BigRedX Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 [quote name='jailbait' timestamp='1374050771' post='2144559'] good point. if glued correctly in a vice under a bit of pressure the wood will soak the glue up bonding the two together making it act like a single piece of wood and the joint will be stronger then the wood its self. [/quote] It might do constructionally, but how about for transmitting sound waves? Since the glue joint is stronger than the actual wood it is joining it will have made a difference to how the wood resonates compared with using a single non-glued piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jailbait Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1374051737' post='2144588'] It might do constructionally, but how about for transmitting sound waves? Since the glue joint is stronger than the actual wood it is joining it will have made a difference to how the wood resonates compared with using a single non-glued piece. [/quote] lol I`m feeling picked on any joint will detract I would of thought but the better the join the better the transmition of vibration between then, kinda like bolt on and thru body neck construction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceonaboy Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 I would have thought with electric guitars, that the wood would make sod all difference as its not an acoustic instrument, but all I know is, my ash bodied home made P bass, sounds awesomer than any of my other basses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 [quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1374054625' post='2144650'] I would have thought with electric guitars, that the wood would make sod all difference as its not an acoustic instrument, but all I know is, my ash bodied home made P bass, sounds awesomer than any of my other basses [/quote] Wood does make a difference (although IMO it's low in importance compared with other factors). What I don't accept is that the difference is quantifiable. There are too many factors affecting it. For a start every piece of wood is different. Two (or more) bits of wood glued together won't behave in the same way as a single piece. A particular species of wood grown in one location won't necessarily be the same as the same species grown somewhere else. It's when you start to look at all those variables that you realise how ridiculous making tonal claims for a solid instrument based on the wood(s) it is constructed from are. Pick a piece of wood because it looks nice and has the right weight to produce a well balanced instrument, but don't expect it to contribute to the sound in any way that is predictable. Most modern instruments it's all about the overall rigidity rather than the individual woods used. Regarding your P Bass, are any of your other basses absolutely identical in every way other than the body wood? If not then you simply can't say what contribution it has made to the overall sound of the instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 ^^^ This. As far as 'tonewood' is concerned, pick a light one that looks nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 It occurs to me that if lightness and stability are paramount, and the bass will have a solid colour finish, then surely the best material for the job would be plywood? Or perhaps ply faced with something that looks nice for a natural or trans finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1374058244' post='2144720'] It occurs to me that if lightness and stability are paramount, and the bass will have a solid colour finish, then surely the best material for the job would be plywood? Or perhaps ply faced with something that looks nice for a natural or trans finish. [/quote] The right plywood can work, I have a friend who built a good sounding guitar from high grade Marine ply, but it's not ideal for a solid colour finish as all those join lines tend to show through the finish as the wood moves with age. I suspect they're more prone to hairline cracks around the neck pocket too - all that end grain where you need it least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1374058244' post='2144720'] It occurs to me that if lightness and stability are paramount, and the bass will have a solid colour finish, then surely the best material for the job would be plywood? Or perhaps ply faced with something that looks nice for a natural or trans finish. [/quote] Ritter: [IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/0457-4.jpg[/IMG] Bas Extravaganza: [IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n249/BigRedX/25_Bassen_B25_Multiplex_01.jpg[/IMG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 (edited) [quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1373749676' post='2141319'] ....What preference do people on BC have, and why do you have the preferences?.... [/quote] I have 2 basses with swamp ash bodies, but I didn't know that when I bought them, so I'd say I have no preference. A great bass is the sum of its parts so I'd only judge a bass on its overall sound. Edited July 17, 2013 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1374061009' post='2144788'] Ritter: [/quote] Amazing. So one of the most expensive marques has a plywood bass? I find that very gratifying for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1374064461' post='2144857'] Amazing. So one of the most expensive marques has a plywood bass? I find that very gratifying for some reason. [/quote] Aye, but it's not like he bought it from Wickes. When is plywood, plywood, and when is it laminate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizznit Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Swamp Ash is my favourite tone wood. My old MTD 535 was swamp ash and the Shuker that is currently being built for me is also swamp ash. I prefer it over normal ash as it can be lighter in weight and in some cases a bit more brighter in tone. Alder gets you that classic all round Fender tone. There are subtle differences between all three woods, but as soon as you apply layers of paint and lacquer to the instrument it chokes some of the natural tonal voice of the wood. As most stock Fender basses fall into this category you won't hear much difference between the wood species. I judge all Fenders by their build quality, hardware and electronics package. That's what usually makes the distinction IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 [quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1374064738' post='2144863'] Aye, but it's not like he bought it from Wickes. [/quote] No... it's probably '...carefully sourced Baltic Strata Burl', or some such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 [quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1374064738' post='2144863'] Aye, but it's not like he bought it from Wickes. When is plywood, plywood, and when is it laminate? [/quote] But the Bas Extravaganza bass is from Wickes (or the Dutch equivalent) except for the fingerboard which is maple. The covers are hardboard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share Posted July 17, 2013 So swamp ash is typically lighter in weight and "can" make the bass brighter, sound's like my sort of wood if I were to self build, I guess I need to get out there when I find one I'm interested in and just try it and see. Let's not end here though, I'm finding it all very fascinating and I'm learning loads! Yep Mop - I will send you a PM when I'm more available, should be several weeks from now, but thanks for the offer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 On a practical building/finishing level, ash is open pored and needs grain filling, with alder you can generally get away without doing so. So you've got an extra hoop to jump through with the ash. As for all the tonewood debate, I'm not saying it's wrong - I'm saying that I don't care. If you could put a number on it, if it influences the tone of an [i]electric[/i] bass more than 10% I would be very surprised. In my opinion pickups represent the vast majority of the sound produced, then string material/construction, then hardware, and finally everything else is filed under Misc and fights for the scraps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 (edited) Would it be making thigs too complicated if I told you that I notice much more difference in the sound of high - end basses from the neck fabrication than the body wood , on the whole ? I've tried a couple of basses with ash necks ( the latest thing on mega expensive basses apparently ) and they had a noticibly forthright tone . Wenge necks such as those on Warwicks also have a very distinct tone , very sharp , crystalline and compressed , a bit like graphite in certain respects . Edited July 17, 2013 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1374093645' post='2145284'] Would it be making thigs too complicated... [/quote] Yes, it would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.