Why basswood???

[pie_man_25]

Basswood is fine wood. It's reasonably cheap, the grain is very tight but honestly looks good to me, it's easy to work with and carves very well and it's not too heavy.

Sure it's not the most durable, but that's only an issue if you handle your bass like trash and mind a few dents. I had a basswood guitar and it was fine.

 

[BurningSkies]

EAB has been around here for quite a while. I'm trying to save eight white ash on my property. So far, so good.

Overall the fight hasn't been as successful. We've just started to find them in our region and I've heard from more than a few people that things are getting more dire. Its one of the reasons we're seeing fewer new Fender models in ash, etc.

 

[BurningSkies]

Overall the fight hasn't been as successful. We've just started to find them in our region and I've heard from more than a few people that things are getting more dire. Its one of the reasons we're seeing fewer new Fender models in ash, etc.

*though I forsee my Swamp ash Telecaster with slab antique brazilian rosewood fretboard becoming a 'unicorn' in the guitar world.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

My nephew owns an Aerodyne jazz with a hard poly finish , and it dents if you look at it hard, regardless of how much you baby it. Other than being really light, I cant think of much to recommend it, other than it carves nicely. My Dad used to carve birds with it, it takes fine detail nicely, perfect for something intended to be kept on a shelf, out of harms reach. A bass? Not so much.

 

[PeaveyPlayer]

Ask Ernie ball

 

[BurningSkies]

My nephew owns an Aerodyne jazz with a hard poly finish , and it dents if you look at it hard, regardless of how much you baby it. Other than being really light, I cant think of much to recommend it, other than it carves nicely. My Dad used to carve birds with it, it takes fine detail nicely, perfect for something intended to be kept on a shelf, out of harms reach. A bass? Not so much.

I have some carved birds...in wenge.

 

[stringthrough]

My nephew owns an Aerodyne jazz with a hard poly finish , and it dents if you look at it hard, regardless of how much you baby it. Other than being really light, I cant think of much to recommend it, other than it carves nicely. My Dad used to carve birds with it, it takes fine detail nicely, perfect for something intended to be kept on a shelf, out of harms reach. A bass? Not so much.

Exactly my point!

 

[BurningSkies]

Life in a post ash world:

...I'm pretty sure that no one ever asked Fender for a pine bodied Jazz bass or Strat. Also, pine not known for being hard to dent.

 

[sawzalot]

I’ve had several basswood Bongos and they sound great and I never got dents in them. I make decisions on whether I like/keep a bass based on how it plays and sounds.

 

[JRA]

Exactly my point!

that's just one cat...i wouldn't declare victory yet.

we need a(nother) bass-wood poll!

 

[Lesfunk]

I think it’s a non issue.
My cheap SUB is basswood. It’s not light and it doesn’t dent. It sounds fine with upgraded electronics.
G&L tribute same thing. Not light , plenty tough.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

I do believe in tonewood, and I like basswood.
Denting means nothing to me in comparison.
*
My story again, short version: A basswood Glarry J taught me - I thought - that I like J bass, but later a real Fender roasted ash Jazz bass taught me that I *don't* especially like J bass. I.e., the Glarry J sounded so good to me not because of but *despite* being a J-type. Spent some time figuring out why, and the basswood body was one reason.

I’ve had several basswood Bongos and they sound great and I never got dents in them. I make decisions on whether I like/keep a bass based on how it plays and sounds.

Right.

 

[Tommyc]

Same reason Leo used ash and alder, they were cheap and plentiful.

 

[levis76]

I’ve owned several different basses made from basswood, from an Ibanez GSR to a Fender Aerodyne. They are light, not particularly resonant, easy to ding and dent, and if you like to mod, be aware the screws are only going to go in and out a couple times before the holes strip. Higher end basswood basses often have brass inserts for screws that get removed often like battery/electronics covers, sometimes p’up screws too.

Overall, I’m not a fan of basswood. Currently I’m rocking a maple body and neck with rosewood fingerboard. Maple is heavy, but it is damn hard and very resonant.

 

[Deleted member 365158]

My company buys the cheapest paper that WB Mason offers. The more expensive paper doesn’t rip as easily but works just as well in a printer and holds toner just as well. Our customers have no complaints. Why shouldn’t we use more expensive paper?

Is the paper made of basswood pulp?

 

[BoomFish]

It's such a soft, easy to dent wood!

I wouldn’t purposely set out to dent or damage my bass, but its a tool, and I use it and it may get some dings, chips etc.

Worrying about dents on the body makes no sense to me. Those wouldn’t affect anything. Dents on the back of the neck where my thumb goes up and down on is a different story.

That’s probably why there aren’t any basswood necks (that I’m aware of) too soft.

 

[r_bnks]

Because tonewood is nonsense and basswood isn’t a problem if you’re careful with your property.

That's why I'm glad that they made the Fender Boxer reissue from basswood just like the original. They've should made the Duff sig from basswood too.
And yea, careful with your instrument, you nailed it. I've gigged a lot but never made any nicks/dent. Never in 15 years. And I've never been easy on my instruments. I play hard. But also careful with them: not throwing them, put it back on the hanger right after playing/practicing etc. It's just a little attention.

 

[Bass4Brkfast]

I would be 100% more likely to care or be put off by the neck and fretboard woods and their finishes (or lack thereof) on a bass neck than the body wood.
I treat the instrument with care, if I put a dent in it by accident, then so be it. A dent here and there is no big deal.

 

[Nephilymbass]

It's such a soft, easy to dent wood!

With Ash, maple, poplar, mahogany and other good sounding, though often heavier (but not always) woods with which to build bass bodies.

Players like it because it’s usually lightweight. Builders like it because being soft it’s not as rough on their tools as harder woods. Not really a great “tone wood” imo. Basses and guitars with basswood bodies that do sound good tend to be more electronic instruments where they use pickups that color the sound to a desired tone instead of using tone woods and electronics that are more true to the natural sound of the instrument. Neither is right or wrong, everyone likes what they like.

 

[Herrick]

Life in a post ash world:

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...I'm pretty sure that no one ever asked Fender for a pine bodied Jazz bass or Strat. Also, pine not known for being hard to dent.

What exactly is "punchy complex tone"? I'm not a disbeliever in the effects of wood on tone but this sounds like marketing. "It's toasted"...or roasted in this case.