Ash or Alder

[HazBeen]

19 hours ago, Merton said:

Thanks one and all!

Following the London Bass Show I’ve decided to do a complete about turn on my plans, I’m looking towards Scotland now instead and it’ll be ash with rosewood or Pau Ferro board

Ha ha ha ha ha! Nice one.

[Geek99]

On 20/02/2018 at 10:27, Doctor J said:

Go with what’s lightest followed by what looks nice. Your electronics will determine what it sounds like.

That’s why I went for pawlownia

[soulstar89]

Old thread but the roger Sadowsky article was gold for me. 
 

I have a squier pbass with rosewood fretboard which I am addicted to playing acoustically. 
 

I love playing finger style funk and Rogers opinion is in line why I want to purchase an ash body maple neck p bass atm. 

[BigRedX]

Which Ash? There are over 40 different species of tree that are classified as "Ash", and it's further complicated by the fact the Swamp Ash isn't a separate species, but simply a tree of the Ash family that has been grown in swampy conditions. And where has the Ash that is going to make your bass come from? Ash trees grow in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. That's big range of growing conditions all of which will affect the structure of the wood, and if the wood is important to the tone of the instrument then it will also affect the tone.

[Baloney Balderdash]

While wood does have some influence on the overall tone there is likely as much difference between two individual pieces of wood of the same type as there is between two random pieces of different wood types, add to that that neck and fretboard wood properly will have a bigger influence on the overall tone and I think the type of wood the body is made up really have a rather minor influence on the overall tone, not really in any way that within reason would be predictable or make sense really based on wood type alone at least.

 

Personally I love how Ash looks though, and my Aria Pro II Laser Electric Classic that got an Ash body, while rather heavy, does have an amazing resonance. 

 

So I'd chose Ash.

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Linus27]

In my experience, I think woods and density play a factor in how a musical instrument sings. After all, its vibration and frequencies we are dealing with so how these travel through an object will play a factor in how an instrument sings and resonates etc. We've had dead notes, badly set up basses etc. which will affect how a note sustains or resonates so in my experience the wood and density does affect this. This is why I also subscribe to playing an instrument acoustically as Roger Sadowsky suggests. Tone and voicing on the other hand in my experience is not really a contributing factor of an electrical instrument, this in my opinion comes from the pickups, strings, technique etc.

[soulstar89]

4 hours ago, BigRedX said:

Which Ash? There are over 40 different species of tree that are classified as "Ash", and it's further complicated by the fact the Swamp Ash isn't a separate species, but simply a tree of the Ash family that has been grown in swampy conditions. And where has the Ash that is going to make your bass come from? Ash trees grow in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. That's big range of growing conditions all of which will affect the structure of the wood, and if the wood is important to the tone of the instrument then it will also affect the tone.

If I pick up a Japan 70’s-80’s model it will be sen (Asian version of ash). If fender 70’s I presume what ever ash they used in the states during the 70’s.
 

from my ears irrespective of the different varieties of ash they have similar characteristics (some more pronounced than others) compared to a different wood. 
 

many more variables add to final sound. I just find ash with maple neck/fretboard has a sharper attack. Maybe it reaches the note quicker. Where alder has a softer woolie attack. 
 

both great just depends on Your playing intention. 
 

I find it interesting that an ash body with full maple neck precision new is a rarity. 
 

I went and played a 78 fender ash body maple neck and compared it to a 70’s mij reissue which used basswood for the body. It sounded completely different. Granted you have to factor the pickups and bridge. Thing is the pickup was voice on the 70’s original bass I played.