PlungerModerno

You could even do a multiscale if you fancy it!

I would say it's anything that makes somebody think it's great! I think it can't be one thing since two basses may be equally loved by two different players which hate the other bass entirely. Ultimately I think if it sounds great it is great.

Looks sweet as a nut.

At least 95% is marketing and people hearing with their eyes not their ears in my opinion. It might not be nonsense but I find it unconvincing, outside of acoustic instruments, where even there it is usually less important than construction/design. I think the biggest difference is it's psychological impact. You'll play a pristine bass differently to a really battered, sticker-covered workhorse (at least I would). I think we drive differently depending on the cars interior (pleasing looks, ergonomics, feel of the controls etc.) same with instruments.

The basses whose necks have survived under string tension were clearly pretty decent, especially the skinnier Jazz profiles had to be fairly good timber. Most of the bad ones are gone within a decade I'd imagine. I imagine it would all be kiln dried, not for long term stability, but so it'll not shrink too much before it reaches the customer and will take the paint reliably! I don't think it'll be all that consistent in terms of how dry it is all the way through. I doubt they do a Ken Smith (I seem to recall) and leave the neck blanks sitting for months or years in a climate controlled environment to ensure perfect stability!

Excellent point. Especially if the bass has bad dead spots or serious trouble (shifting neck, bridge, or other trouble that might be a pain or expensive to make right). Good suggestion. Entwistle are massive tone for a modest price, always worth considering for bass or guitar.

Coming together beautifully. Those woods look ace!

Is this roughly what you got: https://www.musikhaus-korn.de/de/vintage-v800bk-black/pd/111405 First thing I would recommend (I know it's obvious) is to check the pickup height, preamp battery level, and how dead the strings are. If all are good you may wish to switch out one or both pickups, and/or the preamp. I'd definitely want to try the pickups wired directly to the output before changing anything, see if there's an issue with the preamp (even in passive mode) that's "suck"-ing the tone away. Could be you like the stock pickups & pre better than most others if you got it working properly. Or it may suck and you will end up dumping it lol.

It's been a while, but I think it was these fine people I got some great stuff off before. Not bad postagewise either, but definitely check before you order with the current situation! https://www.exotichardwoods.co.uk/Catalogue/index.asp https://www.exotichardwoods.co.uk/docs/Timberline-Exotic-Hardwoods-General-list-2020.pdf

Even if we had dozens of documented failures, we'd need to compare them to the failure rate of another manufacturer to do a fair comparison (we'd need an idea of sales vs. breakages for both). I think yee are right about reinforced necks - takes some of the unpredictability of wood out of the system.

Excellent suggestion. As long as there is a little room either side of the outer strings, especially from say the 12th fret up, going from 18mm to 19mm spacing should be a simple bridge swap. The pickups will probably be almost completely unchanged in evenness across the strings.

"...this is not going to be a short or easy process" Um, take your time. Art takes time, and this is as much a sculpture as a tool for making music. Wow.

Alder was chosen for efficiency alright. Not the cheapest or easiest working but a lovely balance. Fairly cheap & plentiful locally at the time. Cheap & quick to work (didn't eat tools by blunting them too rapidly, or burn with power tools as easily as maple, or require too much grain filling). Plus it's a decent hardwood and holds screws very well. Density and other concerns were much less important. As long as it didn't impact sales margins or production.

Unless you run it through so much dirt you can't tell much but the approximate note you've hit! I think of that as the "voice" of the instrument as much as the strings or the preamp. Thumb muting and a filter pre will get you close enough for most situations, but you're right. Especially if it's a bowed part! This. We play the instrument based in part on how it feels to us. So it's no surprise some people will prefer the "sound" of thicker necks, or any other property - they find them better suited to them, even a blind tester can feel the bass.

What about tonewood dentures? for singers of course

Or maybe somethings truly unique: A fretless and fretted pair might be had for a wedge that big, might even be able to get matching tops & all sorts of wonders...

I had a feeling it might not be appreciated. I was curious what it might look like... it's a lovely shade of red judging by the pic. Goes really well with a nice jazzy tort to my eye.

Excellent suggestion. There is no substitute for holding & playing the instrument you're thinking about buying.

Some exquisite timber there, should be wonderful! I'm reminded of those "Human Base" fretlesses they come with the Delano oval, but neck through construction and a more angular headstock. Your headstock is a little more Ritter (in a good way, I know they are a little marmitey).

Very nice*. I can see having two coming in handy for any fretting, or working on a neck by itself. *

Cool vid. I imagine if the pickup was a little farther from the strings the effect of being above or off the poles would be a lot more subtle, as the field will be more even farther from the poles.

Black 'guard goes nicer with the hardware, I must admit. Tort would look ace too though! WARNING! I did something you may not appreciate!

I imagine without the weight of the wood and tuning machines at the end of the neck, it's a lot more neutral on even a scrawny strap, even with such a short upper horn.

I imagine even if it must be a custom one off, at that price (or close to it, including more local shipping) somebody would be delighted with the business. I would recommend the creamery if you want something custom. I haven't made an order like the above, but I would imagine he can get pretty much exactly what you ask for.

I was going to suggest a 3-ply White - then I remembered this: