The kitchen-bench-bass!

I haven't seen a lot(any that I can recall, actually)of basses made of oak- I have to wonder if it just doesn't sound good.

 

I'm sure it will sound fine, but expect it to be heavy. You should make the fingerboard from that backsplash

 

Oak is a great wood for bass bodies. Very similar to Ash. There seems to be a prejudice against it though. Don't know where that comes from. The bigger tone question should be the fact that it is a bunch of laminations instead of a solid piece. My opinion is if you like the look then go for it! Tone discussion is subjective to say the least so don't let any of that keep you from what looks like a fun project.

Greg N

 

Oak seems to be the red headed step child when it comes to musical instruments. Yamaha makes some drums out of it. Real oak is great for congas but I've found that shape makes more of a difference there.

I'd say go for it.

 

Brian May's guitar is made from oak. He built it together with his dad. So it works for guitar. Should work for bass as well.

Main issue with oak from my experience is that it will often contain small pores that are ver hard to get rid of. So it's a pain to refinish.

 

Offer her a new pair of shoes!

 

It's just not as sexy sounding as spalled/flamed/burled/heartwood pink sassafrass.

 

what?

 

its ugly and hard to work with;
if i used that piece you got, i would make it as thin/hollow a possible and paint it;
and i hate hollowed painted basses.
you should sell it and buy a piece of basswood

 

Real rare wood. they made Boutique Popsicle sticks out of it in the 50's.

 

Get your hands on an old peavy t-20 or t-40 bass and play a couple gigs with it. That should teach you to hate oak for bodies.

 

Oak is heavy, brittle and very porous. Aside from that? It looks awesome, I could get lost in the grain. I did the same project but with a maple butcher block top from a dishwasher. Mind you I capped it in Cherry from an old end table, but if you look at the back you can see the laminations. Found wood! saving our rainforests! Heh!

 

Red oak is porous. White oak is closed cell. Different beasts they be. That counter top looks like red oak.

Greg N

 

No one's mentioned that it's glued up pieces. What about the effects of that?

 

I have a 2" thick hunk of maple butcher block in my kitchen that needs replacing. I've been planning to make a bass out of it since the day we bought the place. The only thing is, my wife is a chef and we use it as a cutting board so it totally smells like onions.

Not like I care, I'll still do it.

 

Two words: "Rainbow Bass".

 

i dont know much about woods. but you dont see oak basses around so there could be a solid reason. other than that go ahead and try it if you really feel like it who knows what magic tone you might end up with !

 

Mostly, I think that the issue is that oak is HEAVY. Fiber-wise, it reminds me a little or wenge... splintery.

That having been said, I have never made an oak bass, so I can't give you a devinitive answer.