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Wenge necks and FBs
- Thread starter WayneKerrins
- Start date
Feels great (especially wenge necks). Very smooth, almost oily feeling, but with a nice texture unlike maple. As for tone, I can't say for sure as I've never compared instruments with similar woods except for wenge necks or fingerboards. They've all had totally different woods throughout, so not sure which tonal properties are wenge specifically.
Wenge necks are stiffer than maple and make for a snappy attack. Wenge fingerboards tend to give a darker tone much like rosewood. The deep-grained texture/feel of wenge is unique and remarkable, but it's not for everybody, so try before you buy!
Wenge is one of my favorite fretboard woods, and also neck woods. I have owned all-wenge necked Warwicks, a Valenti with an all-wenge neck, one of my Roscoes has a wenge fretboard, and all 3 of my Roscoes have wenge centers in the necks.
Wenge is a very stiff and oily wood. A majority of the time it is left unfinished for A. Its feel and B. Its so oily its seals itself.
Wenge is a pain to work with in that it likes to splinter.
I have found wenge to be VERY stable as a neck wood
Wenge is a pain to work with in that it likes to splinter.
I have found wenge to be VERY stable as a neck wood
Wenge is one of those woods that is so dense but still sonically present that you don't have to worry too much about how it's sawn. The older Warwick Thumbs were Wenge neck with Ebony FB's, then they went to Ovankol (Shedua) necks with Wenge boards. IMO the Ebony boards RULED on fretless, and Wenge was more complex on the fretted necks. Are you going Fretted or Fretless?
They feel amazing and look amazing. I don't believe that wood has any influence on tone, so I won't comment there, but in terms of the things it does influence - aesthetics and feel - I don't think it can be beat.
I put together a Warmoth bass with a Wenge neck. It felt a bit waxy initially, and had a nice, tropical smell. I didn't apply an finish, and it's the fastest neck I've ever played, even compared to my Geddy Lee jazz and my old Ibanez SR.
That's incredible.
Wow!
I have an all-wenge Warwick. Between the wenge and brass frets it sounds very different than all my other basses, including the other passive JJs. Very focused, deep and growly. I love the tone and feel of this neck, super stiff and never needs adjustment.
My two favorite neck builds are
1) wenge/wenge
2)rosewood/rosewood
Both for the same reasons - super stable necks, ultra fast feel, beautiful looks, great attack and sustain. Put brass frets and nut on along with a good high mass bridge and you'll have a killer bass.
I do hear that wenge is very difficult to work with from a wood shaping standpoint but if you're just the end user that shouldn't be a problem for you.
1) wenge/wenge
2)rosewood/rosewood
Both for the same reasons - super stable necks, ultra fast feel, beautiful looks, great attack and sustain. Put brass frets and nut on along with a good high mass bridge and you'll have a killer bass.
I do hear that wenge is very difficult to work with from a wood shaping standpoint but if you're just the end user that shouldn't be a problem for you.
Yeah man! Truth, every single word
I started with just checking out some Warwick bass in with a wenge neck and I immediately fell in love with the wood. Wasn't long until I got a Warwick and not much longer until I sold my Peavey Cirrus USA Custom that was twice the $
This was in 2008 or so. My wenge neck Warwick is the only instrument I've ever owned as long and I'm not seeing it going any time soon. Also, the Ibanez SR5000 which has a wenge neck is the sweetest instrument I've ever played. Tried one or two and both were absolutely fantastic. Love that wenge feel.
Doug Parent
Supporting Member
Warmoth Wenge with Macassar ebony board here. 5 string. My initial impression was wow, the attack and punch factor is very cool. It's a darker tone with a lower mid voice, so the upper mids get scooped. Combine with pickups with this in mind. I had Bart pickups for a short time but the tone was just buried. I went with a brighter "in your face" pickup selection and it made all the difference.
Also, as I do with all Warmoth necks, I was able to easily reshape the back contour of this wenge neck using 100 grit. Piece of cake and it requires no finish. Finished up with 300 and it's baby smooth and self sealing.
Love my wenge neck. But if your tone needs to punch through via the upper mids, and you need that "clank" that you get from maple, be advised.
Also, as I do with all Warmoth necks, I was able to easily reshape the back contour of this wenge neck using 100 grit. Piece of cake and it requires no finish. Finished up with 300 and it's baby smooth and self sealing.
Love my wenge neck. But if your tone needs to punch through via the upper mids, and you need that "clank" that you get from maple, be advised.
Wenge neck with a Malagasy ebony fingerboard. Maple body with wenge accent, and a maple veneer capped headstock.
Both the neck and fingerboard were left unfinished. It sounds...like a bass. A fretless one, specifically, because it is fretless. It has a tone knob, so it is dark and mellow when I want dark and mellow, and bright and snappy when I want bright and snappy. (Both neck and fingerboard were sanded/polished to 12,000 grit.)
The neck is stable and strong, and has required TR adjustment once in two years.
I also built this 7-string baritone with a mostly wenge neck and body:
It sounds...monstrous. Big, bright, bold, bassy, and screaming. This neck was finished with a tung oil finish, because that's what dude wanted.
Both the neck and fingerboard were left unfinished. It sounds...like a bass. A fretless one, specifically, because it is fretless. It has a tone knob, so it is dark and mellow when I want dark and mellow, and bright and snappy when I want bright and snappy. (Both neck and fingerboard were sanded/polished to 12,000 grit.)
The neck is stable and strong, and has required TR adjustment once in two years.
I also built this 7-string baritone with a mostly wenge neck and body:
It sounds...monstrous. Big, bright, bold, bassy, and screaming. This neck was finished with a tung oil finish, because that's what dude wanted.
If you decide not to go the Wenge/Wenge route consider the Rosewood/Rosewood route. Here's a pic of my Warmoth build with an all rosewood neck. I think it looks a little neater than wenge, which naturally has a lot of small voids in it. Both Wenge and Rosewood are great choices for neck builds, you cant go wrong either way.
I just ordered a Wenge neck with ebony neck for my fretless. It will be a while before it gets here and I have enough of a break in my schedule to get it on the bass, but I'll find this thread and post.
I love the look of the neck.
I love the look of the neck.
