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Finish - Is it important ?


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I'm with BRX in the James Randi camp here (without the cash, sadly :|) - show me the actual, repeatable, provable science, and I'll believe it. Electronics, pickup placement, strings, design (in the extreme) yeah, everything else? What BRX said...

Edited by Muzz
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On 02/06/2018 at 02:31, Grangur said:

Aside of all the tonewood science, a change in the finish of the bass will change how the OP feels about the bass and so this could create a change in his attack with the fingers. 

+1

I think the emotional attachment makes far more difference than the finish 

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On 02/06/2018 at 09:30, Muzz said:

I'm with BRX in the James Randi camp here (without the cash, sadly :|) - show me the actual, repeatable, provable science, and I'll believe it. Electronics, pickup placement, strings, design (in the extreme) yeah, everything else? What BRX said...

Speaking as someone with a fist-full of Warwicks ("The Sound of Wood"... etc, etc) They all have different wood and the do all sound different. There are a few similarities in tone I've noticed that would indicate that tonewood can have a small influence.

All that said, IMHO the main affecting things are:

Fingers/attitude, amplification, pickups, set-up, strings age, strings type, bridge, nut (open notes only), neck-wood, body-wood.

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4 hours ago, Grangur said:

Speaking as someone with a fist-full of Warwicks ("The Sound of Wood"... etc, etc) They all have different wood and the do all sound different. There are a few similarities in tone I've noticed that would indicate that tonewood can have a small influence.

All that said, IMHO the main affecting things are:

Fingers/attitude, amplification, pickups, set-up, strings age, strings type, bridge, nut (open notes only), neck-wood, body-wood.

But do they all have exactly the same pickups/pre-amp/hardware/construction? If the bodies and necks are made of multiple pieces of wood are all the joins in the exactly the same place?

The problem I have with trying at attribute a tonal characteristic to a single element on a solid wood instrument is that there are simply too many variables present to be able to isolate a single wood type as having a particular conic characteristic. 

Edited by BigRedX
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Hi @BigRedX what I have noticed is the basses with maple necks seem to have a more crisp response than the wenge neck basses.

That said, the maple necks are made of multiple sections and tend to be through-neck construction. So, I have to admit the difference between these could be construction and not the wood...

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Aside from all the comments and opinions about tonewood science,
Is your bass from the Fender Roadworn series itself, or one that has been naturally (or un-naturally) roadworn?
I ask because the Classic series of Fender basses, also made in Mexico, alongside the Roadworns are apparently identical in every respect, other than finish

I say "apparently" as I can't confirm this myself, but there have been several posts on here from BC'ers who have owned both, and say they find them incredibly similar in terms of playability / feel and sound
Just thinking, if you start re-finishing and end up with a less than ideal finish (not questioning your spraying ability here, honest! lol) - you may end up de-valuing your bass, or at least being unhappy with the finish

I just wonder whether a better approach may be to trade your Roadworn for one of the classic series? Worth placing an ad on here, I'd think....
Whatever you decide - best of luck with it. I'm a fan of the Roadworn series, I know some aren't - but they are wonderfully built instruments

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I will only wear a thin natural cotton t-shirt while gigging, anything thicker between the bass and my stomach affects the tone too much. Heavy knitwear will definitely result in a woolly tone, whilst synthetic fibres are good for slap. 

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