. Seriously pickups is where the sound comes from wood is way down the line of consideration for me

 

The strap button issue is legit. But it's very easy to fix.

Just take a small block of oak or maple. Use a pocket knife to shave small, tapered slivers off the corners.

Drop the tapered shavings into the screw hole for the strap button, making sure that the fat ends go into the hole first. Put a drop of carpenter's glue into the hole after the shavings, then reattach the strap buttons, and set the body aside while the glue cures.

The screw pushes the fat end of the shavings aside as you tighten it up. This creates a wedging action, that locks the screws in place. The glue binds the shavings in place, and works like locative on the screw.

I've done this for people who are very active on stage, and never had to do it twice.