Bass Guitar Body Wood for 4 string?

[Diminished Triad]

I'm going to build by first 5 string bass. I've built a couple 4 strings from Warmoth and have used both alder and ash bass bodies, both guitars use maple necks.

Because I'm adding the B string and it will have a lower tone than even the standard low E, I am wondering what your preferred selection would be for the Bass Guitar body wood? How about for the neck....and fretboard?

Will most likely have P/J bass pups and will be vintage or something a little warmer/moderately warmer than pure vintage, I haven't decided yet.

Thanks for any recommendations and experience you can share regarding the effects of different types of wood bodies, necks, and fretboards on the bass guitar tone - especially those of you that might own, have owned, or have played a 5 string bass (considering the lower capacity because of the additional low B string).

Thanks so much!

[Snake Aces]

Re: Bass Guitar Body Wood for 4 string?

I see no reason not to suggest swamp ash for the body and bubinga or wenge for the necks. IMO these are great bass woods. Ash is my favorite bass body wood and bubinga is my favorite neck wood; wenge is a close 2nd behind bubinga. Bubinga is really nice, it has a little extra growl with lower frequencies compared to maple yet it is articulate and clear with middle frequencies. My favorite bass is a Warmoth swamp ash body with a Warmoth bubinga neck (ziricote fretbaord). Great sounding and playing bass.

[BlueTalon]

Re: Bass Guitar Body Wood for 4 string?

I'm with SnakeAces on the neck. Once you break away from the maple neck wood paradigm, a whole world of possibilities opens up. I have a bubinga neck with wenge fretboard on one of my basses, and I love it -- it's rock solid, stable, and tone for days. But there are many combinations which will give you that. It's one of the great things about Warmoth, they give you way more options for wood combinations than you could possibly get anywhere else.

If you're going to the trouble of building a custom bass though, you might as well break out of the alder/ash body wood paradigm also. Go with mahogany (or black korina/limba, if you want a natural finish).

Ultimately, it's your money and your decision. But I just can't see ordering from Warmoth and getting the same thing that's available from every other bass parts provider -- it's like going to Baskin & Robin's and having a vanilla milk shake.

My only knock on Warmoth is that apart from their Gecko line, they don't offer their 5 string necks in a 35" scale. That would be a really nice option to have.

[Snake Aces]

Re: Bass Guitar Body Wood for 4 string?

I'm with SnakeAces on the neck. Once you break away from the maple neck wood paradigm, a whole world of possibilities opens up. I have a bubinga neck with wenge fretboard on one of my basses, and I love it -- it's rock solid, stable, and tone for days. But there are many combinations which will give you that. It's one of the great things about Warmoth, they give you way more options for wood combinations than you could possibly get anywhere else.

If you're going to the trouble of building a custom bass though, you might as well break out of the alder/ash body wood paradigm also. Go with mahogany (or black korina/limba, if you want a natural finish).

Ultimately, it's your money and your decision. But I just can't see ordering from Warmoth and getting the same thing that's available from every other bass parts provider -- it's like going to Baskin & Robin's and having a vanilla milk shake.

My only knock on Warmoth is that apart from their Gecko line, they don't offer their 5 string necks in a 35" scale. That would be a really nice option to have.

Agreed. I love mahogany and black limba too. I love ash too, especially with a transparent finish but there are so many good wood options from Warmoth.

[Diminished Triad]

Re: Bass Guitar Body Wood for 4 string?

Would Walnut be too bright as a bass body?
Thanks for the great info above too!

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Bass Guitar Body Wood for 4 string?

Would Walnut be too bright as a bass body?
Thanks for the great info above too!

Not at all, in fact it could add some definition to the low B string. Tons of basses use walnut. Kinda heavy though.

[Diminished Triad]

Re: Bass Guitar Body Wood for 4 string?

I saw some earlier concerns about a Maple bodied bass and so I figured Walnut might raise the same issues of brightness and weight. Thanks for the input...