ericmeyer4
New member
Re: Basswood
I've used a 59 and Alnico II in a basswood flying V and they sounded very nice.
I've used a 59 and Alnico II in a basswood flying V and they sounded very nice.
Basswood
- Thread starter ACE 4080
- Start date
Re: Basswood
Chambered is often used to give a harder or thicker toned wood a more open tone. Personally I'd say with a soft wood (that needs a hot pickup to make it work) this would kill any drive or tone it had. It would do the same thing that happened to the explorer EVH had - the one he ruined by taking a chunk out of behind the bridge.
The maple cap on basswood is a great way of making it more lively and respond to more pickups. With the right thickness of cap combined with the better quality of basswood I could well understand it being good for tone
Chambered is often used to give a harder or thicker toned wood a more open tone. Personally I'd say with a soft wood (that needs a hot pickup to make it work) this would kill any drive or tone it had. It would do the same thing that happened to the explorer EVH had - the one he ruined by taking a chunk out of behind the bridge.
The maple cap on basswood is a great way of making it more lively and respond to more pickups. With the right thickness of cap combined with the better quality of basswood I could well understand it being good for tone
aleclee
Major General GAS
Re: Basswood
Listen with your ears, not your chisels.
I won't argue about the "quality" of basswood from a woodworking standpoint. On the other hand, I do have a couple of basswood guitars than sound great to me. That I do know a fact.
Listen with your ears, not your chisels.
J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: Basswood
I've got a 7-string JB in a basswood-bodied Ibanez RG, a fairly nice Japanese one at that. While it doesn't sound anything like my JB-equipped neck-through Jacksons of maple and alder, it sounds great in its own way. Kinda makes me wonder what it would sound like with an A2 magnet.
I've got a 7-string JB in a basswood-bodied Ibanez RG, a fairly nice Japanese one at that. While it doesn't sound anything like my JB-equipped neck-through Jacksons of maple and alder, it sounds great in its own way. Kinda makes me wonder what it would sound like with an A2 magnet.
UberMetalDood
New member
Re: Basswood
For some reason, basswood is always described as "cheap" or "budget" wood that dampens highs and is not as resonant as alder, blah blah blah. Buying Musicman Axis Super Sport changed my mind on that completely. Then I bought other basswood guitars like the EVH Wolfgang Standard and a few Ibanez Prestiges.
I'm utterly impressed with my Ibanez Prestige guitars. They sustain beautifully, have a great balanced bass and midrange and the highs cut through. To me it's right in between mahogany and alder. Sure it's a relatively light wood, but my Ibanez guitars weigh roughly as much as my Fender American strats.
I don't believe anything I read about basswood any more, especially the critics. They say it's soft but I have dinged my strats more than my Ibanezes and I use the Ibanezes a lot more.
As far as what they say about dampening the highs and pick attack, etc... It's all a lot of bologne. Ibanez Prestige, Musicman, Suhr, and Fender use prime cuts of basswood. My Musicman Reflex is chambered basswood with a mahogany tone block and it's one of the best sounding guitars I've ever owned.
I will buy more Ibanez Prestige and probably an EVH Wolfgang Standard pretty soon. Nothing I've ever heard about basswood has ever been true except with cheap imports like Schecter and LTD. I freaking love basswood guitars.
Moreover, basswood plays well with so many different kinds of pickups. I've had a harder time finding pickups to match an alder guitar than basswood. That's not to say that basswood doesn't have the same woody tone that quality alder has because it certainly does. All the nuance and pick attack are there.
Basswood is also great if you like solid colors like me. My Galaxy Black Ibanez RG3550mz has an awesome finish. Basswood is no less as great as any cut of alder or mahogany in my opinion.
For some reason, basswood is always described as "cheap" or "budget" wood that dampens highs and is not as resonant as alder, blah blah blah. Buying Musicman Axis Super Sport changed my mind on that completely. Then I bought other basswood guitars like the EVH Wolfgang Standard and a few Ibanez Prestiges.
I'm utterly impressed with my Ibanez Prestige guitars. They sustain beautifully, have a great balanced bass and midrange and the highs cut through. To me it's right in between mahogany and alder. Sure it's a relatively light wood, but my Ibanez guitars weigh roughly as much as my Fender American strats.
I don't believe anything I read about basswood any more, especially the critics. They say it's soft but I have dinged my strats more than my Ibanezes and I use the Ibanezes a lot more.
As far as what they say about dampening the highs and pick attack, etc... It's all a lot of bologne. Ibanez Prestige, Musicman, Suhr, and Fender use prime cuts of basswood. My Musicman Reflex is chambered basswood with a mahogany tone block and it's one of the best sounding guitars I've ever owned.
I will buy more Ibanez Prestige and probably an EVH Wolfgang Standard pretty soon. Nothing I've ever heard about basswood has ever been true except with cheap imports like Schecter and LTD. I freaking love basswood guitars.
Moreover, basswood plays well with so many different kinds of pickups. I've had a harder time finding pickups to match an alder guitar than basswood. That's not to say that basswood doesn't have the same woody tone that quality alder has because it certainly does. All the nuance and pick attack are there.
Basswood is also great if you like solid colors like me. My Galaxy Black Ibanez RG3550mz has an awesome finish. Basswood is no less as great as any cut of alder or mahogany in my opinion.
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John E Rokker
New member
Re: Basswood
So far the only pickup I've tried that makes me happy in basswood is the Dimarzio Steve's Special bridge and Air Norton neck. Everything else just didn't stack up.
So far the only pickup I've tried that makes me happy in basswood is the Dimarzio Steve's Special bridge and Air Norton neck. Everything else just didn't stack up.
NT02
New member
Re: Basswood
Taken from the Warmouth site:
Basswood (Tilia americana):
This is a lighter weight wood normally producing Strat® bodies under 4 lbs. The color is white, but often has nasty green mineral streaks in it. This is a closed-grain wood, but it can absorb a lot of finish. This is not a good wood for clear finishes since there is little figure. It is quite soft, and does not take abuse well. Sound-wise, Basswood has a nice, growley, warm tone with good mids. A favorite tone wood for shredders in the 80s since its defined sound cuts through a mix well.
I just picked up an Ibanez RG2550e with a basswood body. The plugged in tone is too distorted and harsh due to the DiMarzio/IBZ pups in it. I'm working on that (see my other thread and post your suggestions!). Unplugged, the guitar is not as loud or resonant as my LP or G&L, but it has killer sustain, is light and has a nice feel to it. Basswood seems to be between mahogany and alder in terms of brightness, kinda like koa. I can see why those boutiquey guys would like to use it with a maple cap. It would have rich yet bright tone like a Les Paul, but not needing to be as thick or heavy.
Taken from the Warmouth site:
Basswood (Tilia americana):
This is a lighter weight wood normally producing Strat® bodies under 4 lbs. The color is white, but often has nasty green mineral streaks in it. This is a closed-grain wood, but it can absorb a lot of finish. This is not a good wood for clear finishes since there is little figure. It is quite soft, and does not take abuse well. Sound-wise, Basswood has a nice, growley, warm tone with good mids. A favorite tone wood for shredders in the 80s since its defined sound cuts through a mix well.
I just picked up an Ibanez RG2550e with a basswood body. The plugged in tone is too distorted and harsh due to the DiMarzio/IBZ pups in it. I'm working on that (see my other thread and post your suggestions!). Unplugged, the guitar is not as loud or resonant as my LP or G&L, but it has killer sustain, is light and has a nice feel to it. Basswood seems to be between mahogany and alder in terms of brightness, kinda like koa. I can see why those boutiquey guys would like to use it with a maple cap. It would have rich yet bright tone like a Les Paul, but not needing to be as thick or heavy.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Basswood
The confusion here is because there's different kinds of basswood. There's 30 species in the genus and the wood varies. Some is high quality, and is used in high-end guitars. Some is low quality, and used in cheaper guitars. A $2,000 guitar and a $200 one are using very different grades of basswood.
The confusion here is because there's different kinds of basswood. There's 30 species in the genus and the wood varies. Some is high quality, and is used in high-end guitars. Some is low quality, and used in cheaper guitars. A $2,000 guitar and a $200 one are using very different grades of basswood.
IanBallard
New member
Re: Basswood
Exactly. There is a weird mania amidst the musical community that ASSUMES "expensive is better" when in a real market society, we tend towards cheaper things that get the job done. Just the fact that it is "cheap" does not discount its sonic qualities, nor that its relative softness fails in heavy-use terms. It grows in renewable forests, grows fast and is economically advantageous, but the aforementioned guitar star players don't care about price. They'd have a solid gold guitar if it sounded awesome. They also have CUSTOM PICKUPS designed around achieving a particular voice from the wood. Most people claim basswood is "flat" and "tonally superfluous" meaning you can voice pickups that do exactly what YOU want them to do, rather than dealing with a wood that has an inherent spike in it. If mahogany was so "badass", why are so many virtuosoes and tone-freak pros going the basswood route?
I'm seriously considering replacing the alder body on my guitar with a basswood "Man of Music" body from Southeast guitars. I'm thinking my A8 Hybrid and a Mean 90 would be killer in there.
Exactly. There is a weird mania amidst the musical community that ASSUMES "expensive is better" when in a real market society, we tend towards cheaper things that get the job done. Just the fact that it is "cheap" does not discount its sonic qualities, nor that its relative softness fails in heavy-use terms. It grows in renewable forests, grows fast and is economically advantageous, but the aforementioned guitar star players don't care about price. They'd have a solid gold guitar if it sounded awesome. They also have CUSTOM PICKUPS designed around achieving a particular voice from the wood. Most people claim basswood is "flat" and "tonally superfluous" meaning you can voice pickups that do exactly what YOU want them to do, rather than dealing with a wood that has an inherent spike in it. If mahogany was so "badass", why are so many virtuosoes and tone-freak pros going the basswood route?
I'm seriously considering replacing the alder body on my guitar with a basswood "Man of Music" body from Southeast guitars. I'm thinking my A8 Hybrid and a Mean 90 would be killer in there.
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Basswood
I agree. Those two pickups would be some of the very few to work in cheap Asswood.
I agree. Those two pickups would be some of the very few to work in cheap Asswood.
