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Why Basswood Hate?

#81
Basswood is very soft, Janka 410. It is a good deal softer than alder (590) or poplar (540), two woods that I consider to be borderline on acceptable hardness, for anything. Fasteners are easily stripped, and without a protective coating, a basswood body will ding and scratch very badly. However, under a thick tough protective coat of polyurethane, it makes an fine and fairly lightweight instrument.

Basswood has an even closed grain that is easy to finish. Its looks are unremarkable, even more-so than alder, which is why it is usually painted. Clear finishes tend to be either translucent or restricted to the center of a sunburst. Basswood smells like chocolate when worked.

Basswood is not the softest wood used in guitars, both white pine (380) and paulownia (300!!!) are even softer. Myself, I would not use any of them for a build, although I have several factory basswood bodies that are fine. Any wood that soft marks up very easily, and it is difficult to get it to final finishing, as no matter how careful you are, you seem to put marks in as fast as you take them out !

For comparison:
  • agathis 730 Janka
  • ash 850
  • balsa 67 !!!
  • cherry 950
  • hard maple 1450
  • soft maple 850
  • korina 670
  • mahogany 1070
  • pine - yellow or radiata 700
  • walnut 1010
The fastener problem is overstated. It would be a good idea to back out the strap button screws and replace them with bigger/longer ones, before they pull out on their own. The rest of the screws - avoid over-tightening them, that's all. The biggest problem is Fender-style bass pickup mounts, screwed directly into the body. You can always drill them out and dowel them. When reinstalling a screw, always try to find the old thread in the wood. Turn the screw slowly backwards until you feel it hop, then drive it in.

As far as tone goes, it is whatever you imagine it to be.
 
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#86
Basswood; works well, finishes nicely, is light, sounds great... what was the question again?

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#91
Basswood is fine and there is no hate for it.
I suspect that most people who play instruments made of basswood do it because they have to, not because they want to.

There are much better alternatives (ash, alder, walnut, mahogany, maple, Pau Ferro).
When it comes to my own instruments I stay within the six woods listed above.
 
#93
Laurent said:
Basswood is fine and there is no hate for it.
I suspect that most people who play instruments made of basswood do it because they have to, not because they want to.

There are much better alternatives (ash, alder, walnut, mahogany, maple, Pau Ferro).
When it comes to my own instruments I stay within the six woods listed above.
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Sorry, I didn't make my bass bodies of basswood because "I had to" (what does that even mean?) - I chose to use that wood for it's light weight and tone quality. I wish people would consider what they are saying before speaking.
 
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#96
JIO said:
Basswood; works well, finishes nicely, is light, sounds great... what was the question again?

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The question was "Why the hate?" . The answer seems to be; there isn't any real hate. We all seem to agree that yes, it is a good tone wood, and yes, it's nice and light. You may not agree, but most of us also seem to agree that, as a structural component of the overall bass (or guitar; I have both), it dings and dents too easily, and it's pretty poor when it comes to holding screws. Which, is also the conclusion of every wood guide you can find... If an easily dented wood that won't hold screws well (or, sometimes, for very long,) is what floats your boat? I doubt that anyone here will tell you not to use it. Please yourself, by all means...:thumbsup:
 
#100
FilTurd said:
I believe the Guild Pilot was made of Basswood. It was one of Guilds best selling production basses made to my knowledge. The only thing I noticed was the low end was somewhat muffled.
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Guild Pilot has a maple body. A wonderful machine, I might add. As far as basswood goes, my house is surrounded by them. Beautiful smell in the spring, but, when they run, the sap will seal a car's doors shut... that tree moves a lot of fluids - for whatever that's worth. And, they grow fast. That normally means not so strong...
 
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