Basswood - Underrated?

Jackson Distortion

Jackson Distortion

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I've played this wood before and I've always thought it sounded pretty nice. But, I feel it is perhaps underrated because it's found in many import guitars, so players feel like it's a crap wood. I may be wrong - and call me out if I am - but, Steve Vai is a fan of basswood and he's a world-renowned guitarist.

What is your take? Underappreciated or rightfully derided?
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

My perception is that it's usually quite even sounding, but slightly "dead" and mush. Nothing that pickups can't fix, but I'd usually rather play anything else, all things equal. It tends to be more silent un-plugged, which is probably why it's used on metal axes with louder pickups... Does not work so well with vintage single coils, harder to get chime or character out of it.
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

A little smeared out and blurry sounding, not crisp, is how I'd put it? I don't think it's a huge difference, I've owned lots of mahogany, lots of alder, and one ash axe, and I only notice the difference when I look for it.
3/4 of my intruments, being cheap, are made of basswood. I'm definitely not dissatisfied though. My bullet strat and my jazzmaster are still chimey and they sound like their more expensive counterparts. Pair them with a bright amp and I can hear lots of fine detail.
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

Is it that 'tonewood debate' season again? Lol...

It's just personal preference. In reality what matters is the mass of the wood of the guitar.
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

I don't like it because it's so damn soft.

In terms of tone, some of my favorite guitars are basswood/maple top

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Re: Basswood - Underrated?

pros : great sound, lots of midrange, cheap
cons : soft. One should IMHO use maple dowels in basswood in any contact between wood and metal, especially in floating trem guitars. Basswood alone cannot cope with the stress applied neither on the trem mount pivot studs nor in the neck joint. My tech did this to my basswood Ibanez and it rocks.
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

I have never had any issues on my basswood charvels.

I think the biggest issue is there's inferior basswood varieties.
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

Obsessive Compulsive said:
Is it that 'tonewood debate' season again? Lol...

It's just personal preference. In reality what matters is the mass of the wood of the guitar.
Click to expand...
If this was so simple everyone would hang a piece of lead from their guitar's straplock or stuff the cavities with tungsten and get great tone.
In reality the wood vibrates and absorbs some frequencies. If this ends up in good sustain and pleasant result the wood is considered good. There lots of lightweight guitars with plenty of sustain and great tone, but also heavyweight guitars with great tone.
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

greekdude said:
pros : great sound, lots of midrange, cheap
cons : soft. One should IMHO use maple dowels in basswood in any contact between wood and metal, especially in floating trem guitars. Basswood alone cannot cope with the stress applied neither on the trem mount pivot studs nor in the neck joint. My tech did this to my basswood Ibanez and it rocks.
Click to expand...

20/10. Did this on my Charvel model 4 and am going to have to do the same on my 3 as the bushings for the trem are starting to creep up due to the softness. Easy Peasy fix though!
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

I can see how it can come across as underrated. I had issues with the JB in multiple Basswood strats–replaced those with Screamin Demons and couldn't be happier. It is a softwood–I have a 1 piece Basswood Strat (super thin nitro finish) with a roasted Maple neck and it is the lightest solid body electric I've ever played.

Also, this guy approves of basswood so that should tell ya its not just cheap import wood

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Re: Basswood - Underrated?

I don't think it is as consistent in tone as, say, alder. I also don't like always having to use opaque finishes. I do like the weight, though. I have tried basswood guitars that were neck heavy, though.
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

My godin session is basswood with maple neck/board. Its balanced weight wise but is on the heavier side like LPs. My cort g250(same woods but rosewood board) for some reason is also like that heavy wise but sound wise its much brighter & not as soft and prone to denting easily. I'm guessin the asian basswood is not quite the same as north american.

My korean prs on the otherhand is made of mahagony body w/maple top & mahagony neck/rosewood board. That one is so much lighter, resonant & balanced sounding. My next purchase i looking for alder or swamp ash body strat or maybe a lp design(i don't have one) so mahagony again. I don't really care much for tonewoods but would strongly prefer a harder wood that doesnt dent/crack easily& is resonant, i do like aesthetics of some over others though.
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

My experience; bright sounding, not that resonant, "soft" wood that dings easily as well as the bigger issue of Floyd Rose Trem Posts tending to collapse into the wood (pull forward) and I've seen the same w/string through ferrules collapsing into the wood as well.
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

My RG570 sounds great. I'm not sure if its a "higher grade" of basswood than cheaper import guitars, but it's great.

It's not my best-sounding guitar, though, but I'm pretty sure the trem plays a big part in that.
 
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Re: Basswood - Underrated?

not a fan of basswood.. on a few guitars i've had that were basswood.. wood dented too easily and was too soft IMO
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

It's definitely soft. In terms of tone I find it to be similar to alder, but less bright and maybe a little smeared sounding in the mids. I've read that Grover Jackson liked it for Super Strats as it would counteract the bright / thin sound of a Floyd Rose. My Charvel Model 1A has a basswood body and it combines wonderfully with the smallish zinc block of the Gotoh vintage trem on there. It has a nice, full, almost vintage Strat sound as opposed to the bright / thin sound of an alder or ash Strat with a similar bridge.
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

IMO its like the EMG of tone woods..Compressed, squishy..or smeared as some describe it. It needs a proper maple cap to help open it up. If you play with tons of gain, I think it is actually superior for that kind of thing..its punchy and the compression helps.

It is definitely too soft.
 
Re: Basswood - Underrated?

For high-gain leads it's my favorite body wood. (maple/basswood/rosewood)
Have to go with a maple/hog/ebony if I could only keep one.
 
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