alteredbeast
New member
Basswood guitars? Opinions?
Why do humans like/dislike...
- Thread starter alteredbeast
- Start date
toneseeker74
New member
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
The only thing that I particularly liked on my basswood guitar is the softness of the wood. Otherwise it was just fine.
The only thing that I particularly liked on my basswood guitar is the softness of the wood. Otherwise it was just fine.
Chocklit_Thunda
New member
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
Because it's used by Asian manufacturers because it's plentiful and marketed as a cheap wood even though it has a wide tonal spectrum. It does tend to be a bland looking wood often with green tinge/streaks. It can't be marketed as a premium wood like the harder to find mahoganies and swamp ash's out there so gets overlooked by a lot of manufacturers.
People are actually just stupid. Let them miss out.
Because it's used by Asian manufacturers because it's plentiful and marketed as a cheap wood even though it has a wide tonal spectrum. It does tend to be a bland looking wood often with green tinge/streaks. It can't be marketed as a premium wood like the harder to find mahoganies and swamp ash's out there so gets overlooked by a lot of manufacturers.
People are actually just stupid. Let them miss out.
Edgecrusher
New member
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
Because if you give people a choice... they will form an opinion...even if based on nothing
Because if you give people a choice... they will form an opinion...even if based on nothing
kilphody
Upstate Highlander
FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
My Jazzmaster is basswood. It is a jangly sounding guitar by design so the basswood helps it have a thick, round midrange tone. Love it for that.
I don't love how easy it is to strip the screw holes though. Makes me want to plan and minimize the number of times I ever take it apart.
My Jazzmaster is basswood. It is a jangly sounding guitar by design so the basswood helps it have a thick, round midrange tone. Love it for that.
I don't love how easy it is to strip the screw holes though. Makes me want to plan and minimize the number of times I ever take it apart.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
Because they pretend that they know what basswood – or any wood, for that matter – "sounds" like. But put any of those people through a blind listening test and see what happens. Ultimate fail is what happens.
I've had Strats of pretty much every wood Fender has ever made them of, plus a few other woods, and had all sorts of pickups in and out of them, shared between them, etc. Alder, heavy ash, light ash, pine, poplar, basswood, mahogany, etc. Even without a blind listening test, they've all sounded like Strats to me. Same with Teles, though I haven't had them in quite as many wood types (just ash, alder, mahogany, pine, and basswood). The idea of tonal predictability in an electric guitar based solely on the species of wood used is just ludicrous to me. Even if you could scientifically narrow down what properties of what wood affect tone in what ways (which nobody has actually done, ever, TMK), you will never get consistency, especially with today's farmed lumber. And we are talking about electric guitars here. That removes not all of, but at the very least a huge part of the tonal effect of wood.
Because they pretend that they know what basswood – or any wood, for that matter – "sounds" like. But put any of those people through a blind listening test and see what happens. Ultimate fail is what happens.
I've had Strats of pretty much every wood Fender has ever made them of, plus a few other woods, and had all sorts of pickups in and out of them, shared between them, etc. Alder, heavy ash, light ash, pine, poplar, basswood, mahogany, etc. Even without a blind listening test, they've all sounded like Strats to me. Same with Teles, though I haven't had them in quite as many wood types (just ash, alder, mahogany, pine, and basswood). The idea of tonal predictability in an electric guitar based solely on the species of wood used is just ludicrous to me. Even if you could scientifically narrow down what properties of what wood affect tone in what ways (which nobody has actually done, ever, TMK), you will never get consistency, especially with today's farmed lumber. And we are talking about electric guitars here. That removes not all of, but at the very least a huge part of the tonal effect of wood.
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elelpe
Well-known member
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
And I dislike basswood because of the softness, lol.
And I dislike basswood because of the softness, lol.
DreX
New member
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
I have a bunch of basswood electrics, I really like the consistency and the eveness of the output. I can get away with using brighter pickups and higher value pots without as much of a tendency for undesirable high end. Mahogany in particular has been a grab bad, and I feel like I've had to make more of an effort to match the pickup to the wood. Alder and ash have been somewhere in between in terms of reliable tone.
I have a bunch of basswood electrics, I really like the consistency and the eveness of the output. I can get away with using brighter pickups and higher value pots without as much of a tendency for undesirable high end. Mahogany in particular has been a grab bad, and I feel like I've had to make more of an effort to match the pickup to the wood. Alder and ash have been somewhere in between in terms of reliable tone.
kramersteen
PowerMetalRaph
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
Not this again!
Basswood Pronounced bass like the fish.
This wood gained popularity in the 80s and for a time was probably the most used wood for locking tremolo guitars. It is very light weight and produces a fairly even and full mid-range response throughout the entire band width. Many people feel it is extremely well matched with humbucking pickups because it produces a lot of the same frequencies that humbuckers easily reproduce. This is not to say that single coil tones aren't great as well. Toward the end of the late 80s, a few other species of woods were mistakenly thought to be basswood and this seemed to lead to a decline in basswood's popularity. However, true basswood does produce a very pleasing midrange tone and is the only type of basswood used here at Tom Anderson Guitarworks. Ifs natural color is light blonde to of white with little to no discernible grain. For this reason, an opaque paint color is usually chosen for a solid basswood body.
Tom Anderson knows ^^
Not this again!
Basswood Pronounced bass like the fish.
This wood gained popularity in the 80s and for a time was probably the most used wood for locking tremolo guitars. It is very light weight and produces a fairly even and full mid-range response throughout the entire band width. Many people feel it is extremely well matched with humbucking pickups because it produces a lot of the same frequencies that humbuckers easily reproduce. This is not to say that single coil tones aren't great as well. Toward the end of the late 80s, a few other species of woods were mistakenly thought to be basswood and this seemed to lead to a decline in basswood's popularity. However, true basswood does produce a very pleasing midrange tone and is the only type of basswood used here at Tom Anderson Guitarworks. Ifs natural color is light blonde to of white with little to no discernible grain. For this reason, an opaque paint color is usually chosen for a solid basswood body.
Tom Anderson knows ^^
Lucid_Lunatic
Rebelyellologist
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
I only own mahogany slabs with maple tops so I couldn't really say.
I only own mahogany slabs with maple tops so I couldn't really say.
ExplorersRock
X-Files Duckbucker
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
For me, the only complaint that I have is the softness that causes screw stripping. I don't like things that aren't durable because I'm a born klutz. It's the same reason I'm not a fan of poplar or pine. Tonally and aesthetically, I think all three are perfectly good tone woods that have some great applications. But the durability?
For me, the only complaint that I have is the softness that causes screw stripping. I don't like things that aren't durable because I'm a born klutz. It's the same reason I'm not a fan of poplar or pine. Tonally and aesthetically, I think all three are perfectly good tone woods that have some great applications. But the durability?
Archer250
New member
Brian Griffin
New member
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
All RGs even the Prestige, Japan-made are basswood, then again, I still think of it as cheap-ass wood, despite the sonic quality I have enjoyed all these years; cause my first guitar (a cheapo Jap Charvel) is a basswood.
All RGs even the Prestige, Japan-made are basswood, then again, I still think of it as cheap-ass wood, despite the sonic quality I have enjoyed all these years; cause my first guitar (a cheapo Jap Charvel) is a basswood.
vinta9e
New member
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
That's far from true, Brian. There are RGs with bodies made of mahogany, ash, alder, and then some.
There is a set of tonal qualities that basswood bodies deliver but because each piece is different, you cannot precisely predict what it's going to sound like based on spec alone. Seems contradictory but in reality, take a bunch of planks and see for yourself how they are not all equally dense or equally soft.
The tonal qualities I have just mentioned could be described as wet, round, sweet and punchy. So even though each of the many basswood bodied guitars I have played had a sound of its own, there seems to be a common denominator. If I were to put my finger on why people hate it, I'd guess it's because of the low mids. If you're still scratching your head wondering wtf I'm talking about, say it aloud: plump.
I've played a Fender HM Strat, a bunch of Charvel/Jacksons, a couple of Music Men as well as a particular RG550 that in my honest opinion were nothing short of amazing.
However, some applications have been disappointing. I've never had good results with low tuning, even though Steve Vai says otherwise. Another time, a Japanese Squier Strat didn't quite have that airy, open high end of a good Fender, despite its fantastic maple neck.
That's far from true, Brian. There are RGs with bodies made of mahogany, ash, alder, and then some.
Yeah, so what. Music Man, Suhr and Anderson turn basswood into premium instruments.
There is a set of tonal qualities that basswood bodies deliver but because each piece is different, you cannot precisely predict what it's going to sound like based on spec alone. Seems contradictory but in reality, take a bunch of planks and see for yourself how they are not all equally dense or equally soft.
The tonal qualities I have just mentioned could be described as wet, round, sweet and punchy. So even though each of the many basswood bodied guitars I have played had a sound of its own, there seems to be a common denominator. If I were to put my finger on why people hate it, I'd guess it's because of the low mids. If you're still scratching your head wondering wtf I'm talking about, say it aloud: plump.
I've played a Fender HM Strat, a bunch of Charvel/Jacksons, a couple of Music Men as well as a particular RG550 that in my honest opinion were nothing short of amazing.
However, some applications have been disappointing. I've never had good results with low tuning, even though Steve Vai says otherwise. Another time, a Japanese Squier Strat didn't quite have that airy, open high end of a good Fender, despite its fantastic maple neck.
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
Because - to paraphrase Douglas Adams - they are ignorant monkeys who don't know any better.
Because - to paraphrase Douglas Adams - they are ignorant monkeys who don't know any better.
King IzzO)))
Ultimate Kitten Puncher
Re: Why do humans like/dislike...
Heh, I have basswood guitars tuned low, they sound good to me. I'm in the camp with Itsabass, body wood is greatly exhaggerated. That said, I have noticed a commonality is a tendency to be thuddy (not in a bad way), I think because it's a softer wood. Do the knock test vs. mahogany or alder or whatever else you've got, you'll see what I mean. Depending on what you're going for that could be a good or bad thing. The lack of peaky-ness lends itself to shreddy tones and the opposite for sparkly sounds. For me, combining a basswood body with a maple fretboard and a bright humbucker is the jam.
In my experience Dre isn't wrong, basswood guitars do seem to be more consistent than most. Maple is the only other body wood I notice the same level of consistency with.
Heh, I have basswood guitars tuned low, they sound good to me. I'm in the camp with Itsabass, body wood is greatly exhaggerated. That said, I have noticed a commonality is a tendency to be thuddy (not in a bad way), I think because it's a softer wood. Do the knock test vs. mahogany or alder or whatever else you've got, you'll see what I mean. Depending on what you're going for that could be a good or bad thing. The lack of peaky-ness lends itself to shreddy tones and the opposite for sparkly sounds. For me, combining a basswood body with a maple fretboard and a bright humbucker is the jam.
In my experience Dre isn't wrong, basswood guitars do seem to be more consistent than most. Maple is the only other body wood I notice the same level of consistency with.