ARGH

[quote name='Lew-Bass' post='436807' date='Mar 17 2009, 12:23 AM']Thanks alot to the guys bringing the thread back on course, and to the others for such an interesting read! I didn't intend to spark a debate..

I've had a look on the smith bass website as suggested, and the woods that best fit my description (I ment a low, heavy-sounding growl if that makes any sense?) are cocobolo, lacewood and ovankol. Does that sound right to you guys? :S

Also, maybe I'm mistaken but I've seen zebrano as a core wood?[/quote]
In theory you can have anything as a core or a top,it just depends on if the maker can actually get the stuff...and is willing to work it into what you want,something like Zebrano,is going to be harder to work with,though not impossible,compared to Mahogany,or Maple......weight might be an issue to,but there isnt a hard/fast rule on what is going to be heavy,what is going to be light in weight and ease or difficulty to work with.

If you are trying to recreate that Fender P,low mid thing that takes your guts out,then dont worry too much about the wood,but get the P P/U in the right place and strings through the body,the rest is really aesthetic.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='436528' date='Mar 16 2009, 07:33 PM']You know its not sounding amazing that makes basses worht a fortune, its having Fender written on them.[/quote]

[quote name='Lew-Bass' post='435738' date='Mar 16 2009, 03:34 AM']Which ones do you reckon look the best, and provide a nice growly warm tone? And what are your woods of choice? Pics appreciated [/quote]
Sorry Lew....

What do you mean by a warm tone?...Its its looks you want Ive made my suggestions,and posted what I like,sorry you have had to wade through a ton of guff over what constitutes tone...or rather its origin...I hope it made for entertaining reading.

Go with your ears and eyes...theres a lot of instruments out there,and a lot of ways to play them...worry more about the construction,playability and parts and QC over the aesthetics of an instrument,what you like will be one mans love and another mans yuk!!!

The smith Basses site has a whole index and pics on woods,and what Ken believes them to make in affection in regards to tone....

Good luck I hope you find what you want...

Peter please stop posting that pic,one day I swear Im gonna see it sans coaster....

[quote name='mathewsanchez' post='436444' date='Mar 16 2009, 06:47 PM']I remember there was a test on EB forums where they recorded two sound samples of the same bass with different necks (both necks were EBMM sterling necks though), one maple fingerboard the other rosewood. People guessed which was which and as I remember, when the answer was announced, most people got it right (including me). The difference was very subtle but definately there.

I think it's stupid to say woods have no impact on tone as that's clearly not true, but I think wood differences can be very subtle or very apparent. After all a basses sound is just the sum of all the materials used and how they're put together.

Different materials have different resonant qualities - fact.[/quote]
Totally,but you cant just whitewash wood with a statement like Maple is THIS type of tone,It might be,it could be,but can you be sure,...and thats when taste comes in.

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='436434' date='Mar 16 2009, 06:43 PM']I think that's a very fair comment but, the two luthiers I've spoken to on the subject give the wood about a 10 to 15% influence on the 'tone' as a maximum.

So maybe it does have a small effect, and if you're shelling out for a custom instrument then 15% would be significant. When combined with wood mass, neck construction, pickups, strings and pre-amp it will become considerably significant.

Then going back to the argument that most punters don't know their 4 string P from their 6 string Yamaha it's only likely to be us who care anyway.

As I've said before, coffee table woods have their uses:

[/quote]
Come 10:30pm..if you could mic up a fart in a pint glass and it was roughly in tune,punters wouldnt notice...But some bassists on here would argue over the pints construction,and the type of fart bred....

[quote name='alexclaber' post='436422' date='Mar 16 2009, 06:33 PM']I think the only person that believes that wood is the be all and end all of tone is the mythical creature that ARGH is arguing with. The rest of us have enough sense to realise that everything contributes to varying degrees.

Alex[/quote]
Re read..I agree it is in there...but its not to the extent you think it is...

[quote name='Rich' post='436427' date='Mar 16 2009, 06:35 PM']So if I played three basses all strung with DRs and all fitted with EMGs, they'd sound the same whether they were made of mahogany, ebony or balsa.
Hell, why does it have to be wood if it has so little impact?
So they'd sound the same if they were made of mahogany, ebony, balsa, concrete, fibreglass or jelly babies.
Rrrrrright. Finally I see.[/quote]
No Rich....Its about saying 'THIS' WOOD MAKES 'THIS' TONE!!

[quote name='alexclaber' post='436426' date='Mar 16 2009, 06:35 PM']Did you ever do any of those things called 'comprehensions' at school? Where you learn to read something and comprehend what it's actually saying...

Alex[/quote]
read the op

[quote name='chris_b' post='436420' date='Mar 16 2009, 06:32 PM']Quite possibly, but to ARGH that's not proof enough![/quote]

Because it isnt,its about 'A' wood makes 'A' type of sound.....quit nitpicking Alex,you are wrong.

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='436401' date='Mar 16 2009, 06:13 PM']So you're saying it's not the wood?[/quote]
Not to the amount some people want to believe.

And I am not posting in a aggressive fashion

If you want smileys go on MSN.

[quote name='alexclaber' post='436236' date='Mar 16 2009, 04:10 PM']Obviously construction (which includes wood choices) has to make a difference otherwise all those shopfuls of basses wearing similar roundwound strings would sound identical unplugged - and I've played enough basses to know that is no way the case! How much you'll hear those differences when plugged in depends on the honesty of the pickups and amplification.

Alex[/quote]
SO in that statement you admit that all the wood,and type of construction,means sh*t all when its plugged in...because you are hearing P/Us and strings...not the wood....hense,I win..YAYYYYYYYY.....

Fact is this,I play a Jazz,its me playing a Jazz,I play a P.....guess what..its me again......I play a Warwick.....well this could go on....


The Carl Thompson interview I use is over scale...A man who knows a ton more about building instruments than you Alex,part of the Thompson sound to me is EMG P/Us,and scale.and the fact that wood is to abstract...like ways to describe sound,such as CT says in the interview......unlike pretty much metal as a substance,to clearly define its properties in tone creation or affection. Scale makes things brighter and clearer over greater length in the lows...thats science,a world ruled by facts not hearsay and alchemy....see a piano for details kids....but you dont get Bechstein or Bosendorfer arguing over the wood used in construction,because the the strings are anchored at each ends by parts made of metal....say thats like a bass isnt it....but they look nice dont they.

Maybe stringthru body brings the wood into play a bit more,But I dont hear it,the killer for most vibration is the metal saddle,with an nth going into the body...we dont fit magnetic P/Us in the ass of our instruments..so maybe the Piezo users have more 'wood' than regular joes....in tone terms.

Ive played pisslight EBMM's and Buttheavy EBMMs...they still sounded like Stingers to me,so the wood had nowt to do with it,and to say you can tell the difference is myth and lie.

We dont buy an electric instrument to play it acoustically,thats madness....

Ive played Bright mahogany instruments,Ive played Dark and murky Maple instruments....the wood means very little...as I say,the player,the strings guage,scale,the P/U..the P/Us position,The Bridge,where the strings plucked....the electronics..Body shape....woods way down....dosent mean it does not affect tone at all,its just a very very very very small part and then before that theres the amp,cable,speakers.....

-----

Prove ,without any doubt that X type of wood,ALWAYS sounds like X and I will believe you....but its untrue,you know it,buy the wood coz you like the look of it,but dont get all bogged down in the myth that wood IS the be all and end all of tone.

[quote name='chris_b' post='436172' date='Mar 16 2009, 03:07 PM']I know you're not feeling up to much today, but please put IMO when you are arbitrarily dismissing everyone else’s views out of hand.[/quote]
Prove Im wrong and I might think about it....

Im not dismissing everyones views,some people agree with me,Wood does not govern tone,anymore than choice of nut or bridge material...The player,is the beginning....the rest is navel,frankly over discussed,and to be honest boring.

What wood looks nice is different kettle of fish......Dr Dave rotten maple topped Shuker being one of my faves.

Ive realised the possible reason for the op...

He may be young,and probably has not been on this site long....Sorry its just Ive seen it before.

Talkbass I think has done this to death.

Origins of tone is Alchemy......mixed with science,and then you throw taste and style of play on top....with technique poor,great or otherwise.

Wood does not govern tone......

[quote name='dlloyd' post='436155' date='Mar 16 2009, 02:52 PM']Well, why are you reading it?[/quote]
Because I can see it coming...its like a dead body,you shouldnt,but you unzip the fly......

Oh god,here we go again...another convo about wood,and all the whys and wherefor....then it degenerates into pro wood vs Paint..."COZ I DONT WANT MY BASS TO LOOK LIKE A TABLE" type posts....

Its dull,its like arguing over fretwire.....Move the P/U on any bass half an inch either way,and the whole instrument sounds totally different,change string guage...change brands within that guage..sounds different...pluck near the bridge...pluck near the neck...sounds totally different...

I know of blurry horrid Maple Basses,I know of bright as a button Maple Basses.....

[quote name='Marky L' post='435873' date='Mar 16 2009, 10:40 AM']How do you get that lovely lovely so '80's fretless sound that Karn does on Music For Chameleons, the Alan Partridge track??

What effects are going on there??[/quote]
The 'Karnivore' sound isnt chorus.....Its doubletracked with a slight split left/right to each side in the mix. Old strings,heavy handed....cranked Bi-amping too...

Just Karn,he cant read a note,and does not know a note on the neck,but he 'hears' melody wonderfully....

[quote name='chris_b' post='435783' date='Mar 16 2009, 09:02 AM']Had a bad night?[/quote]
Yes...

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='435764' date='Mar 16 2009, 07:58 AM']this argument is so old and done to death.[/quote]
But what wood do you like to look at?

Mick,I dont think is on lp with Gary...Thats Gary doing a very good Mick Karn impression..Mick toured..and I think its that Alan Partridge track you might have been confused over...

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlhQ3iC54QM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlhQ3iC54QM[/url]

Wood and it being the cause of tone is rubbish...

Dont give it as much kudos to tone origin as people would like it to be...The P/U and scale are far higher in affection of sound. Throw string choice and how and where its played..wood is wayyyyy down the chain...very little in effect of tone creation.

But the question is what woods do I like...

OLIVE
LIMBA
TULIPWOOD
WALNUT
PURPLEHEART
MASSACARR EBONY
ZEBRAWOOD

all look nice,or most of these breeds do...but dont get to bogged down on the 'What wood sounds best?' arguement....its like a serpent chasing its tail.

I bought it,I paid for it...No you cant use it...

DI is the only thing lent out,and then only to a trusted friend....Its all Im taking to London gigs after instruments.

NEVER a Bass,NEVER a Head,NEVER a cab.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='433257' date='Mar 13 2009, 09:00 AM']But do they let you play the 9 ?[/quote]
Yes..Ive already retuned them,Scott wants 2 tracks from it at least..and the next lp,will,mostly,be in drop A.


(Vast disappointment that I didn't bring it to the audition)

Digging out the 'Cosmic Lawnmower'???